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Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2974, 27 August 1878, Page 2

We are informed by a gentleman who knows the country well, that it would be a physical impossibility to make a direct line of railway from Ohinemuri to Tauranga and the East Coast. • -The only feasible route is by Hikurangi Gorge and Katikati.

The steamer Pretty Jane arrived here to-day' from Gisborne, with 400 sheep consigned to Mr H. Alley.

We would direct the attention of No. 2 Thames Scottish, Thames? Scottish Cadets, and S. George's Naval Cadets to the company orders for inspection parades to-mor-row night. At the Native Lands Court to-day the ' case ( heard was. with reference to the Ahirau block of 1777 acres, situated at Cape Colyille, and adjoining the Moehau 1 block. The claimants are Ngakapa and ' others, and the counter claimants Arama I Karaka and others. It is expected that this case will occupy some time. We hear the Government have a lien over it. At to-day's sitting the Bench was ;occupied by Judge Symonda and Hori itiwhi, '■assessor.' ■•>; •«■■>;../-■/•^ - ■■■■ .-■ \\ ■■■■.■■: - ■•..■;,,

We would direct the attention of the public to the notice in another column of a sale of pianos and harmoniums by Messrs T. W. Gudgeon and Co. The pianos are by Bord, and the harmoniums by Alexandro, and as they are quite new should command good prices. The instruments were on view at the auctioneers' sale rooms to-day.

' These was a fair audience at the Marionettes last evening, when, amongst other entertaining features, the play of " The Babes in the Wood " was produced, to the great delight of the audience, and especially the younger ones present. Tonight, which will be the last performance here, last night's programme will be repeated, and in the Christy Minstrel entertainment the celebrated song " Close the Shutters, Willies dead," sung here with great success by Mr Rockefeller of the United States Minstrels, will be rendered. We have received Nos. 4 and 6 Hansard and a number of bills and Parliamentary papers.

Sevebal very animated groups of Natives might have been seen on the footpaths in Shortland this morning, discussing financial matters. These groups were all on the sunny side of- the street, and while the men talked and gesticulated, the women and the ohildrea seemed thoroughly to enjoy the warmth of the sun. By the appearance of seme of them a .portion of the inpney lately paid has founci it way into the. drapers' arid' clothiers'-.ti115..."-'''' . ' ""'.''

• The Thames Cricket Club, are to present Mr J. E. Macdonald with a bat, which the same may be seen in Mr Lawless 1 window. It is a fine looking, shapely piece of willow, and on the front: is a silver shield, engraved as follows :— " Presented to J. E. Macdonald, Esq., by the Thames Cricket Club, in recognition of his many valuable services.—August 27th, 78."

We are informed that Major Withers has been telegraphed to by the Government to proceed to Waiuku to-morrow to take over the district and Government property, so will be tunable to make the Thames inspections this month. He has requested Major Murray to act in his stead. We regret to learn that we are about to lose a gentleman of considerable vocal ability : we refer to Mr H. Eobinson.who is leaving this district for Gisborne where he has been offered employment on one of the newspapers there. Mr 'Eobinson, with his brother Mr W. Eobinson, was fora long time employed at the office of our morning contemporary, the former being on the mechanical staff and the latter on the literary staff, Mr H. Eobinson possesses a bass voice of no mean quality, and for several years past he has been a member of the choir of the Eoman Catholic Church, where his loss will be severely felt. Mr Eobinson has always been ready to give his valuable services for any charitable object, and frequently s- g at entevfc? 'nmen ■* given for benevo-

lent purposes. A number of the prominent rnenib' rs of the church with which he was connected subscribed and purchased an Albert watch guard, which was presented to Mr Kobinson last evening at the Shortland Presbytery. The Rev. Father O'Heilly made the presentation, and in doing so expressed heart-felt regret at Mr Robinson's departure, as did others also present.

The Sydney-Evening News relates the following amusing occurrence :—• " A clever piece of work has been accomlished in the Lands Department, an erring officer of long standing being the victim. Kleptomania does not confine its victims to valuables in shape of money or jewellery, but permits..of operations on sweetmeats, or, in their absence, on the excellent fare enjoyed by Civil servants at the half-hour forenoon interval. In; one branch of the Lands oflß.ce, a day ha,s never passed without complaints of some unscrupulous hand being laid on \ the lunch baskets. One gentleman was victi-' mised four times successively not a week ago, and. the horrible presentiment came to.his mind that the chief of the branch was the culprit.' A conference was held, and it was decided to bring the offender to justice. The whole of the lunches next day were; liberally served with tartar emetic. At about one the chief felt disinclined to dine, and at two was sure he was attacked by cholera or typhoid. Half-an-hour later the real ■symptoms were;apparent, and the sympathies of'the officers of the department increased as the tableau drew nigh. He was .sure he was going to give up the ghost as he had a fearful dose, but instead of that gave up the dinner. He has since petitioned for the removal, it is said, of the chief conspirator, on the ground of insubordination." ' :

The following from the Australasian we commend to all our volunteers:— Lieutenant Colonel Scratchley, R.E., has just returned to Melbourne after a short visit of inspection to the defence works now being carried out at Brisbane by the Queensland Government. While in Brisbane Colonel Scratchley inspet ed the newly-formed volunteer corps; and the result of his inspection was embodied in a report forwarded to the Colonial Secretary. As some of his remarks are equally applicable to otKer volunteer corps they may be read with interest. He says : " A field force should possess three qualifications, which are absolutely essential for its efficiencyr-accurate shooting with gun and rifle, good and steady marching, rapid movements in extended order. . '. . The field artillery should be put through a regular course of shot and shell'practlce, and a small number of field movements ;. and arrangements should be made for the regular horsing of the guns. V. . |The infantry should be subjected to a regular course, of musketry instiruction .in ,their drill sheds as well as on the rifle ranges.

. . .... It is desirable to exercise ■ the garrison artillery at full-gun drill without field movements as well as at heavy gun drill. They should also be put through a a course of shot and shell practice, together with musketry instruction, in order that they may be able to defend a battery against assault in case of need. As to foot drill, it is only necessary that the garrkon artillery should be taught such movements as are needed for inspections and general parades.". The following couplet in a London paper about the time that Lords Beaconsfield and Salisbury left for. the Berlin Congress, It is very neat:— Oh, B. and 8. is it ? The simile's handy, Lord S. is the soda, Earl B. is the brandy! So may Europe find, though the one effervesce, That there's spirit enough in our B. and our 8.