THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3020, 19 October 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

The Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament have reported on the Thames Harbor Act Amendment Bill and recommended that it. be made a public measure. This will place it in a much better position and probably ensure its becoming law. In consequence of the reported opposition of the Hon. Dr Pollen, in the Legislative Council, to the bill, the Chairman of the Harbor Board telegraphed to; the Premier, Mr William Eowe, and'Dr Pollen, and received answers from our two members as follows :— , "To W. Davies, Esq., " Harbour Board, Grahamstown. . " I believe the bill to be safe. I have this morning been before the Joint Committee on the subject, and I understood that they would report favorably.—Q. Obey." "To TV.Davies, " Grahamstown. v Have seen Pollen. The Bill will not be shelved, but it sbou'd )ave been introduced earlier. I am afraid that neither the Water Bill nor the Karaka Tunnel Bill will pass, as they have not been introduced, but through no fault of mine.—W. Sowb." Tne Chairman received no answer from Dr Pollen, but His Worship the Mayor last night received the following unsolicited message from the Hon. Daniel, which came through at a cost of three shillings and fourpence to the Borough :— " Government Buildings, Oct. 18. " To His Worship the Mayor, " Grahauistown. "It is nob true that I'am opposing the Thames Bill. Sir Georgo Grey has kept it back until the last hours of the session, and it is meeting the difficulty that other Bills meet under these circumstances. — DAiJIEIi POltElf."

In the above Dr Pollen disclaims any opposition to the Harbor Bill, and seeks to throw blame on the Premier. However, the denial is of such a character that no one will acquit the doctor of blame until a much more lucid explanation is afforded. His opposition would not have been a matter for remark had it not been for his previous action in regard to the Harbor Bill, when he was a Minister of the Crown, and was anxious to show his "gratitude" to.the Thames constituency.

In order to give practical shape to the suggestions made by the local bodies re aids to prospecting, as carried on by companies putting down deep levels, the County Chairman has telegraphed to Mr Win. Eowe requesting him to gire notice of his intention to ask if the Government, following the example of the Victorian Government, will bring in a bill, or cause a sum to be placed on the estimates, to assist mining companies who are sinking deep level shafts. It is pointed out that the vote ioi_aidiL_lQ.

prospecting .does not meet the circumstances ; of, this<«iield except to entourage men in making tracks and seeking for new discoveries inland." The expensive work of prospecting deep levels is left to individual or company enterprise. In Victoria the Parliament voted a sum of 30,000 for assistance to propectors, a good portion of which has been allotted to miners who are prospecting afc low levels, ihe County Chairman also points out that the subsidy of the local bodies to the U.P.A. will be discontinued in a few mouths, and that the position of mines on this field is deserving of consideration at the hands of the Government, the class of workings indicated being such as should be encouraged. It is to be hoped the lateness of the session will not interfere with this matter being entertained. ; ?,.,_*.- ;; ___— -* —r-h--,, ;r;^n The following letter was received by the Chairman of the Waiotahi District School Committee to-day. ;As it contains information which has been looked for-, ward to with interest for some days we give it this prominence :— Board of Education, Auckland, 18th Oct., 1878. Sin,—l am directed to inform you that the following tenders were duly received for the erection of a new school'"building at the Thames in your;district, and were laid before the Board at its mooting this day :—

The! Board authorised the acceptance of Mr John Corn well's tender, subject to the specified conditions.: ' ■ I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, ■•''*">'■ '' ' : ■■'■'■'.'' VITJOBNT E. B.ICE,' , •-•'■•: Secretary. The Chairman of the District „ . „.,.) ;, ,, School Committee, Waiotahi. It was hoped that the above job would fall to some Thames firm of builders, and a very keen sense pf disappointment pervades the trade that such a result has not eventuated. It may be asked, how is it that Thames builders cannot compete with Auckland firms for contracts in this district? We have asked the; question, and we have been told that the Auckland ' builders can buy timber at better advantage than Thames people can, and are therefore enabled to tender lower for erect- i ing a building here in which, we understand, considerably over 120,000 feet of timber will be used. We are. assured . that the Shortland Saw Mill Company send timber to Auckland and sell it there at the same price as Thames builders can buy it for in the yard at Shortland; and that when some of the intending contractors asked for a price for timber—say 100,000 feet—in view of this big school job, the figure given was the same as if they had wanted only a few thousand feet. Moreover, it is said that in any of the yards in Grahamsfown a single board can be bought at the same rate as the Shortland mill asked for a large quantity., The fact that an Auckland firm is able to tender successfully for a wooden building on the Thames is significant of one thing : that' the existence of a large saw mill in the Borough seems to have an effect on; the trade directly. contrary to -that which might be hoped and expected. ;

The Key. A. W. Webb of Auckland will preach the sermons in connection with the ninth anniversary of the Baptist Sunday School to-morrow at the Willoughby street Baptist Chapel. ;; ;The Thames Scottish No. 1 Company £re to-day for the Champion Belt, Chaplain's prize, and some others. The firing is in two squads, morning and afternoon, The highest scores in the morning were Lucas 65; Bull 64. The afternoon squad bad not finished when we went to press. The ranges are 430, 500, and 600 yards, seren shots each. . There are also four prizes open only to men who have never won a prize in the company ranges, 400 and 500 yards, seven shots. The Chaplain, VReV. S. Neill, with,/Mri Neill and several other citizens, were present wifr \ nesting the contest. , -•■.-> ■. t . . • ■■;. The Hauraki Engineers were paraded last night in the Grahamstown Drill Hall under command of Captain Small. The men having fallen in were exercised in company drill and the manual and firing { exercises by Sergeant-Major Grant. The whole of the company and band were then marched to the lecture room, and seated for instruction in military engineering, under Lieutenant Barlow, who first gave a resume of previous lessons, eliciting the most satisfactory replies to his questions put at haphazard to different members. Mr Barlow then proceeded to' describe the mode of procedure in escalading and storming a fortress with a single and double line of ladders, and with grappling irons in the absence of ladders. After entertaining his hearers for a short time with incidents quoted from the hiitory of the 42nd Jhl ighlanders, the men resumed their places in the ranks, and were for the firsir time exercised in escalading drill. Mr Barlow first told off the company in ladder detachments of fives from the right, broke into column of storming parties- to the right, told off commanders, proved numbers, took post on ladders, slung arms and advanced with ladders oh an imaginary enemy's fosse, then retired by countermarch of individual detachments, halted, fronted, wheeled into line, and were dismissed. The whole of the movements were executed with alacrity and steadiness, to the edification of numerous spectators, attracted, apparently, by the novelty of engineer evolulwtions. An engineer amateur athletic and dramatic corps, in connection with the company, is in course of training, and will probably make their debut during the ensuing month.

Me H. Stiilwell left at our office this morning a magnificent bloom of the Opulas Albi, or Guilder Bose.

At the K.M. Court to-day, before Capt. Fraser, R.M., Henry Malone was charged with having no visible means of support. Mr Bullen stated that the defendant was suffering from the effects of excessive drinking, and was not in a fit state.to appear before the Court. His Worship remanded him for a week for medical treatment. This was all the business.

The correspondent of the South Australian Register states that a very singular coincidence happened at Jamestown lately. A respectable young man, laboring ander some real or fancied grievances, 'said that he wished God would strike him dumb if he did not give the

night. iStrange to say, on his attempting to speak, some five minutes afterwards he was unable to do so and remains dumb, despite the medical skill of two doctors. He was able to go about hii work as' usual. ■ •

1. John Cornwell, Auckland ... 22&7 0 0 2. Alex. Watsony Auckland" .„ 2476 0 0 3. Farrell Bros., Thames- ... 2594 0 0 4. Bi'Shardlow A Co., Grahams- < town ... ... ... 2650 0 0 5. Thomson & Sinokir, Shortlund 2657 10 0 6. Bobt.N. Smith, Grabamstown 2687 10^ 0 7. 37)J: O'Bnen, Thames ; ...! 2697 6 0 8. W. A. Probert, Auckland ...2850 0 0