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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2616, 28 May 1877, Page 2

The annual ball of the Thames Naval Brigade will be held this evening in the company's drill hall, which has been gaily decorated and prepared for the occasion, and which, from its size, should form a fine ball-room. The refreshment department is in the hands of an experienced caterer, and all other arrangements have been carefully studied with a view to make the ball a success in every way, which we trust it will. be.

The last night of the regular season of the Hibernica was Saturday night when there was a good house and a thoroughly appreciative audience, who were evidently pleased with the whole entertainment. There will be an extra performance this evening, the proprietor having kindly given a benefit for the Convent Building Fund. The entertainment will be under the patronage of the Hibernian Society, whose excellent band will be in attendance and will perform a selection of music. There is little doubt but that there will be a good attendance this evening to show a proper appreciation of Mr Howorth's liberality.

We are requested to state that the members of the Hibernian Society are expected to attend the Hibernica entertainment to-night in regalia. An advertisement to this effect appears in another part of this issue.

The Eev. Wm. Bice, A.M., has, we learn, consented to deliver a lecture at the Academy, of Music on Friday evening next on the Orators and Poets of Ireland.

Theee was a church parade of the Thames Volunteers yesterday, and ; the muster was one of the largest that has been seen for some time. The occasion was a farewell sermon by Hon. Chaplain, Eev. James Hill, to the Thames Scottish j Volunteers, and this company, to do honor' to their Chaplain on his last appearance in that capacity, invited all the other companies and cadet contingents to attend. The result was a fine muster of about 350, with three bands, members of the staff, and representatives of all the companies on the Thames, The parade formed up in the usual place and marched to church, when the Eev. Mr Hill preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion. After service the Shortland companies were escorted a part of the way home by the Scottish band. \

Tenders are called for the erection o" a bridge over the Kauaeranga Creek at, "Parawai. Plans and specifications for this work are to be seen at the County Council offices, Pollen street, and at the office of Mr C. Tothill, Auckland. This work is one that has been urgently required for a number of years, and the credit of bringing it to an issue belongs to the County Council. Formerly there was no local body able to deal with the matter. The Highway Board had not the funds, and the Provincial and General Governments would not or could not assist; so that the out-

districts have been isolated and settlement retarded. As soon as the County Council got into harness they grappled with this matter, knowing well tbat it was important to connect the different parts of the district, and that a bridge was one of the most pressing wants to that end. At the spot selected for the site of the bridge the land oh both sides of the river belonged to Mr Thomas Spencer, who has, we believe, given sufficient area for the bridge and approaches and for a road. The bridge will be a substantial affair, and will necessitate an expenditure of close upon a thousand pounds. It will be a great boon to travellers, and, as the roads get more improved, will render travelling to Ohinemuri a pleasure rather than the difficult, not to say dangerous journey it has been considered.

At a meeting of the Fellows of the Geological -Society of London, held on the 16th February, the Lyell Medal was voted to Dr James Hector, director of the Geological survey of New Zealand in. recognition of his long and valued services in geology and palaeontology in British JNorth America and JNew Zealand. The medal was entrusted to Professor Ramsay for transmission to Dr Hector, and the recipient was referred to flatteringly by the President of the Society and by Professor Ramsay.

The New Zealand Times of the 22nd inst., referring to the late gathering of Ministers at Wellington j says :—lf report be correct Ministers are having rather a hard time of it just now. It is said there is always one, sometimes two, Cabinet meetings a day, and all departmental work is performed long after ordinary business hours. ■■■....

The Tuapeka Times says :—A squatter residing on the northern goldfield adopts the following ruse for getting rid of hardup swagsmen. When a sundowner arrives at the homestead and asks for tucker and a shakedown, "the proprietor puts the question, "Are you a common beggar ?' If so, you can have what you ask for."j This imputation the swagman invariably denies indignantly. The^squatter prince then orders the man to !«eek accommodation at the nearest township* as he is not in the habit of giving, .to; Iny, but the class of professional beggarV.:<> V *

The printers and pressmen of Wellington celebrated the Caxton quarcentenary' by a dinner at the Odd Felloes!' Hall on Saturday, the 19th instant. There, were about 150 gentlemen present,; most of whom are or hare been connected with the press. The Mayor of Wellington occupied the chair. In proposing the toast of "The Press," Mr Travers, M.H.R., said, speaking of the New Zealand Press :—" I think on the whole we have reason to be proud of our newspapers. The Press on the whole is conducted fairly, and although at times public men are made, to a greater extent than they consider desirable, the butt and object of attack, and their feelings in some degree outraged, yet, on the whole, I have no hesitation in saying that, in that respect, even the conduct of the Press is not much to be deprecated. (Applause). I believe, and I am now echoing the worda which fell from Mr Bowen, that the character of the people might be judged of by the character of the papers, and it may be said that there is no more independent body of men in New-Zealand than those engaged in editing and pub-, lishing the newspaper literiifiure of the colony. I believe it to be the reflex of the feelings and understanding of the people themselves, and it is doing one of its duties in the great battle now going on in the world, with knowledge on the one side, and ignorance and superstition on the other."

The Hamilton Spectator mentions that Mr. Pillans, the well-known Scottish comedian, having been examined by Drs. James and Yialls, has been declared to be insane, and an application will be made to the Chief Secretary for his transmission to a lunatic asylum.

Says JEgles in the Australasian :—A mercantile firm in Elizabeth street has a clerk in its employment named Burn. The firm has extensive contract's with the Government. A few days, {tg&tfßlarge number of vouchers for goods supplied for the use of the state, and amounting to more than £1,000, came into the hands of one of the principals. Having looked over them, he called a young fellow who had lately come into rthe-establishment, and said, " Take these4q Burn." A day or two afterwards jfjras "discovered that the vouchers were miffing.^ Inquiring of the young fellow abduLthe documents, he said, " What did you do with those papers I gave you to take, to Burn ? " He got a prompt reply,r" I.did ijty sir, with a kerosene lamp." And he had.

It is startling news, exclaims the Sussex Daily News, which Mr Proctor has just communicated to us. The earth has not done growing yet, though it is old enough to have reached its time of stagnation. It feeds on meteors, and these must, of course,-at least increase its bulk. Few people have imagined that the earth is eating every day, and that by the end\ of the year it has taken no less than 400.000,000 meteors into its constitution. Yet Mr Proctor answers for this. He says that the shooting stars are simply meteoric stones falling to the earth at the rate of more than a million a day. But there are small signs of obesity in our globe as yet, because these 4CO millions a year would need to go on falling for millions of years before another foot can be added to the earth's diameter. By that time, it is probable that the earth will have come into collision with one of those blazing suns which now appear periodically in the heavens, and go out suddenly when they have ceased to combust. This is the way science now arranges the end of the world. It is to be a railway collision and a conflagration on a large scale.

The writer of " Sporting Notes from Home" in the Australasian tells a story, of the late Mr Merry, the well-known racing man who died a few months back. The tale is to the effect that many years ago Mr.Merry had a very warlike badger, which very Few dogs were found able to draw. A friend of Merry's made a match for £100 a side with him, by which he backed a certain dog to accomplish the feat, Mr. Merry, as usual, backing the badger. About a fortnight before the day fixed for the trial arrived the badger died, but not a word said Merry. A few days elapsed, and the friend turned up and asked him to scratch- the bet, as he did not wish to injure his dog, &o. Mr. Merry-smelt"a rat, and so refused to consent to come to terms, saying he was determined to abide by" the terms of the wager, viz., fight or forfeit.- At length, however/he was offered £50 to scratch the wager, and seemingly reluctant, "but to oblige his friend," he consented.

When the money had been handed over and the agreement destroyed, the backer of the dog burst into a loud laugb,. aod said, " Ah! Merry, you are done out of a ' fifty '"this time. I could not possibly have brought^my dog up to time, as he is-so bad he can hardly stand." " Indeed," said Mr. Merry, " I thought so, but as my badger; has been buried this fortnight, I considered it/prudent to accept your offer." '.■ . . .

Wahtjsj>"Everybody to Know,,that all kinds of Watches and Clocks can be repaired at J. T. Claeke's, Pollen street (corner ot Mary street). JN.B. Balance Staffs, Cylinders, and Pinions worked in for the Trade. English Hunting Levers, £8 lOs.—Advt.