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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2940, 18 July 1878, Page 2

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Thames Borough Council takes place this evening, when amongst other things the recommendation of the Works Committee re asphalt footpaths, already referred to by us, will be considered.

Some little excitement was caused at Shortland to-day by a row between two native chieftainesses of this, district. Each of the ladies was backed by members of their respective tribes, and, we are informed by a gentleman who underdcrslands Maori, that the language used was by no means of the choicest description. Both of them had meres, and though" they did not strike each other they brandished them in a most promiscuous manner. Amongst other little conventionalities indulged in by the ladies, one of them is said to have reminded the other of the cooking of one of heir opponent's ancestors by a hoaryheaded old sinner from who she claimed the honor of descending. The casus belli wa# "land."

The coveted trophy of the Wimbledon meeting—4be Queen's Cup, has been taken-by a Scotchman, a member of the 11th Stirling Volunteers. The Queen's Cup at Wimbledon is to volunteers as much an object of ambition as to win a Derby is to racing men; and it speaks well for Scottish volunteering that the Queen's Prize has been so often carried north of the Tweed.

At the R.M. Court this morning the only case was a breach of Licensing Act, brought against Mr Burke of the Waiotahi Hotel for neglecting to keep a light burning over the principal door of his hotel. He pleaded guilty, and said that tho light had got blown out; but it was no advantage to him, as the gas- was escaping all the time. Mr Bullen remarked that Mr Burke had kept the house for tho past eighfor nine years, and this was tho first complaint against him.

Tailing.tlitvcircumstances into consideration, tlio Bunch dismissed the case with a cautiou. M"essrs Allow, and Skene were on the -Bench.

The Te Aroha case at the Native Lands Court is likely to bo prolonged for some time yet, as it is considered necessary to have Mr James Mackay's evidence re the purchase of ihc block, and that gentleman has been subpoenaed to attend. To-day was occupied with the re-examination of several witnesses by Ahi Pipene, the advocate for the counter claimants.

Mb W. Davies, Chairman of the Thames Harbor Board, had au interview with Mr Whitsker and the representatives of the leading mining companies holding property on the Thames foreshore yesterda}'. This foreshore, which has long been a coveted prize at the Thames, is now about to be handed over to the Harbor Board of the Thames. In view, however, of such au eventuality, it was urged and arranged during the term of office of Mr T. 33. Gillie 3, as Superintendent of the province, that companies could acquire an area of half an acre at a lease of £50 per annum. These terms with the Provincial Government were never enforced, butas the Moanatairi, Kuranui, Imperial Crown and Herald Companies have now acquired vested interests in the sites on which their are erected, it became necessary that some arrangement should be arrived at before the foreslu re is transferred td the Harbour Board. This was the subject of the conference yesterday. The decision amicably and unanimously arrived at was, that a rental of £50 per acre, instead of half acre, should be paid, and that the terms of the lease should be drawn up by Mr Whitaker. These leases are to be completed and executed and included in the terms of the transfer of the foreshore to the Thames Harbour Board. Both parties to the conference appear to be satisfied, and Mr Davies deserves credit for the disposition in which the negotiations were conducted. —Herald.

' "Membbbs of the Court Pride of Parnell, A.0.F., are reminded of their usual fortnightly meeting at the Freemasons' Hall this evening.

The Dunedin Morning Herald has the following comments on a subject to which we recently called attention, namely, the distressing family in China:—Our readers will have noticed from our advertising columns that a movement has been set on foot to collect money in Dunedin for the relief of the famine-stricken people of China. The statistics with reference to this famine are simply appalling. It is impossible to have more than the faintest conception of the sufferings endured by sixty millons of starving men and women. The present movement in Dunedin for their relief was inaugurated entirely by a few Chinese merchants and residents Th<*y called a meeting of their fellow countrymen, appointed a committee to collect funds, and have already obtained a very considerable amount of money. The Chinese originators found themselves unable to reach the bulk of the community. They soon made the discovery that in order to insure success, a European Committee would have to be formed. Several influential gentlemen consented to act in the matter, and they have, we believe, decided to canvass the city for subscriptions. We trust there will be a liberal response to their appeal. The fact that we are begianing to look upon Chinese immigration as scarcely an unmitigated bio?sing to Otago, should not have the effect of causing us to shut up our compassion from the myriads of starving human beings in China. We gave most liberally, on a recent occasion, to alleviate the distress among our fellow subjects in India of whom we knew very little. We should be sorry to find the charitably-tlisposed among us drawing fine distinctions upon the present occasion, and declining to assist China, from any very natural feeling of prejudice they may entertain towards the policy that would swamp this new land with undesirable and temporary colonists.

In future a stringent regulation will be enforced to the admission of members of the Civil Service and extra clerks into the Government Buildings after office hours, or on Sundays and holidays. Hitherto (says the New Zealand 'limes) the practice has been to lock all the .doors excepting the centre one facing Lamb ton Quay, and persons had to pass through it. This acted as a check upon the admission of strangers, but it has been found that some clerks have been in the habit of showing the offices to friends, and the rooms of Ministers have been entered, and papers scanned by curious e^es. A worse case of offending is reported, but the truth of it is not substantiated beyond doubt. In this matter the culprit was also one of those whom the " Marchioness " characterised as " casuals," and the remarks which that sage little woman made as to " casuals" giving themselves greater airs than "permaneneys " would appear-to apply, for they are said to be, as a rule, the worst offenders against official decorum. Of course this does not refer to all temporary clerks, but of late some men with a rather Bohemian turn of mind have been taken on as " casuals, 1' and they have, in certain instances, caused no little annoyance to the regular members of the Civil Service. A circular has been sent to the various departments stating that clerks and others visiting the buildings out of office hours must sign their names in a book to be kept for that purpose by a messenger on duty. ... , '

The Wangauui Herald states tha' the Licensing Commissioners for the Manawsitu district have at their recent quarterly sessions made it a sine qua non for. the renewal of existing licenses, and the granting of fresh ones fir new houses, that each* hotel shall be provided with two staircases leading in different directions. In many eases the renewal of the licenses was made conditional on the immediate erection of a second staircase, either within or outside the house. This is a very wise provision, and it is not improbable ihat tho judicious provisions of the Commissioners may some day be the means of saving life and property. It was pleaded in several cases where applicants for renewal of licenses wanted to shirk the expenditure that the erection of a second staircase would involve, that ladders were kept in the vicinity of the hotel, that fire buckets and ropes were always at hand, that the upper story windows were no distance from the ground, and so on, but as the Chairman very wisely remarked, people are very apt to lose their heads in time of danger, ladders and ropes are not always to be found when urgently required, and although money will pay for a staircase, nothing can compensate forabroken neck.

It may not be generally known (says the New Zealand Times) that one of the results of the Cable Conference, in Australia will probably be so large a reduction in the rates charged for Press messages, that shodd the busiuess remain-as

at present, there would be a loss to the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company of some £20,000 a-yeai'; but it is anticipated that the wires will be so much more, freely used at the lower scale that the income derived from the Press will be increased. Whatever may be the result financially, (he change will be a great boon to the public, as it will enable newspapers to have much fuii-r cable news than can now be obtained, except at a very serious outlay.

Mb George Gall has left £100 in trust to the Mayor of Melbourne for the purpose of encouraging children to acquire the art of swimming. The conditions are that the interest of the sum named shall be devoted to the purchase of silver cups to be competed for in swimming by natives of Victoria under 14 years of age.

The Christchurch Press states that a lad named Karubey, while searching for frost fish on the beach at Woodend, came across a large seal. With no other weapon than a stirrup iron the boy pluckily tackled it, and with some trouble succeeded in killing the creature. The carcase was conveyed to Woodend, where it is now being exhibited. It is over Bft. long, and fought for nearly an hour with its small antagonist.