THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3026, 26 October 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1878.

, When we suggested some time ago that a compromise should be effected with Mr Broomhall —that any interest he had acquired in the Aroha Block through the liberality of the Waste Lands Board should be purchased or satisfied in some way, it did not enter into our calculations that any proposition of the kind would emanate from Mr Broomhall. Perhaps we have unwittingly done the gentleman an injustice. He may be the philanthropist he was taken to be when first he presented his credentials. At any rate we are willing to concede that he was not the mercenary speculator some actions attributed to him would seem to indicate, for bis modest demand of £3500 to renounce all claim to the Aroha block is unquestionably less than might have been expected. The announcement made to the House by the Premier last night (vide telegrams) shows, however/that Mr Broomhall is amenable to reason, and if his request be acceded to, the Government and the Colony will be well rid of a great difficulty; a difficulty that seemed to involve on the one hand a sacrifice of the Colonial credit, or the alternative of condoning a gross injustice perpetrated by the Waste Lands Board, whose partiality or stupidity will be cheaply indemnified and remedied by the payment of £3500 to Mr Broomhall, because it will enable the Government to throw open for occupation at once a splendid country which has been looked upon as the promised land for years past. To the opening of the Aroha Block, and the construction of the railway to Hamilton must we look for a permanent relief to the prevailing depression. Mr BroomhaU's offers places it within the power of the Government to give us the former, and to them also must we look for the latter. Given these two boons, and the Harbor Bill passed, the Thames would soon be lifted up and made almost independent of the mining industry which is now the staple support of the place. Not that mining would suffer from other industries being opened. On the contrary, anything (hat advances the district by disclosing fresh channel! for labor and capital must help to deyelope the mining industry ; and the opening of the Aroha Block to agriculturists would in a very short time give a substantial impetus to mining.

These is hope for the Thames and the Harbor Board yet. The Bill has passed its second reading in the Legislative Council, with a limitation of the borrow-

and some other restrictions which will not entirely and effectually tie the haads of the Board, arid which may yet be removed by further legislation when Sir John Coode's report on permanent harbor works has been received. The following telegrams in addition to the Press Agency message have been received by the Chairman of the Harbor Board :— FEOM MB BO WE. Harbor Bill will p..ss in altered form, but you will have money to go on with. Have had exeat difficulty to get it through.—W. Eowe. FBOM SIB OEOBGE OBEY. Bill has passed. Board may borrow fifty thousand pounds, but there is provision that no larger sum than twelve thousand pounds shall be borrowed except under the provisions of a special Act to be passed for that purpose. —Gr. Gbey.

I So much has been said in the House lately about " The New Zealand National Anthem "that Ministers seem to be tired of the theme. Possibly a good many people in the Colony have only just aiiakened to the fact that New Zealand had a national anthem—other than "God Save the Queen; " and, knowing so little, care even less. For the satisfaction of the curious, howerer, we may state that one Mr Thomas Bracken, journalist and poet, wrote some rerses which he named the "New Zealand National Anthem" or " New Zealand Anthem." He „then offer ed a premium for the best music for these re: ses, and the prize w?s awarded by compe ent judges to a resident in Otago. The music and words wsje printed, some copies were judiciously distributed j amongst local journalists, and the production was dubbed the New Zealand National Anthem. Otago is not New Zealand, however, and Mr Bracken' —who appears to combine a poeiic fancy with a keen, practical business capacity—conceived the idea of bringing the National Anthem into more general notice. It was a good idea, for him, and some member was found weak enough to broach 'he subject in the House. It has not done much barm. Mr Bracken's business and reputation as a Colonial Laureate have been advertised, some members have had a joke over the thing, and this perhaps is all we shall hear of the mattei'. Of National Anthems we have more than enough. In mixed audiences too many are demanded, and the very name becomes a bore. The average Englishman is content with " God Save the Queen; " fcome ultra loyalists insist upon " God Bless the Prince of Wales." Then amongst Scotchmen tastes vary from " Scot 3 wha hae " to " Auld Lang Syne," and "Charlie is my Darling;" Irishmen are susceptible ot national aspirations when appealed to by strains of " St. Patrick's Day," " Garry Owen," or " Wearing of the Green." As for other nationalities, what with " Partant Pour la Syrie," " MarseilViae," " Der Watch urn Rhein," and a host of others, we say, until New Zealand can throw over the lot and have a genuine national anthem, the Lord deliver us from the infliction of any more of these productions.