THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3034, 5 November 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1878.

To-day, the fifth of November, is the day on which the celebrated Guy Fawkes is subjected to his annual'martyrdom, and at an early hour this morning regiments of small boys were to be seen going the round begging for " something for our Guy Fawkes "—most unclassical looking Guidos, by the way, for the most part attired in ragged suits and billycock hats. To-night, doutless there will be a great deal of effigy burning.

We would again draw attention to the annual soiree and concert in connection with the St. James' Presbyterian Church, which takes place this evening. A number of well known amateurs will sing at concert, which will be a grand affair. The soiree takes place in the Academy of Music.

; We understand that Dr. M. H. Payne has made before the Resident Magistrate to-day an affidavit concerning certain circumstances connected with the suicide of Captain Goldsmith.

We learn that several of the favorites for the Melbourne Cup in Abbott's £2000 sweep have been drawn by Thames residents.

The funeral of the late Capt. Goldsmith took place to«day from hia residence, Beach road, to the Tararu Cemetery.

' The proprietor of the rifle gallery in Brown street has from the time of opening offered for competition weekly a prize, sometimes of considerable value. Owing to the small amount of patronage recently bestowed on the gallery, Mr Barlow has suffered a pecuniary loss by his presents, and intends to discontinue them for a few weeks. The prize won last week—a Meerschaum pipe and a pound of tobacco — fell to the lot of Volunteer G. Downie, of Ist Company Thames Scottish.

Mb E. Comeb, one of the nominators of Mr A. Brodie for the Waiotahi Bid ing in the County Council election, convenes a 'meeting <>!' the friends and supporters of that gentleman and his colleague (Mr J. Coutts), to take place at Mr Fugill's houso to-moirow evening at seven o'clock. The old members, from all we can learn, are secure of election. At any rate they deserve well of the electors of their riding, having looked after its interests carefully in the past and secured for it a fair share of the County expenditure; and there is no doubt that if reelected the claims of the riding will always secure recognition.

Mb Gbigo, importer of musical instruments of Pollen street, has imported a splendid harmonium by the celebrated maker, Alexandre of Paris, for the Presbyterian Church here.

The Northern Pioneer Lodge,l.O,G.T., held their quarterly installation of officers last night in the Templar Hall, after the the ordinary business of the Lodge had been gone through. Bro. Hammond acted as installing officer, assisted by Bros. Fletcher and Bateman, of the Star of Thames Lodge. The following were the officers duly elected and installed'— W.C.T., Bro. Edwin Doidge; W.V.T., Sister .Richards, jan. •, W.Sec, Bro. F. Lyster; W.F.S., Bro. T. Grundy, W.T., Bro. J. Cocks; W.C., Sister Kichards, sen.; W.M., Bro. J. Doidge; W.1.G., Bro. Tremain; W.0.G., Bro. Swan; W.A.S., Bro. Nicholls; E.H.S., Bro. J. Nodder; L.H.S., Sister Cleave; P.C/s chair still filled by Bro. Hose. Nearly all the officers were re-elected.

The following table—extracted from the .Registrar General's Eeport on the vital statistics of the Boroughs of Auckland, Thames; Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hokitika for the month of September—gives the population, number of births and deaths, and proportion of deaths to the 1000 of population of each borough :■ —

The Te Aroba block is (says Auckland Star) to become the hope of the Thames in a new way. We understand that the Government depend upon it for the con* struction of the Thames Valley Kailway. A township of 2.0C0 acres on the river is to be marked off, and the proceeds from this alone it is expected, will defray the cost of constructing the line from the Thames river to Hamilton. The balance of the block is to be cut up in small farm sections, and will, it is believed, supply the requisite funds to continue the railway into Grahamstown. The work is to be carried out immediately, and if the Government, as no doubt theypropose to do, enter into a pledge that the line shall be carried through* the township, the value of the land will doubtless be greatly enhanced, and it is possible that the sanguine expectations entertained may be realised. .

It is stated that the Premier will be here shortly, and that, after a brief stay at the'Kawau,'he will visit New South Wales and Victoria, and endeavour to make arrangements in regard to commercial reciprocity. Sir George mill, no doubt, be well received in these colonies. His connection with the early history of South Australia and New Zealand is well known, and has become matter of interest to the colonies. Furthermore, he has been abused in season and out of season by a section of the Victorian Press, for party purposes, and to such an extent ban this been carried that it must have created wide sympathy for him. The first recess work of the Native Minister will be to visit Te Whiti, at Parihaka, for the purpose of endeavouring to obtain the rendition of Hiroki. —Herald.

It is confidently expected, (says a Christchurch contemporary) that at the close of the session Mr Stout will for many and divers reasons find it necessary to resign his seat in the Cabinet. The main reason for this, of course, is the great dislike to him that exists in the minds of the greater number of the members. His manner in the House and his want of tact has the effect of producing a deep and wide-spread sense of irritation.

The name of Mr C. F. W. St. John, son of Lieut-Colonel St. John, and for four years a pupil of the Wellington College, stands 31st on the list of successful candidates for admission to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, received by this mail. There were 130 candidates, so that the result is highly creditable both to Mr St. John and his instructors.

A cobbespondent of a contemporary writes :-—'• Things are not going on right in the telegraph department, and I see by the Wellington papers there are many complaints of unfair treatment of officers. There ought to be a Eoyal Commission appointed to enquire into the grievance! of the officers under Dr Lemon. The great complaint is that the best operators, instead of getting rapid promotion, are kept in the large stations at small screws, whilst ignorant and favor-currying incapables are promoted to the charge of • country stations on good pay. As a matter of fact, an old telegraphist tells me all who can leave have left and are leaving as the department holds out no induce* ment to good men to remain in it."

Me W. E. Colston writing from Barnawartha to the Australasian, .says:-— "In answer to correspondent about the heaviest bullock, living or dead, in the colony, in your issue of the 21»t ult., I will give you the size of the largest I have living. It waa purchased by Mr Murdoch McLean for £120, in Wellington, New Zealand. It turned the scales at 39481b, or 35cwt lqr; height, 6ft lin ; length, lift 9in ; girth, 9ft lOin; at belly, 10ft llin; hocks, 2ft l£in; arm, 3ft; yoke, 7ft Bin; age, eight years.

A stbangke itory of the disappearance of a large parcel of gold~l3o ounceshas been going the rounds lately (says the Cromwell Argus). The treasure was the result of a washing-up in a claim somewhere in the vicinity of Kirtleburn, and not caring to have such wealth about his person or premises, the managing partner snugly stowed the gold away among the rocks adjacent to a pig stye till a more convenient season. To his dismay, on goiog to his " plant" some time afterwards, lo! it had disappeared, and no trace of the precious metal was to be found. , ■'■[■'•■■

The man who made an impression; on the heart of a coquette has become a skilful •tone-cutter.

Borough. Estimated Pdpulation. Total Births. Total Deaths. of D«?;ihsto 1000 of • population. Auckland .. 'hames .... Vellington.. itiJson .... !b:i?si-tf>urch )unedin.... lok.tika .. 13,732 5,425 19,037 «,CO3 13,402 22.491 3,244 * 41 31 83 16 es 95 13 17 7 29 5 58 29 3 , 1-23 129 1-05 0-75 1-34 1-29 ; 0.93 TotJ..,.i 547 99 • •