THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2885, 15 May 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1878.

His Wobship the Mayor addresses the burgesses at the Academy of Music this evening. The course is a rather unusual one under the circumstances, and, not being in the doctor's confidence, we cannot say what will be the upshot. We had intended going into the matter of Borough

contracts to-day, which is really the

question at issue. We should then hare shown that we had some ground for our share of the "extraordinary attacks " of the newspaper press of the Thames on the worthy civic chief, for when we brought the question forward months ago, and urged the

Council to get all their, supplies and

worki done by tender, the- M ayor does -not appear to have made any effort even to back up Councillor McGowan, who acted, if not on our suggestion, at least in accordance with it, and sub-

sequent to its publication. It is just possible that the ratepayers of the 'Borough will be the gainers from this little diversion. We believe in free trade in Borough contracts, but we shall ever be opposed to making invidious distinctions in procuring .supplies; and we make bold to say that of all the requisites of the Borough, those coming under the head of "printing and advertising"• councillors are the least competent to pass an opinion upon.

Mb Johi* Lbtdon sold privately the freehold allotment and house in Abraham street, formerly belonging to Mr B. C. Fryer, for £80, the sum offered at auction^ Mr John Watson is the purchaser.

At the R.M. Court this morning one individual was punished in the usual manner for drunkenness. Capt. Fraser, R.M., occupied the Bench. >

A ittll attendance of the No. 3 Haurakis is requested at a general meeting to be held this evening. -

Oub readers will observe in another column an advertisement calling a public meeting for to-morrow evening in the Congregational Church, Mary street, for the purpose of forming a Young Men's Christian Association on the Thames. The chair will be taken by Mr James Renshaw, and the advantages of such a society- urged and enforced by addresses from several ministers and other friends. Young men are especially invited.

We are informed that the Rev. R. Hazelton will shortly visit the Thames and preach in the Wesleyan Church. This gentleman is a representative of the Irish Methodists, and is making a tour of the colonies. His addresses and lectures have been most favorably noticed.

A good' many persons have been ob-; jected to by the Registration Officer this yen* on the ground of their names being "twice on the roll." Some of these have communicated with the Registration Officer under the impression that they would be altogether disfranchised. They need not be alarmed when they see the ground of objection. The list, which comprises some twelve hundred names, will be published in a few days.

We hear that the Rev. R. Laishley has resigned the pastorate of the Mary Street Congregational Church.

The Times says that out of 89 samples of beer and of materials used in the brewing of beer examined last year, by the Inland Revenue authorities, 61 were either adulterated or consisted of illegal ingredients.

Winkebs of district prizes are requested to call at the Militia Office to sign the vouchers for district prizes at their earliest convenience on any day between the hours of 10 and 1 o'clock.

Mb Baelow's rifle gallery was last night the scene of a keen shooting contest for possession of the handsome picture offered by him as a prize to the highest scorer out of six shots. Although the shooting was kept up until twelve o'clock midnight, the scores made by Volunteer Clout and Mr B. O'Loughlen of 24 each in the earlier part of the evening were not in any case exceeded. The tie will, consequently, be decided to-night by firing off shot for shot. The proprietor of the gallery certainly keeps up ' the shooting furore by offering a weekly prize. Next Tuesday another box of cigars will be competed for.

A further trial of the recently imported Martin and McDermott rock drill was made at the Fiako mine yesterday. At first it was .tried on sandstone country, and answered admirably, boring in two or three minutes a hole which it would take two men working with hammer and drill the best part of an hoar to do. It was then tried on quartz, and though it did not answer so well as in the sandstone, it was a great improvement on hand | labor, and Mr Dunlop intends to recommend his directors to purchase it, and we think his example might be followed \advantageously by other managers here. The cost of it is only some £25, including cost of shipment to the colony, &c. The drill is a most simple affair, and as it does I not weigh more than 70 or 801bs can be {easily bandied. It consists of a stand or straight column of iron so constructed that it can be adjusted easily to a size of workings and firmly fixed in position. To this stand the mechanical apparatus for working the drill is fixed, and can be turned to any angle. It consists of a small cylinder, at one end of. which is a handle turned by the hand for the purpose of working the drill, and at the other end is the bit on which is fixed the drill. The mechanism is fitted with an apparatus by which the drill can be regulated to the class of country being bored. The drill itself is like a large auger and it is unnecessary to stop the drill to clean out the hole, as the displaced dirt finds its way out by means of the worm of the drill.

Tb Wananga, .in a notice of Bishop Selwyn's death, relates the following:—At the time he was appointed to that position (Bishop) in New Zealand which he so ably and fervently filled, there had been little or no amount of information given to the world in respect to the Maori language, as it was not till 1837 that a translation into the Maori language of the New Testiment had been published, which was accomplished by the ministers of the Church^f England at Faihia, in the Bay of Islands. There had, of course, been published in 1820 a book which was drawn up by Professor Lee, from information and observations obtained by him from Hongi and Waikato, Maori chiefs who visited England in that year, purporting to be a grammar of the Maori language, but the use of that volume by anyone learning the Maori language would be sure to confound them in their first attempt to obtain any information whatever as to the construction or the rules by which the Maori language is guided. With these two books the late Bishop began his study of the language of the people over whom he was to exercise the duties of a Christian teacher and Bishop, and to whom, in their own language, he was to unfold the truths of the everlasting God. The voyage in those days occupied four months in passing from England to these shores, and in that time, and with such help as the indomitable Bishop had in the two books we have named, he had so far mastered the Maori language that on the morning of the first Sabbath which he spent in New Zealand he occupied the pulpit in the church at Paihia and preached to a Maori congregation : in> their own tongue. Those of the European public who where in the congregation on that occasion—-who, from a long residence in New Zealand, were perfectly competent to judge on the subject—spoke in the most glowing" terms of the very able and clear manner, and the perfect command of the Maori language which the late Bishop exhibited on that occasion. Some of the old chiefs asked where the new teacher of God had seen the Maori people, and how he had learnt their language so soon —he had not been one week in New Zealand, and he could speak better than some Europeans who had been with the Maori people for many years.

Friknd, to get a. good Watch, Gold or Silver, Geneva, English or American, • go to Wilkks, Shortland, for there jou will have the largest stock to select from; also, if you were thinking of purchasing a Brooch, or pair of Eariogß, Gold Guard, or King—for there you can ace the moat varied and best selected stock on the Thames. Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery repaired at Auckland pricea, and guaranteed. Established 1867.— Adt*.