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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2499, 9 January 1877, Page 2

On Tuesday evening uext the Queen's Minstrels will give an entertainment at the Academy-of Music as a coinplitnen-

tary benefit to Mr E. Targett, who is leaving tlie district. A. great minstrel programme has been prepared and is now in rehearsal, and it is expected that there will be large attendance, as Mr Targett has made many friends in the several benefit and other societies by the willingness which he has always displayed to come forward and sing.

Mr James Cbai& gives notice that he will hold his usual monthly cattle sale at Paeroa on Thursday the 18th January. Mr Craig has had erected a commodious stockyard forthe safe keeping of cattle entrusted to him for sale.

On Sunday last, at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland, Miss Kathleen Curtis (daughter of Mr Charles Curtis, Pacific Hotel) was admitted to the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy, taking the name in religion of Sister Mary Ursula. Six other young ladies were admitted on the occasion as novices.

At the usual monthly meeting of the Thames Mechanics' Institute Committee the Treasurer stated that with the aid of £25 received from the Government the whole of the purchase money of the cottage for the librarian had been paid, but that efforts would have to be made to pay some out-standing liabilities and a small amount due to the bank.

We were shown to-day some very pretty specimens of ornee silk-work, made by Mr Walter Greenshiels, for some years a resident of Tapu, but now occupying rooms in the Insurance Buildings, Auckland. The specimens comprise belts, gentlemen's braces, and ladies' garters. They are beautiful in design and blending of color, and most of the specimens have names in raised or embossed silk. Mr Greenshiels, since he commenced in Auckland, has made a large quantity of different articles for sending away as presents, than which we cannot conceive anything more appropriate than such pretty colonial productions. .

Society (says " JEgles" in the Australasian) is not very tolerant of bookmakers. And that is quite reason enough to chronicle a chivalric deed by one of the class, when it can.be done truthfully. Coming down by train from the Wagga races, several of the betting brotherhood occupied a carriage, in a corner of which sat an old woman. Now one of the baser sort of betting men was eating cherries, and by way, probably, of provoking a vulgar laugh, when the old woman's eyes were turned in another direction he threw his cherry stones*in her face. The manliness of another bookmaker was roused. " I've an uncommon good mind," said he, "to give you a hammering for that, and" (thinking, prebably, of his mother) "on second thoughts I will! " He forthwith proceeded to administer to the offender a proper and wholesome thrashing; For which — thanks.

At a recent sitting of the Magistrate's Court, Mr T. A. Mansford, E..M., of Port Chalmers, delivered an important decision. According to the report of the Dunedin Star, his Worship said :— "The intention of the Legislature for many years past has been to abolish imprisonment for debt; and, further, that a debtor in custody for debt) should be discharged on filing a declaration of insolvency, or otherwise complying with the law for the time being relating to bankruptcy. The defendant in this instance appears to have complied with the existing law by filing a declaration of insolvency and causing notice thereof to be inserted in the Gazette in Bankruptcy, a slight defect existing in not having strictly adhered to the 4th of the new rules made under the Debtors and Creditors Act of 1876. The rule requires that all notices and proceedings gazetted shall be headed by the Royal arms, and by the words 'In Bankruptcy;' but I can scarcely, consider this a fatal objection, seeing that the plaintiff is not prejudiced by the slight deviation from the rule, and that the Gazette containing the rules fixed the time for them coming into operation several days before the Gazette itself was received in Dunedin. I think the special circumstances of this case are such as to justify me to direct, in accordance with the provisions of the 14th section of the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition' Act of 1874, that the defendant shall be forthwith discharged."

It is a very great shame to send poor foreigners out here under the immigration scheme without first educating them in our peculiar institutions. M. Vieuxbois came to Wellington a few months ago, and being a good cabinetmaker found no difficulty in starting in business. But want of knowledge of the customs of the country has been his ruin, as I shall let him explain in his own words. He writes:—"Monsieur, —To me one day there has arrived M. Levant, who has said : " I want three suites of furniture, and name your lowest price, as I pay cash on delivery." Then I have to him given the most lowest price possible, and he said : 'All right, send two suites to my place of business, and one to my private house, and call for the tin' (idiomatic English pour V argent). Well, the suites I have made and' them I have delivered, and for my money I hare then gone. But one day he has said that there is not to him in the bank enough money to draw for me a check ; and another day he has said that there was so much money to him in the bank that for it interest he would like to get, and would let it remain a little. At last to me there has come a letter that at a meeting of his creditors I should assist. I have gone, to him/and have said :' ' To blazes (expression I have learned since arrival) with your creditors, give to me my furniture again, if for ifc you will not pay,' But he has replied : • The furniture it is mine; it is not yours ; there is a Bilosail!' Monsieur, can you to me tell how M. Bilosail has my furniture got ? Who is he, anyhow ? (idiom Americaine.) " —lntelligent Vagrant.

The Sydney Morning Herald of December 30 says re the Californian mail service : —" It has been pointed out to us by the Hon. Colonial Secretary that in correspondence recently laid upon the table .of the Legislative Assembly, a letter from the President of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, dated New York, 31st October, 1876, to the agents in Sydney, indicates that the company were under a slight misapprehension as to the -difficulties that had arisen in the matter. Mr Clyde in the letter referred to, says the difficulty seems to lie in the adjustment of the share of subsidy which shall be contributed' by each of. the two colonies. Mr Robertson gays that the difficulty of adjustment is by no means the principle money difficulty. The difficulty is this: that while the company offers to do the line by way of Auckland or Bay of Islands for #80,000, New Zealand only consents that

the united colonies should pay £65,000 for the service via Bay of Islands, or £70,000 by way of Auckland, neither of which proposals come up to the final offer of the company for £80,000. This G overnnienfc have written to the Government of New Zealand, recommending them to come up to £75,000 for the united colonies, but have been unable to get a decisive answer from them, the letter of Mr Clyde further speaks as if both colonies, desired that the line should go by way of Auckland, whereas the fact is that this Government have always protested against Auckland being the port of call."

The long mooted question as to the color of Mary Stuart's hair is probably set at rest by a passage in Martin's " Life of the Prince Consort," which reveals the fact that there is a cabinet in Windsor Castle containing a large lock of Queen Mary's hair. It is of a beautiful golden color and very fine in texture.

An Indian officer has written to his Melbourne friends to know if the information about Victoria which he enclosed —clipped from an Ifidian newspaperwas to be relied upon. They are making inquiries, so as to reply soon. Amongst other things it states that 15 per cent, can always be made by lending money to municipalities, that there is no difficulty in getting a police magistracy if a fellow can't do better, that forest rangers are in constant demand, duties light, salary £800 a year. There are a few other facts a little less lurid, ,and I can quite believe that there are several Indian officers, with torpid livers, ready to come down, if the appointments alluded to were offered them by next mail.—iEgles iv the Australasian.