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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2552, 12 March 1877, Page 2

At the 72.M. Court this morning, John IlusseU and Robert Doran, two inebriates, were charged with drunkenness. The former being on bail and failing to appear his bail was forefeited, rid the latter pleaded guilty' and waß fined 10s and costs, with tbe usual alternative. Capt. Fraser, E.M., occupied the Bench.

At the Bank of New Zealand to-day there was on view a^ large piece of quartz from tbe Moanatairi reef, of a size and oualifcy which have not been seen for along time. The piece of; rock ;weighs 1139 ounces, and it has a "band of gold three inches wide running through ifc. Some persons estimate that it will give about one half gold, while others less sanguine put it down as worth about 2 ounces to the pound. A large number of persons viewed this splendid specimen, its equal not having been seen since the Caledonian days. We hope to see many such specimens. .;

A SPECIAL invitation, to attend a religious service, to be held to-moirow evening at Mr Fletcher's, opposite Mr Eenshaw's, Brown street, at 7.30 p.m., appears in ouv advev iising colurrns.

Me E. Lewis will hold a service in the Templar Hall to-morrow,evening at. halfpast seven. Subject, "Christian Baptism." Free discussion is invited.

As no tidings had been heard of Georrre Halliwell, who was last seen a fortnight ago, and as great fears were entertained for his safety, it was on Saturday determined to institute a search parly, and most of those who were thought likely to go were asked to join. The party, numbering nine in all, met afc the bridge at Grey street, all being mounted except Mr PulJ.ein'e. and another, and proceeded on their journey at about half-past nine. The day was: anything but favorable for the search, and had it not been for this circumstance no doubt ma'py more would have attended,; as ifc was generally understood that the* search pai'ty would nofc start if it rained.; Under the direction of Mr Br'l-the party p-oceeded to the place, where' Halliwell was last seen,: near : Keri Eeri,

and having dismounted proceeded on foot to make a thorough .search of the sur-; rounding bush, the "searchers walking'; according to the directions about 8 or 10 paces from each'other. No. signs of the; missing man were discovered, and the' party returned '"n the afternoon to Shortland having stuck to their work well during the day. The two opinions which-J are most prevalent concerning Halliwell are that he has either fallen down in a state of stupefaction and died, and that: j the wild pigs of which there are abundance at and around the spot have {jaten; the body, or that he has fallen in'with; some party of gum diggers and is living with them. We believe that the former; opinion is the one more generally held. A party composed of members of the; Grahamstown Fire Brigade, and including Mr J. Wright, Mr J. G. Williams, Mr Bashani and others went up the river |n: a boat intent on the same business as the above, but after searching one. or two creeks, and the ground in the vicinity,: had to return without baying discovered any trace of the ■ missing man. The search party was drenched with rain.

2Egi.es tells the following story in the Australasian :—A few Sundays back an hon. member of the Legislative Assembly residing at §t. Kilda was informed by the parlour-maid that seven or eight gentlemen were in the drawing-room waiting to see him. Somewhat surprised at a visit upon the day of rest, he hastened.to ascertain its cause. His surprise was increased when lie saw that his visitors were persons with whom his acquaintance was of the slightest description. After some commonplace interchanges of civilities he asked lo what he was indebted ior the compliment of a call. " The fact is," said the man he krew least, " Air ;, you voted for the Sunday closing of public houses. We wanted a drink, and we thought that the least you couldjdp,; under the circumstances, would be'to Tot us have the refreshments you have debarred us from buying." And that weak-minded M.L.A. accommodated himself to. the situation. This, indeed, is only one of many instances of the extreme suavity of legislators contemplating another throw in for the Parliamentary stakes.

Mb B". J. Creighton, (says the Herald) in transmitting to the Postmaster-General his memorandum to the United Slates Postal Commission on the Postal Service, says :"—" The agents for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company strongly supported the claims of that company for a subsidy •; and the.Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company, running a line of English steamers to China and Japan, appeared be ford the Commission, backed by an influential memorial from the mei'chants of this city, claiming the samo subsidy for carrying the China mail fortnightly as is paid to the Pacific Mail Company for a similar service, viz., £100, GOO per annum. The Occidental and Oriental Company cifed the liberality and enlightened policy of the Australian . colonies, subsidising ,a line of American steamers ; to ■ carry ■ their European mail, as a reason „why the United States should pursue a similar policy. „ lenclose copies of these memorials, also extracts trom. the newspaper reports, from which it will appear that the Postmaster of San Francisco took a warm interest in the Australian and New ?ep\ind mail."