Untitled

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2861, 16 April 1878, Page 2

A cbicket match between the boys of the Kauaeranga and St. Thomas' Schools will be played on to-morrow, noon, at Parawai.

We notice by advertisement that the banks at Qrahamstown will bo closed from Friday to Monday next, both days inclusive.

The following members of the Armed Constabulary have been appointed Hangers under " the Protection of Animals Act, 1873," for this and the Ohinemuri district:-Sergeant Albert Russell, Constables Joseph William Day and Douglas Gordon.

It appears that the explanation offered yesterday, regarding the slatement made m " The Week " of a truck occasionally boui-diug over a bridge on the Moanatairi tramway and getting smashed, is not quite satisfactory to the lessees, who wish it to be staled that during their lesseesbip—a period of seven or eight months —only one truck has gone over and got smashed, and that was through the carelessness or ignoranco of a young man not in their employ.

Oub contemporary has kindly corrected an error into which we fell inadvertently yesterday, in stating that Mr Hobson, father of the senior wrangler at Cambridge, was Mayor of Derby. We are obliged to him for giving the correction the limited publicity his columns afford.

A CI.E.VN sheet presented itself at the It M. Court to-day.

Regarding the movements of Ministers and the projected Native meeting, the Waikato Times says:—lt is reported—and credibly, we believe—that the Hon. the Native Minister (Mr Shcehan) will return to Waikato on Monday, for the purpose of arranging several matters of business with the natives at Tamahere. We also learn, and on equally reliable authority, that Ministers will not return for the much-talked-of native meeting, said now to bo about to come off' on the 30th instant, as all idea of holding it has been abandoned by the principal natives concerned.

Having been detected and exposed by us in an impudent act of literary piracy, the associate editors of the Auckland Star are " riled," and launch out in a little tirado of abuce. We are sorry these gentlemen's feelings should have been so much hurt, but when people prate so about honesty, they shduld not attempt to pass off as their own the fruit of another's brains. Moreover, cannot those literary pretenders find consolation in the fact that for oce conviction they have committed a hundred offences ? They ought to do so,-for it is notorious that the Auckland Star is about the most barefaced cribber in New Zealand, or the colonies. A disinclination to provoke its abuse has restrained contemporary journals fron^ this species of literary kleptomania. l Our offence was poking fun at a telegram. Down came the whole force of the Auckland Twinkler staff upon us, with a description, copied without acknowledgment, of a " midden," but with scientific terms, of which the combined staff know as much as their senior devil. We mildly protested, and suggested that the authority should be given, and now the editors have lo admit thatfhey were indebted to " Stormouth's English Dictionary." We knew they copied it, and we have made the associate editors admit that we knew it. For the rest, we regret to say we have not an " Ecyclopffidia;" our " superficial "knowledge was not derived from it, nor do we recollect such amongst our ckss books. Not being of a lachrymose disposition we have not, nor are we likely to be " over-weeping " at anything the associate editors may say. If the editors would only be more honest and less pretentious, we would be less concerned, our reputation hcving been acquired before the Auckland Star com* menced to give its borrowed light.

A COEKE9PONDBNT of the Bay of Plenty Times, writing from Whakatane, says :— During the past week we hare had three vessels in oar little port. First, the ketch Zillah, Jones, master, which arrired from the Thames, haying been chartered by Taipari, the chief of that place, to bring round a large quantity of carved totara posts for a new Maori house he is about to erect. The Zillah was also to bring round a number of men, women and children, of the .Ngatiawa and Patuwai tribes on a visit to Taipari, at the Thames. These natives were not, however, ready to start, so they filled up the Zillah with a cargo of their own produce, as a present to Taipari, and a sustenance for their numerous selves when they do go. . The Staffa took away twenty bags of wheat. The same steamer is expected here again before the week closes, to ship for the Thames the aforesaid carved posts, and to take away a full complement of Maori passengers. There are one hundred and thirteen of our natives bound for the Thames, where they will probably stay several months. The men of them comprise several eminent carvers, from the chief Apanui, aged some ninety years, downwards, and they will all assist in the construction of Taipari's new house. Your readers are mostly familiar with those hideous figures which the Maoris carve. I asked one of them it they supposed that their progenitors were like these, but he would not admit such to be the case. I then explained that civilised sculptors tried to imitate the human countenance and figure, and to progress in the art of imitating life, but he seemed to say that the Maori did not assume to be a progressive development. This was very candid, and legislators and philanthropists will do well to realise that it is but too true, and forms a very good clue to "the native difficulty."