THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2951, 31 July 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1878.

At this morning's"sitting of the Native Lands Court the Waikawau case was proceeded with. The block contains 44,266 acres, and the claimants, the Ngatilamatera, agreed to cede their block to the Government fcr a further payment of £1950, reserves being allowed them to the extent of 4000 acres. The Court adjourned at 11 o'clock for the purpose of entering the names of the owners, but it transpires that Hotereni Taipari claims to be interested in the land, so that the case will now hare to be heard on its merits. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Star of Hauraki Tent, 1.0. R., will be held this evening. Theee was a clean sheet at the IJ.M. Court this morning. The following decision given by the Master of the Rolls in the Court of Appeal, London, recently will be of interest to sporting men. The question was, whether money lent to pay a bet which bad been lost was, or was not a debt for an illegal consideration. The decision concluded as follows : —" If a number of men were round a gaming table, and one , asked another to lend him money to game with, and he lent it, that would be money lent for gaming. And so, too, in the case of betting. But in the present case the evil had been carried out. The money was advanced to enable the man to pay his debt of honour, which was quite a different thing. The law, therefore, resolves itself into this: tbat money lent to make a bet is not recoverable,, but that money lent to pay a bet which has been made is."

A good authority, in the National Fireman's Journal, gives this wise advice : — The motto of the firemen should be, play low. One gallon of water thrown on the bottom of a fire has more power to extinguish than ten on the top. The reason is manifest. The water generates steam, which, rising in volumes, extinguishes the fire. Also, it is far better to play on the windward side of a fire than on the leeward, on the side from which the blaze proceeds, than on that toward which it goes. Play at the bottom of the windward side, and your exertions will be really effectual. Truly, " knowledge is power."

Hehe is some vigorous writing from the Sydney News:-—" For heaven's sake let us call a spade a spade, and when a member of Parliament is fined for being drunk, and remanded to prison for medical treatment, don't let us indulge in maudlin remarks about the 'hon. gentleman's illness rendering it likely that he will resign his seat.' If some 1 poor Bill Smith is brought before magistrates and fined, the fact is recorded without any refer* ence to the poor fellow's feelings; and when Mr William Teece, member for Goulburn, disgraces' himself, the Assembly, and the Colony, it is Tight that everyone should know it. How can we expect the standard of character and manners in the Assembly to fca raised except by the electors being informed of the deeds of the'f chosen representatives. Mr Teece was fined the other day for drunken* ness, and .subsequently was arrested for the same misdemeanor in a church at Paramatta^ and was remanded to gaol for medical treatment. This worthy member of Parliament now says that he is quite well, and does not intend to resign. For his own sake, and that of bis excellent family, we trust he will resign, and endeavor in the future to justify the high hopes that were once formed of him."