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Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3047, 20 November 1878, Page 2

These was on exhibition to-day in Mr T. Lawless' window a handsome challenge cup of chaste design intended for shooting competition of the Naval Brigade. This fine trophy, which arrived by the mail boat, is a gift to the brigade by a lady in England, who has never been in the colonies, so it will be seen that the fame of our company of blue jacket abas travelled to the 1 antipodes.

Mb Wm.' JKowe, M.H.R., is in Auckland, and will be down by the first boat to-mor"row.

A meeting of all persons interested in the return of Mr McCullough to the Mayoralty will be held at the office of Mr John Frater this evening, at half-past seven o'clock.

) Parents who have any regard for the health of their children, should at this season of the year warn them against green fruit, especially peaches. There are lots of peach trees in exposed situations—on "no man's land," in fact, and it is an everyday occurrence for boys arid girls to be seen stripping these trees of their fruit, green as it is, and before the time for its arriving at maturity the fruit will have all disappeared.

Ohinemubi storekeepers and publicans are frequently in the habit of indulging in Jeremiads about the dulness of trade there. It cannot be quite so, bad as represented, however, when one exTiaames hotel-keeper carrying on business there is able to boast that he is £609 to the good since he left; the Thames.

A meeting of the sub-oommittee— Messrs A. Otto, A. Brodie and W. McCullough— appointed to communicate with several prominent mining, men te formation of a company for carrying out the Karaka and Tararu Tunnel Scheme was held this morning, when the correspondence received was read and considered, and a report prepared to be submitted to the meeting of the comncittee thil afternoon. It is understood that a prospectus is to be issued at once, and provisional secretary and directors appointed, so that no time may be lost in floating the company, the promoters so far having received encouraging promises of support: It is not expected that there will be any difficulty in placing the contributing shares. i

A meeting of the representatives of local bodies to consult at to the belt means of obtaining the early, commencement of the railway works was held at the Borough. Council .Chambers yesterday. There were present—The Chairman of the Harbor Board (in the chair); the Mayor and Cr Speight representing the Borough Council, and the County Chairman and Cr Brown representing the County Council.—The Chairman urged that the lpcal bodies combine to take united action on this matter.—Mr Erodie said that Mr Sheehan had given a distinct pledge to both himself and the Mayor that.the railways would be proceeded with directly after the adjournment of the session. —The Mayor said that the local bodies had made strenuous efforts to tide orer the present depression, and the present was a good time to .start the works, as labor was now plentiful. —Cr Brown considered it unwise to raise a cry of depression.. The gold was certainly not coming out in large quantities, but there were not many active men out of work, and in a goldfield without an agricultural district to back, it, it was difficult to find work for tlie old men.— Cr Brodie said there was no other town m the Colony that was the outlet^ of such a large area of. splendid agricultural land as the Thames, and independent of gold it would be a place of importance as soon as there was railway communication. r-ConsidercblejJiiseußsion ensued as to whether the cMfijiince should communicate with the Minister for Public Works oniy or with Sir George Gw and Mr Sheehan as well. It wM fo.Taaily d«cided to send one to the- Premier »nd one to Mr Macandrew. They were as follows; *-" Sir G. Grey, Z.C.8., Wellington.-^ Chairmen local bodies anxious to meet you re Thames railway. Will you name jime and place you will receive tkem either here or in Auckland. (Signed by the heads of local bodies)." The one to Mr Macandrew was—"Thames people most anxious to know when railway works from Grahamstown will *be commencad. Present most opportune time. labor plentiful." The following answer was received last night from Sir G. Grey s—" Wellington, Tuesday, 5 p.m. James Kilgour, Wm. Da vies, and Alej. Brodie, Thames. Be Thames Bailway.—l can do nothing in the question without the Minister for Public Works. Telegraph your views to him and send me copy. I sail to morrow for the. Kawau, as I require rest for a few i weeks. When I have heard from the Minister for Public Works I will try and see you all."

The usual monthly meeting'of Lodge Sir Walter Scott was held at the Freemasons' Hall last night'when, in addition to the usual business, the election of officers took place for ensuing twelre months, as follows:—R.W.M., P.M. W. McCullough ; D.M., Bro. Dunlop; S. W., Bro. G. McVey; J.W., Bro. Langford; S.D., Bro. Geo, Wilson; J.D., • Bro. Forgie; 1.G., Bro! G. Kerr; Tyler, Bro. T. Rawdon; ' Treasurer, Bro. J.. H. Smith ; Secretary, Bro. R. Burra; 'Chaplain, Bro. G. N. Phillips; Bible Bearer, Bro. P. Johnstone; Architect, Bro. Bayldon; Organist, Bro. Maoky; Jeweller, Bro. G» Price; Stewards, Bros. Symington, T. Johnstone, John Cornea, Rattray, 0. G. Brown; Director, of Ceremonies,' Bro. A. Brodie; Auditors, Bros. J. Watson, and S. C. Macky.

A numerous muster of the Hauraki Engineers took place last night, all the officers being in attendance. Lieutenant Denby instructed the non-commissioned officers' squad in sword exercise. Captain Small notified that a lecture on engineering subjects would be given on Friday next.

The proprietor of the gasJighted rifle range in Brown street has. again, on the departure of the theatrical amusements, provided the usual inducements to com* petitors at his gallery. The prize for competition on each and* every, night of the present'week, winding up on Saturday, is a pound parcel of his superb smokers' weed.

A special meeting of the Hospital "Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Mr Frater (President); Beys. Father O'Eeilly, E. S. Bunn, and S. J. Neill; Messrs Wilson, Mulligan, Mcllhone, and Renshaw. The President read a ropy of the following resolution passed at a meeting of the Friendly Society delegates re the annual HospitaF Demonstration :— " That this committee is prepared to carry out tie demonstration if the Hospital Committee provide the funds for the sports." The President said that he considered £50—the amount paid last year for prizes—was too large a sum, and thought that £35 would be sufficient for this ye,ar;s sports. After some discussion it was decided to inform the Friendly Society Delegates that the Hospital Committee would guarantee £30 for prizes. Arrangements were made for collecting money for prizes, power being given to the President*and Secretary to allocate collecting districts to the members cf the committee.

, Some further particulars are furnished to the Auckland Star concerning the . rescue of Portuguese sailors by the ship Rangitikei, reported in Monday's telegram :—The Portuguese sailors state that they belonged to the Portuguese ship /Amerique. One of the two survivors had fallen overboard from the ship, and a boat containing five men, was sent from the vessel to his rescue. They succeeded in picking him up, but on their return towards the ship the boat capsized, and filled with water, afterwards righting. Two of the unfortunate men were immediately swallowed by sharks, but the remaining four got into the boat, when the ■harks still attached them. Two others were washed away into the sea by the waves, and shared the same fate as their unfortunate companions, being instantly torn to pieces end devoured. The other two succeeded in keeping the sharks off by tearing off the bottom boards of the boat, and fighting the sharks with them." They were perfectly nude when, rescued, after 50 hours' immersion. The boat in which they were picked up was hoisted aboard, and is still to be seen. So persevering were the sharks that even after the cutaways were aboard, the sharks followed the ship in great numbers for a long distance. On November Bth, during a hard westerly gale, the ship taking much water aboard, the fore-and-aft main deck was flooded. A heavy sea came aboard, washing Richard Samuel Cornish overboard, It was impossible to attempt his rescue, owing to the fearful weather.