THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2621, 2 June 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1877.

We learn that aMetter has been received from the Secretary to the Treasury, C. T. Batkin,' stating that the Borough subsidy has been withheld becamse the Borough did not furnish certain information asked for, namely the Bank at which the Borough account was kept, "but now that the information has; been obtained the money will be at once paid. There is no mention of deductions, so that possibly after all the Borough may, get the subsidy in full. We doubt it however. Moreover the statement in the letter referred to discloses a state of ignorance, or something worse, not creditable to the department, as one subsidy has already been paid to the Borough's credit at the Bank of New Zealand, so that the reference to the banker is simply no excuse at all. Then we have the telegram of Major Atkinson, Premier and Colonial Treasurer, which stated that the subsidies had been paid to the boroughs in the Auckland provincial district. How the Colonial Treasurer can reconcile that with the Secretary to the Treasury's letter, which only now announces that the money is passing through the Treasury, we do not know. It is evident that things are in a mess, the system of- subsidies and deductions being altogether too complicated.

: We notice that the Auckland Star has dbpied the monthly gold returns from the Thames Advertiser, giving the total return, for the month as 7381 ounces. As the correct return as far as could be known—leaving out hypothetical items such as " Sundries, 500 ounces " —was 9767 ounces 4 dwts, or 2386 ounces 4 dwts more than the Advertiser reported, it is too bad that papers at a distance should perpetuate the glaiing inaccuracies of our contemporary, which the latter ought in justice to have corrected at once when its attention was called to the same. . . .;

Considerable, improvement has been effected at the Parawai school and playground, especially the latter, which has been raised and covered with shell and now forms a capital recreation ground for the pupils. The school has had new guttering fixed. Mr Adams was the contractor for making the play-ground, and the way he has carried out his work has given satisfaction to the School Committee. , .

A sale of freehold and leasehold property will take place in Shortland on Wednesday next, Mr D. Macnab having instructed Mr James Craig to dispose of his several valuable properties, which are well situated and eligible as investments, property of the kind being worth attention at the hands of capitalists and persons on the look out for homes. Freeholds in Shortland are difficult to acquire, the Native owners who were willing to sell having mostly' disposed of their interests, and the present owners, having faith in the future of the district, are holding on to their allotments.

The Commissioner for examining claims to New Zealand War Medal bas reported to the Governor that the following claims have' been admitted amongst others:— Fitzmaurice, Gerald, Trooper, Colonial Defence Force; Spencer, George, Trooper, Colonial Defence Force ; Hennessy, Patrick, Private, Ist Wailcato Regiment; Shepherd, Henry, Sergeant, Ist" Waikato Regiment. The claims of the relatives of Gillian Hecior Ross to the medal have been admitted, The notifications regarding the above appear in the New Zealand Gazette of May 25.

The Rev. Father Rice left for Auckland to-day. We are informed that between the private collections made and the proceeds of the lecture last night, the reverend gentleman carries away with him £100 towards the object of his mission, the rebuilding of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Cork. '

The election of auditors yesterday resulted in the return of Messrs F. B. G. Woodward and It. M. Mitchell —their reelection, in fact, the same gentlemen having performed the duties last year. The numbers polled were as follows :—F. Woodward, 147; E. M. Mitchell, 119; E. H. Power, 74 ; S. Vidal 52 ; D. Philp, 42; J. L. Whitford, 28; H. H.Wright, 23; Alex. Hutae, 11. Mr Woodward earned his success .by the assiduity with which he hunted up indifferent electors. He worked hard for himself and co-auditor, who was unavoidably absent. The result was made known shortly before seven o'clock.

The following persons hare taken out licenses to kill game in this district:—P. A. Pulluioe, C. G. Brown, % Kelly, F. B. G. Woodward, J. McCabe,? T. Gavin, J. J. "Woods, J. Simpson, A. D. Bennett, G-. Brett, W. Comer, W. Montgomery, S. Montgomery, A. Jamison, A. Bruce, T. Clark, J. Maingay, E. W. Puckey, T. Spencer, E. W. Hollis, J. Bull, C. Colley, E. Cashell, V. Savage, G. Meddan, I. 11. Cooper. Others have taken licenses, but they were not issued at the Custom House here. -

Dndes " The Electric Telegraph Act, 1875," it- is lawful for the Governor to make, alter or amend regulations for the transmission, delivery, &c, of messages. A new regulation has been made regard-

iug the final disposition of original messages, which provides that such telegrams shall be kept at. Wellington by the General Manager for two years, after which they shall be burped or reduced to pulp by a paper making machine, in the presence of some person appointed by the General Manager.

The calogram received a few minutes before going to press last night was somewhat puzzling, and. we had to give it best—that is, the last paragraph ; but on reading it since we believe that the interpretation is to be found in the famous Derby, and we now read it that for the Derby of 1877, Silvio was first, Glenarthur second, and Eob Hoy third. We think it is a pity that, in telegraphing important or interesting news, a few more words cannot be added. The additional expense would be trifling, and newspaper people would be spared much trouble in deciphering the messages ; besides which they would be able to present them to their readers in an intelligible form.

An episode in the election yesterday deserves notice, and the candidate who was a principal actor fairly won the success he achieved. An elector having quarters somewhere about the Exchange, and possessing a vote, declared that he would not vote uuless he was taken to the polling place, and as caba were scarce and the time for polling to close, approaching, the candidate shouldered the voter and carried him to the poll. He got, it was said, a plumper for his pains, and is numbered amongst the successful candidates. It was an original mode of " rolling up " voters, but it caused some fun to the few persons who' happened to be in the vicinity of the polling, and the pick-a-back journey didn't seem to distress the aspirant for office very much.

At the meeting of delegates/representing the Masonic Lodges holding under the Scottish Constitution in the North Island, held in Auckland on Thursday evening, Mr Thomas Eawdon of the Thames was unanimously elected Grand Tyler. This appointment has given great satisfaction to the brethren here, as Mr Kawdon is well known and respected, and he has acted as Tyler for a long time to the Sir Walter Scott Lodge and the Abbotsford Chapter, the duties of which offices he has worthily performed.