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Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3006, 3 October 1878, Page 2

The matte* of giving short rations, alleged to have been practised at Thames Jby.Messrs Hewin and Bro., contractors >r supplying rations to the sick and destitute receiving supplies from the Government through the relieving officers, is to be inquired into at once. Mr '&.' 0. Barstbw, Kesideht Magistrate of Auckland, and Captain Fraser, 8.M., Thames, have been deputed by the Government to make the inquiry, which, for everybody's sakes, we hope will be made exhaustive, as the matter involved is a serious one. It is fair to Hewin and Bro. to state that they asked for the inquiry. •

A committee of the Borough Council met this morning to inquire into certain charges made by the late asphalt foreman, Sowerby, against the Foreman of Works, Mr T. Eawdon, of dismissal without proper notice, &c. Evidence was taken, but as the inquiry took place with closed doors, we are unable to give it. The Committee's report will be furnished at next Council meeting.

A pbivate telegram from Wellington to-day informs us that the petition of Smith and others re volunteer land claims will be right —that is, receive favorable consideration at the hands of the Governmeat.

We have been requested to call attention to the concert and dance to celebrate the opening of the Paeroa Public Hall, which takes place on Wednesday next, at Paeroa.

. An enormous eel, weighing 171bs, which was caught in tbe Eauaeranga, was cooked by Mr O. D. Grant yesterday for some Natives. They bought a large tin milk dish to bake it in, and his eelship completely filled it.

Bishop Abbaham whites the following to the European Mail:—" The task of writing Bishop Selwyn's life having been intrusted by the family to the Eev. W. H. Tucker, and he having kindly undertaken it, I am authorised by them to request any person who may have letters from the Bishop in their possession, and are willing Lite,' to send them to me as soon as possible."

When sinking an nvtesian well at Addington, near Christchurch, a <tin. pipe was beinjj sunk, and on arriving at a depth of 74 feet the rush of water was so great that a stono weighing nearly lib was forced up through the pipe to a height of 12 feet above the surface of the ground. . The flow of water continued the same each time the cap was removed from the well.

At a meeting of Volunteer delegates, held at Oamaru recently, it was resolred —" That it be an instruction to the delegate from this district to urge the fixing o? some central place in each island for the Association's annual prize firing, the competitions to take place alternate years in the North and Middle Islands." " That the delegate be instructed further to urge that, in addition to placing an annual sum on the Estimates in aid of the prize fund, the Government should give free passes for competitors over .the Government lines of railways, and also that the Conference endeavor to arrange with the steamship companies to give passages at reduced rates from port to port." "That the Government be asked to hand over to the Association the targets, tents, and other plant formerly used for the Colonial' rifle meetings."

The Otago Daily Times states:—the body of a double-headed infant preserved in spirits of wine was submitted to public competition by auction a few days ago, and after some spirited bidding was knocked down to a local turfite for £47. This remarkable freak of nature formed part of. the effects of the late Dr O'Ponoghue, of Fort Chalmers. It is stated that the birth occurred twelve years ago, and that the appearance of the child so alarmed the mother that she died almost immediately. .