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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2831, 12 March 1878, Page 2

The Eegistrar General has prepared seme tables, which are published in a recent Bumber of the New Zealand Gazette, showing the total number of births, the actual mortality of males and females, and the proportion of deaths to the ICCD of population, in the Boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunrdin aad Hokitika during the year ended 31st Dec amber, 1877. A portion of this information we give in the following table:— ;

The "actual mortality" embraced 211 males and 196 females under one year; 114 males and 86 females of one and under five years; and 442 males and 280 females of five years and over; total derths: males, 707; females, 562; the deaths of males exceeding females by 205. A number of other particulars are furnished by the Registrar General, such as the causes of death, comparative return between the years 1876 and 1877, and other information not of general public interest. It may be remarked that in the table given above the Thames Borough shows as the healthiest town in the Colony on the average for tho year.

Wb are requested to state that the time table of the new steamer Tongariro as published in the Star is correct. She left Auckland to-day on her maiden trip, and will return at ten o'clock to-morrow morning. By reference to our Auckland telegrams it w:U be seen £hat much interest is centred ?i the new boat, and speculation is r<fe a<9 to the speed she will attp:n.

Tjib reluia of Mr George Elliot Barton as member of the House of Bopresenta-' lives for the district of the City of Wellington, and Mr Frederick Joseph Moss as member for the district of Parnell, is gazetted. !

A deputation from the Thames Hosnital Committee will wait upon the Hou. j*. Sheehan on his arrival here, re the Government subsidy to hospi'als and charitable institutions.

It .was understood that when Captain Goldsmith was relieved of the office of M'uing Inspect jv by the late Government he received some. £250 or JG3CO an compensation for loss of office, the same as other. Provincial Government officers. Now that he has been reinstated in the same office, we are curious to know whether the compensation will be refunded, or will it be looked upon as a bonus for release from duty for a few months ?

The London Church Times, a Bitualistie paper, laments that " the supreme Governor of the Church of England is becoming an alien from its faith and discipline." Particular instance—the fact that the Queen and the Princess .Beatrice have communicated at Crathie Parish church. The Church Times is " glad to say that the Princess of Wales was present, but would have nothing to do with the buiinesg."

Thb Herald's correspondent at Wellington {.ends the following items:—The Constitutional Reform Association is likely to fall through. The adjourned meeting yesterday was only attended by Messrs George, fisher, J. H. Wallace, and M. L. Marks—consequently nothing was done.—Archdeacon Thorpe^ of Nelson, accepts the assistant curacy of St. Paul's here.—The Soldene Opera Coatpray left for Adelaide via the South at

noon to-day* There was a largo crowd to sco them oft.—Mr Stephen Massetfc opcas at the Oddfellows' Hall this week. —Mr Oldsmith, an old identity, has boen lost in the hnrh at Parkakariki. ParMes aro out searching for him.—Count de Zaba deliver thrca lectures to school teachers next week on his method of leaching history.

That powerful and vigorously conducted institution the Union Bank of Australia, has resolved to add to its material resources by an increase of capital. It has been determined at a meeting m London—the resolutions at which hare been telegraphed to Mr M'Mullen — that the paid-up capital, which is now £1,250,CC3, shall be increased to £1,50,033, by a new issue of shares. These will be offered to existing proprietors in the proportion of one for every five now held. The issue price of the 10,C:p new shares will be £58, being £33 premium on £25 paid up per share. The colonial payments for the new shares will be by convenient instalments up to June nest. The operation will increase the bank's resources by £580,00; of which £250,C;0 will go into capital account, and £330,009 will be added to reserve fund, which will then amount to tlie splendid total of £780,C30. By far the larger proportion of the shares of the Union Bank ate held in England, and the substantial increase which will be. made'to the funds available for advances in the colonies is {articukrly acceptable at this juncture, t tends to show the bank's confidence in the future of the Aislralian group. Before our next issue particulars will be furnished of the dates at which the instalments will be made payable.— The Australasian Insurance end £>anking Becord.

This is the tenth anu;versary of the shooting c* tbe Duke of Edinburgh bj O'Farrell at a picnic at Clonturff, Sydney.

A DEPtfriTio* from the Thames Hospital, consisting of Mr Joan Frater (President), Mr Wm. MeCnllough (Vicepresident), and Mr James Eenshaw waited this morning upon His Worship the Mayor, Dr Kilgour, and the County Chairman, A. Brodie, Etc., and W. L. Thorburn, Esq, member of the County Council, at the Borough Council Chambers. The deputation pointed out that under the conditions contained m a letter received from the Colonial Secretary's Office, which appeared in our columns on the 7th instant, tbe subsidy of £ICOD heretofore granted by the Government to the Hospital would be discontinued, and a sum given instead equal to the amount collected by public subscriptions. This would hare the effect of decreasing the revenue of the Hospital, and the deputation asked that a sum of money should be granted by the Borough and County Councils to make up any deficiency there might be between the expenses ard the revenue. It was point-rdout that heretofore the Government deducted from Borough and County subsidies their proportions of all grants made to hosjittls, out proposed under the new arrangements not to make any deductions, so that the local bodies granting any sum to the Hospital would only be giving a share of the cost of maintenance and not at all as much is was deducted in the past from their subsidies. After considerable discussion, in which His Worship tbe Mayor and the County Chairman both edmitted that the Hospital h~d claims upon the local bodies an;', tli-t personally they were :ti favor of a sum of money being granted towards the maintenance of the institution, it was decided that the Hospital Committee write to both the Borough and County Councils laying the position of affaivs before these bodies, when the subject would receive consideration; After thanking His Worship the Mayor and County Chairman, t_ie deputation withdrew.

The Auckland City Council bare set a good example to other municipal bodies in a direction which should be followed; In advertising for the services of " a com* petent tradesman" as Turncock at a salary of £3 10s a week, and for a Junior Clerk at a salary of £IC3 per annum, the cojdition is affixed that "applicants canvas* sing members of Council will be disqualified." A better provision rould scarcely be devised. Members of Council will now be able to discuss the qualifications of candidates on ikeir merits, while they will be saved the annoyance of personal importunity from everyone who fancies he has a claim of some kind. Our own Borough Council might follow this with advantage. If they should there will be less time wasted in giving certificates of character to applicants for Boroughempioyment, the control of which should be leii to the Foreman of Works and not be discussed in Council.

The Grey Biver Argus says:—" We regret that we were made the rictims of •n imposition by the Press Agency yesterday to the extent of harms lo pubiish, on ai authority which. we bare generally supposed to be reliable, en absolute untruth. We were informed, and in our confidence we published the statement as a fact, that Sir Gorge was received with rery scant courtesy at Westport, and that he landed scarcely without public recognition. We hare since appertained that it is absolutely false; and that every posbible respect was paid to the Premier and his party on their hnduig and dri-Hg Hs stay." '''■■■>'■

EtCENT statistics show that the rate of mortality among grocers is as 76 to 100 among the general population at .equal ages, whilst the death rate amongst drapers is as 108 to 100 by the same stardard. i»n analysing the cause of this difference between the drapers acd the grocers, it is found in the mode of living. The disease which destroys the draper is pulmonary consumption. The explanation (remarks the Sanitary Record) is simple. The grocer Hres in a shop, the door of which is open all day, and he is very active himself in business; the draper, on the other hand, lives in a close place wi h the doors of his shop closed, and in a dusty, close atmosphere. No one whose pleasure c;? business] cal's upon them to enter the majority of the large drapery emporiums in London but will feel in a position to testify to the truth of this description. The heat and closeness, which are their usurl characteristics, sufficiently account for the general pallor and unhealthy appearance of the male and female attendants in them.

It is said of the Marquis Towndhcnd that, when a young man, end engaged in battle, he saw a drummer at his side killed by a cannon ball, which scattered his brains in every direction. Hia eyes were at once fixed on the ghastly object, which seemed, wholly to engross his thoughts. A superior officer cbserring him, supposed he wr s intimidated by tiie sight, tad ad-

droned him in a manner to cheer his spirits. " Oh," said the young Marquis with calmness, but severity, " I am only puzzled to make out how any man with such a quantity of brains ever came to be here."

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