THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2862, 17 April 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1878.

A cobbespondent the other day wanted to know whj the Borough had been called upon to pay £350 towards the cost of laying the nine-inch fire mains through Albert, Brown and Owen streets. We may inform him that tha Borough Council entered into an undertaking to pay that aunt towards the work, the cost of which, it was estimated, would be £700. The scheme, we believe, originated in the Borough Council, and was strongly opposed by-some members of the Water Supply Committee. It was urged by Borough Councillors thai there was much Taluabie property on which no insurance had been effected owing to the prohibitory rates charged, and that a very considerable portion of the town would be burnt down if ever a fire once got a hold. It was also contended that if these buildings were burnt down they would nerer be replaced, and the town would materially suffer. Whether these considerations will be deemed by iho burgesses

sufficiently weighty to induce them to endorse the action of Councillors in spending such a large sum for the purpose (as " Watch Dog " put it) of benefiting their «wn private property, will be seen when the next municipal election takes place. We may state, however, that residents and property owners along the line of the fire mains subscribed £100 towards the work, which the Borough receives towards its share of the cost; but as there were about a hundred pounds' worth of fire plugs and other appliances supplied at the cost of the Borough, the contribution of the ratepayers towards this work will not be less than £350. The total cost of the work, so far as we have been able to atsertairi, is about £800, which certainly seems a large expenditure for providing a water supply merely for fire extinguishing purposes along about a third of a mile of street.

Intending tenderers for laying the Water Corporation mains at Parawai are notified by advertisement that they will hare to purchase the jointing lead from the Corporation at thirty shillings per cwt. The specification has been amended to this effect. Tenders must be in tomorrow.

It will be seen from an advertisement that the jKotomahana intends leaving the Thames at seven o'clock on Friday morning for the Hot Springs, and returning after a stay of a few hours via Auckland to the Thames. Those persons wishing to stay till Easter Monday evening can do so, or if they wish to reach Auckland early on Monday can take advantage of one of Captain Casey's boats, which leave Waiwera in the early morning. The Rotomahana will leave the Hot Springs on Monday evening for the Thames via Auckland, for the purpose of picking up those excursionists who left Waiwera by Captain Casey's boats.

- The Te Aroha will run an excursion to Ohinemuri on Easter Monday, leaving Shortland Wharf at eight o'clock morning and returning in the evening. The Durham will perform a similar service in the direction of Coromandel, under the auspices of the Hibernian Society, the band of which Society will be on board to discourse sweet music.

Majoe Gbbek has been appointed treasurer to the Board of Education at a salary of £350 a year. There were sixteen applications for the office, but it was current gossip over a week ago, before applications were asked for, that the billet was a certain for the Me^or.

Those smokers who appreciate the dolce far niente should pay a visit to the Brown Street Eifle Gallery. The pro» prietor offers a velvet smoking cap to the individual who shall be so fortunate as. to make the highest score in any six consecutive shots between the hours of seven and ten o'clock to-morrow evening. Mr Barlow informs us that he has nc reason to complain of the success of hii new enterprise, and in return for the liberal patronage bestowed he will offer for fre* quent competition prizes both ornamental, useful, and of intrinsic value. To-night the boys will fire for a handsomely framed painting entitled, "When shall we three meet again," representing two long-eared quadrupeds gazing intently over a fence at- —— the spectator, we suppose, who makes the third.

Befebbiko to the influence of Sir George Grey with the Natives, and his possessions in Maori curios, Te Wananga says: On his second return to New Zenland Sir George Grey was shown at Mokoia, in the Eotorua Lake, one of the three gods called Itupaoa, which were brought over in the Arawa when that migration first landed in these islands. With the exception of Sir George Grey, not more than half a dozen of the human race have seen that sacred relic of the old Maori chiefs and priests. There is now in tht possession of Sir George Grey, at Te Kawau, heirlooms of the most renowned chiefs who have lived in New Zealand. Sir George Grey has there greenstone axes, human bone flutes, and other curiosities, which would cot have been given by the Maori save to one in whom they put their most sacred trust. At the time that two of the greatest chiefs of the North were in actual contest, while Uori Kingi and his warriors were in the act of siorinicg the Waitomotomo Pa, defended by Matiu Aranui, Sir G. Grey landed at Whangarei, and accompanied by two Natives, rode right up to the pa, and through the flying bullets, into the midst of the attacking party. His appearance so startled the combatants that the firing ceased, and that day the contest was at an end. All the Governor said was : " I have heard in Wellington that some of you, my children, were quarrelling, and I have come to say you must go home and be quiet."

- The Thames people, writes the Herald, for several years past hare made loud complaints that they_ could get no land upon which to settle in the Thames Valley district. The Government ha?e been •based for not giving the miners the opportunity of settling as farmers upon the lands in the Thames district, but it would appear that there is a good deal of land in that district at present in the market, only awaiting purchasers. By the March circular of Mr M. It. Miller, of Napier, wo learn that he has for sale two pieces of land in the Jhames Valley. One piece contains 2000 acres of "rich agricultural" land, and the other block contains 10,000 acres," with a few improvements." Both pieces are freehold. No further particulars are given, but these could be obtained by those who deiired more information. These 12,003 acres freehold land would provide good farms for at least IC9 miners, and if the clamour for land to settle upon be genuine, here is an opportunity for at least partially satisfying the demand for freehold farms in the Thames district. [The writer of the paragraph probably is well aware that the blocks referred to are disputed, and that no valid title could be given.—Ed. Star.]