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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2798, 1 February 1878, Page 2

The programme to be given by the Levy Concert Company at the Theatre Boyal to-morrow night appears in our advertising columns, to which we would direct attention. Irrespective of the various items set.down for Mr Levy's performance on the cornet, the programme comprises some excellent pieces of voc.tlization—solo, duet, and trio—to which the several artists will do ample justice. At the public are under compliment >(o Mr Curtis' enterprise for this second visit of the Levy Company, we trust there \7\A be a crowded house.

Ih the letter purporting to be from "A Woman " in to-day's Advertiser, an attack is made on Mr Sub-Inspector Bullen in connection with the absurd charge of larceny dismissed in the Hesident Magistrate's Court. The writer should hare made inquiries before she rushed into print —not, apparently, so much in defence of the unfortunate accused as to injure Mr Batten and say some spiteful things of the young lady prosecutrix. "A Woman," or whoever wrote the letter, pujjht to know that when the charge was laid the constable had no alternative but to make the arrest, and it would be an unfortunate thing for society if an Officer of Pol<ce could summarily dispose of cases of the kind without bringing them before a magistrate. Mr Bullen really, in the case under notice, displayed great consideration.

Thb tenders for various works on the County road to Ohmemuri were opened at the County Council Chambers, Pollen street, this afternoon. The following were the accepted tenders : —No. 8 contraot—Kiri Kiri bridge, Mr Boyer, £166 10s; (five others tendered). No. 9 contract—Warahoe bridge, Mr Boyer, £256; (four others tendered). No. 10—-cuUerts; Mr Punch, £87; (one other tender). No. 11 contract, fencing the Kiri Kiri— Mr Mclfermott, £32. (Two others tendered, one of them being lower than the one accepted, but both were informal.) No. 12 contract, fencing at Hikutaia— Messrs Short and Garaty, £126 9s 9d. (There were nine tendered in all, one of which, was informal.) No. 13 contract, cutting road at Puriri —Mr Logan, £ICO. (Twelve tendered for this work.) No. 14 contract, forming, cutting and making main road from Omahuto Onalai—Mr C. F. Gars. £379 lOi. (Twelve tendered for this work.) No. 15 contract, road through Hikutaia swamp to bridge — Mr A. Butler, £184 The total of the contracts let today was £1331 93 9d.

Feom the New Zealand Gazette of the 17th instant we take the following figures, as they appear in the Eegistrar-General's Heport on the vital statistics of the principal boroughs of the Colony for the month of December :—

The Mercury Bay crew inform m (Auckland Star) that the reason gives id the Herald for the failure of the negotiations with the Thames prew is incorrect. They say they are obliged to return lo Mercury Bay to-night* but they offered; to make a match to row two three-mile races; one in their own boat, and one with the boats changed. This the Thames men refused to do, and so the race fell through. The Mercury Bay crew to-night insert a challenge to the Thames men. They offer to row three races, viz., a single sculler's race, a pair-oared race, and four-oared outrigger yapo ; all three to be rowed or no match. The matph to be for £50 or £100, with a month between signing of articles and the race. The Thames crew state that their refusal to row was entirely owing to the M ercury Bay t?3ys insisting that the race should be rowed at 11 this morning regardless of the weather being suitable. They have likewise inserted a challenge offering to row the Mercury Bay men in gunwale gigs for £50 or £100 in two months' time.

There was no business at the R.M. Court tins morning.

The following is published as an authority, from Boll's Sporting Life, and .should settle a question which excited many an animated controversy during the Rto race meetings :—" A. B. J. (Grey.owii). —In ail sweeps got up on the course, the sweep goes to the first horse independent of protest, unless otherwise specified when the sweep was got up. If no stipulation was made, the owner of the ticket of the first horse retains the money, notwithstanding protests or objections.

The young man William Godwin, who was injured by being thrown from a brake while returning from a recent fire in Auckland, died a few minutes after eleven yesterday morning in the Provincial Hospital, after suffering great pain. An inquest will be held on the body this alternoon, before Dr Goldsbro' and a jury.

At Stafford a short lime aso,, a little boy, five years old, son of Mr Neil Grey, fell down a shaft 60 feet deep. Strange to say he seemed very little worse for this territic tumble; no bones were broken, neither were there any symptoms of concussion. A fow bruises about the body and limbs, and some.slight scalp wounds were the full extent of the mischief done. When rescued the little fellow had taken off his boots to climb up the sides of tb.3 shaft.

The Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland have resolved to address t'ue British Government on the subject of the New Hebrides Islands. It appears that lately an article appeared in a leading French paper, advising the annexation of these islands by the French Government. The Synod, as will be remembered, support a mission to the Hebridean natives, and, as was stated by the Hey. Mr Copeland, of Fatuna, at the public meeting the other evening,,it is greatly to be feared that French oceupationof t£^lslands would be a death-blow to Protestani missionary enterprise. The same gentleman brought forward several arguments in favour of British occupation. England hitherto had had the only outside, connection with these islands. In the first place they were discovered by in EnglisbmrD. Caplain Cook. Since then the war ships visiting them had been nearly all English, and the natives had an acquaintance only with English speaking people—an acquaintance chiefly brought about by missions. He believed British occupation would be much the best for the natives themselves, for it was an admitted fact that Britain's dealing in all^places wiih aboriginals was more humane and successful than that of any other nation, while it was equally a fact that any commerce ; which might arise would be fostered and improved under the protecting wing, of Britain/ Of course what may be the strongest argument as affecting and swaying the Synod in its present action is the one that the work of carrying the Gospel to the natives will be best effected if the islands are under British rale. The Mission Committee of the Synod have the preparation of the address in hand. Otago Times. A meeting convened by advertisement was held at the Governor Bowen Hotel last night for the purpose of considering the projected visit of the AustralianCricketers to play a match with the Thames Club. There were about thirty gentlemen present, and Mr Thomas Spencer was voted to the chair. * After a discussion a subscription was commenced towards meeting the expenses, and it was liberally responded to. A committee, consisting of Messrs Steedman, Crump, Paul, Curtis and Lawless, was appointed to carry out the details of the arrangements. Considerable interest was evinced by those present in the business, and it is confidently expected that arrangements will be completed for a visit of the Australian Eleven to play a two days' match.

The latest American papers state that in 1861 the Her. H. W. Beecher entered into a contract with J. B. Foi'd and Co., to write "The Life of Christ," in two volumes. He was to have £2000 cash down and a cerlain royalty besides, on every volume sold. If- was stipulated tliat he should begin Dt once and go en, finishing the work in eighteen months, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The first volume was written and soon sold, but copy for the second, although commenced ten years ago, is uot half completed. Ford and Co. having spent immense amounts in plates, presses, etc., were forced into bankruptcy, and all their stock, with publisher's rights, etc, was sold the other day, to an individuil whose name is not divulged, foro £200. This person immediately placed tae case in the hands of Judge Fullerion, who will commence suit at once for the £2C30 paid, royalties given and damages sustained. Fullerton says" the contract will cost Beecher. £20,000, that being the sum at which he estimates damages..

Among other morsels of town talk, the London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus contributes the following:-—" That this poor old country of ours has been long ago effete and played out everbody is well aware; our trade ia gone, and not worth pursuing; bufc I do think the 1 Foreigner ' who has stepped in and enriched himself at our expense might hare a little more delicacy of feeling than Norway, for example, has exhibited. She is beginning to send over cargoes of coffins of Norwegian pine for our interment. It may of course, be only a delicate attention; but, taken in connection with the touching farewell of the Lord of Merthr Tydvil to his workmen, and with the withering satire of the American Press, it looks cynical.' 1

The Taapeka Times says ! " We have Lad the pleasure of seeing and hearing a telephone made by Mr Humphrey, watchmaker, of Lawrence. A great deal has lately been said about the feats accom> plished on this wonderful instrument, and its performances in Melbourne hare been often described. The contrivance made by Mr Humphrey, which evidently embodies the principle of the thing, is most simple, consisting as if does of two small round tin boxe?, say mustard or pepper boxes—with the lids off and the bottoms removed, thus leaving as it were two tubes. Ope end of each box or tube is then covered with a tbjn parchment or •hcepskin, in the middle of eaph pf which is fixed a pottpn thread, the other end being left open for tpea 1 iv% through. The length of the thread i:; optional, being determined by the distance the reformer may wish to converse or sing. In the one s^ wn v" bJ £; Humphrey, the distance between the iZC speakers or operators would be 60 cr 70 feet, with a door iuteryening, all but closed ; but Mr Humphrey tells up that he has proved its efficacy at 80 yards. In fact, distance does not appear to have any

influence in affecting the distinct sounds conveyed by the thread. 'J lie gentlest whisper is heard aa distinctly as the loudest bawl. The power and efficacy of this simple contrivance is something altogether wonderful. Mr Humphrey put one of his little girls at one end, who sang " Pop goes the wensel." The effect was astounding. She was out in the back yard, while several persons were listening at the other end in the shop, and the melody was as claar and the words as distinct as if sfao had been in the tamo room." ,- 1

" Vebdant " writes:—The other day while enjoying' the company 1 of a few friends—many of them being old colonists, by the bye—the conversation happened to turn to political topics, and as the majority were Grey to the backbone, it may be guessed that the disciples of the Knight of Kawau did the most of the talking. One of the party, however, a firm believer in the Atkinson dynasty, "got in " 'the following story in support of an assertion lie had made, that at the lime the Premier was Governor he was very unpopular in many pcrts of the colony, especially in the South, where the people murmured at the vast cost and small results of the Maori war. He related his yarn as follows :—" In the summer of 186— I was in the flourishing southern city of D ' - , and the citizens of the same were all agog in anticipation of the expected visit of the Governor, Sir G. Grey, JLC.JB., etc. A large number of repre-' sentatives of the anti- Grey party —-I amongst the number—held a private meeting and resolved on a plan to show our appreciation of the sterling ability of the Queen's representative. The out-come of it all was as follows. 'The \ Governor arrived, and landed on the wharf with all the /pomp of power)' and was rather disgusted to find that the populace was by no means enthusiastic at his landing. Arrived at the shore-ehd of the 'wharf, however, judge of his loathing of the Bun—^— •, no, I mean the people of the city of D , when what should greet his eyes, but two colossal, long-eared effigies of the genus donkey. They were printed a dirty gray color, and what was worse was that over the dummy asses was the Shakespearian motto in letters a foot long ■—• When shall we three meet again? The people ware good mannered enough not to laugh at Sir George's discomfiture, whilst we, the makers of the hoax, retired to laugh heartily over the fun." We have lately " had _ the pleasure of inspecting several pairs of roller skates turned out from the fitting shop of Mr Fisher, blacksmith, Burke street, Grahams'town. Amongst other improvements on the Plympton skate as used amongst us here, is ihe existence of a pair of small cogged wheels in the inside of each of the two front wheels of the skates. A pair of ratchet* also act in conjunction with the wheel, so that it is impossible for the skater to fall forward by the skates running back. This is a great boon to the beginner, and the, use of them would save many a tumble, and dispense with the necessity of a learner of the gentle art being distinguished for days after rinking night by going about with his arm, or perhaps nose, in a sling. Another improvement is that the portion of the patten in which the axle lies is a solid piece ot wood, the axle, spring, etc., being securely jammed together by a strong brass plate which lies'in a level with the bottom of the patten. Our reporter, with a pair of these engines of locomotion on his pedal extremities, tried vigorously for 7£ minutes to fall on his face, but only succeeded in sitting down gracefully about 10 times.

DußiNa the cruise of the Marion Renny, says the Fiji Argus, a large shark was caught and hauled on board. As he lay on his back on the ship's deck, a Soloman man came near him, and somehow managed to put his hand near the shark's mouth, who made a snap, and bit the poor fellow's hand off. The man w&a doctored up and recovered, but if sharks are so unpleasant out of the water, what must they be when in it, and some unfortunate swimmer close haady P

Auck'and .. Thames .... Wellington.. No'son .... Cbriblchurch Durcdin.... Hokitika .. BonouoH. Estimated Population. 12,C2i 4,4CU 16,130 5,551 12,815 23 365 2JCOS 4* 16 «0 21 TA 50 7 ' Total Births. Total Deaths. 13 3 50 9 23 17 Proportion of Daubs to 1000 of population. 1-50 •G7 ■ 3-Ci l-(i? r. ;• •;3 ~ T0ta1.... I 247 i 129 I .. I ..