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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2629, 12 June 1877, Page 2

The Hon. ¥. Whitaker arrived here by the Kotomauana yesterday, and to-day he has been nearly all the time in Shorthand, and so inaccessible to the numerous deputations wishing to see him. It is stated that one result of his visit will be the removal of the Resident Magistrate's department to Grahamstcwn, and the amalgamation of some of the offices now held in connection with the Warden's ard Resident Magistrate's departments. The removal of the Court will rouse the ire of the Shortland people, who have ever exhibited great opposition to this step when it has been proposed. The li.M. Court has been regarded as the last link which associated Shortland with its former pristine glory as the Government township. ,

One case of drunkenness was the only charge on the sheet at the R.M. Court this morning. Defendant, who was on bail, forfeited it by his non-appearance. Capt. Fraser was on the Bench.

The highest price, we believe, ever obtained for Thames gold was got to-day by the tributers of the Little Agnes claim at Tararu. The price was £3 13s per ounce.

The adjourned meeting of the Thames Wafcjr Supply Committee will take place this evening, when the rate for the ensuing year will be struck. By the Act under which the Committee is incorporated they are empowered to borrow a sum of money not exceeding £2000 for extending the supply and carrying out necessary works, but hitherto the Committee hare been unable to find any one confiding enough to lend them the money. An unsuccessful application was made to the Bank of New Zealand to-day for the loan of £2000.

The workmen of the Queen of Beauty mine have struck for n.i extra sixpence a shift. They have been getting seven and sixpence a shift, and now they demand eight shillings, which rate is paid in a number of the mines. This is the first case of strike we remember to have occurred on the Thames, and it shows con* clusively that there cannot be much, surplus labor in the shape of miners in the district, or men would not " turn out" for the sake of sixpence a day.

"The unfortunate accident resulting in the death of a fine young man at football on Saturday last is sure to attract attention to the game of football as now played under the Rugby Union rules. It does not follow that'because deaths happen at some game or other that such should be avoided.. We all know how simply fatal accidents occur at amusements where the risk is reduced to a minimum, but the game of football ,as played at the present day is highly dangerous to those who enter into it with spirit and determination. The "scrimmages," "charges" aid," hacking " involve a certain amount of rough, usage, and besides the fatal cases which we hear of at the game, football has to answer for many ailments which its votaries suffer after "they have given up the game.

A BBiiiiiANT meteor was noticed from Shortiand last night. It made its appearance about west of south, at half past seven in the evening by Thames time, and traversed the heavens in a southerly direction, disappearing- in the horizon about due south. Its course was slow, and at an angle of about 25 degrees from its appearance, which was about half way between the zenith and the horizon. It disclosed a highly luminous body, and left behind it a white cloud of light, which lasted for a considerable time after the meteor had disappeared, and its light was similar to a powerful rocket let off at close quarters.

Mcdeen English geology holds that all geological changes have, been affected by agents now in operation, and that those agents have been working silently at the same rate in all past time; that the great changes of the earth's crast were produced, not by convulsions and catalyisms of Nature, but by the ordinary agencies of rain, snow, frost, ice, and chemical ac ( 'on. It teaches that the rocky face of our globe has been carved into hill and dale, and ultimately worn down to the sea-level, not only once or twice, but m?.ny times over, during passages ; that the principal straia of the rockshundreds, and even thorsands of feet thick—have been foraied on ocean-floor-bed by the slow decay of marine creatures and matter held in solution by the'waves; that every part of the es^th has been many times submerged, and has again been lifted into the air. This slow rising and sinking of the ground is an axiom of the geological creed. We" are told that it is now going on, and that there are large areas of subsidence and of elevation on the surface of the globe. But when we consider the slow rate at which that oscillation is now proceeding, and argue vback from the known to the unknown, we are landed in conclusions as to the length of time required for geological changes which the opponents of the theory declare to be absolutely inadmissible. —Popular Science Monthly.

The Wanaka correspondent of the Cromwell Arguß narrates that, in the good old days, before the Wanaka and Cardrona districts were widely known, there lived a jolly old chap, known as Parson Andrews, who had a sheep station on the Waitaki. One Sunday the Parson was holding morning service in one of the men's huts when one of the "hands" noticed a wild pig outside. Nudging his neighbour, he remarked in a stage whisper that a pig was there; but, for reply, was told to "Be asy now and don't be after disturbing his rivirence." "But," answered he in a louder tone than before, " I say there is a pig." This caught his " rivirence's " ear, for he stopped prayers and inquired if there really was a pig there. " Sure an' there is," replied Mike. " Well then," quoth Mr Andrews, " we will adjourn prayers for a while and catch him." Accordingly a rush was made outsize ; one man seized an iron standard,

another a crowbar, and the third an axe, wbile the fourth had to content himself with a saucepan. The others modestly followed with sticks and stones. After an exciting chase of twenty-five or thirty minutes' duration, the pig was secured, prayers were resumed, and eveiyone pursued the even tenor of his way as before.

An experiment which is being watched with some interest in underwriting and shipping circles in London has recently been made. It is intended to effect an improvement in the accommodation of sailors in the merchant navy. The Inchgreen, a barque built by Laird and Co., of Glasgow, has been designed to accommodate the whole of the crew in separate cabins, each completely fitted up, the whole'being a spacious deckhouse. The meals are taken in common in a special saloon, and one of the ship's officers sits at the head of the table. The vessel has already started on her voyage, and the men have engaged at le3S than ordinary rates. In previous experiments of this nature sailors have refused to submit to the necessary discipline. The present effort seems so far to have been successful.