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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2869, 26 April 1878, Page 2

We learn that the funeral of the late Dr W. A. Perston will take place on Sunday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The Friendly Societies will take part in the funeral, and we hear that the volunteers offered to tarn out, but as so many of their members belong to the friendly societies it was not considered advisable for both to atlend as public bodies. The usual marks of respect to the dead arc very generally observed throughout the township, scarcely a shop but has some shutters up, and we believe that the funeral will be a large one.

The Tongariro leaves for Auckland at one o'clock to-morrow afternoon, thus offering especial advantages to miners, children and others.

The loss of a pocket-book is notified in another column, and perhaps the finder of it would do as requested by the advertisement.

The energetic proprietor of the Brown street shooting gallery would seem to have transferred his enthusiasm from his old love, the No. 2 H.K. Corps, in favour of more profitable employment—the pursuit of rifle-shooting by gaslight. Mr Barlow offers for competition to-night to all comers (by the way, a Comer won the smoking cap last week) a handsome meerschaum pipe. No doubt the No. 2 men, if in existence, will enter largely for the event, they being, it is said, inveterate smokers,

The officers of the Naval Brigade called a special meeting after drill yesterday evening to decide upon forming a marine brass band, and more especially to receive a reply from E. T. Wildman, Esq., who was requisitioned by the Brigade some ten days ago to take the command of the corps, and neither officers or men, until receipt of letter from Mr Wildman last night, knew what the reply would be, and upon the same being read to the men they insisted upon the election taking place at once, when Mr Wildman was unanimously elected captain. After the usual thanks io tho corps, Mr Wildman observed that he presumed it was customary to drink the health of a newlyelected captain, but he would avail himself of privilege, and ask them to accept two small prizes for competition, as he thought the same might be more beneficial to the members, and he would therefore place £5 for big gun prize, and £5 for carbine shooting at their disposal in the hands of his officers to arrange terms of competition.. This was naturally received with load applause. It was after ward • decided to send an order to Sydney for the necpssary instruments to form a marine brass band, and a coratrittee formed to put the matter on foot without delay. The Lieuts. informed the members that Mrs Bichards, Grahamstown, had generously forwarded £5 to them for a prize to be shot for, when a unanimous vote of thanks was recorded in favor of that lady. Orde.'s were given for shell practice to-morrow at 2.30 p.m., and the usual church parade next Sunday. We believe thnt the corps will elect a First-Lieut, next week, vice Lieut. Dalton resigned. We may congratulate the corps upon their choice of the gentleman they so unanimously elected Captain.

A coEEESFONpENT of the Waikato Times who baa visited the circus, tolls the following story:—l heard an amusing story anent two Ministers who had gone to the show the day before to inspect privately the arrangements, etc. They were the Hon. J. Fisher, and. the Hon. J. Sheehan. A policeman was Gent for fire shillings worth of biscuits and on bis retnVn"iue"two " swells" began feeding tbe large African elephant with the cakes. After a little while they transferred their attention to the smaller fry, when the " papa," becoming indignant, uttered tbe

trumpet cry, and levelling bis trunk at the Native Minister discharged a quantity of fluid.all over his spotless vest. The notorious good humour of the "First Colonial Born " being proof against even this demonstration of ill-will, the sagacious beast turned and did ditto to the Hon. Fisher. A fellow who was there said that gentleman swore, but I don't believe him.