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Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3059, 4 December 1878, Page 2

The Rotomahana was unable to. get alongside the wharf last night, and aa she had a number of cattle and considerable cargo to discharge, she misses her trip to-day. She will leave for Auckland tomorrow at half past three o'clock.

The Junction Hotel at Katikati, kept by the Messrs Clarke (A. H. Clarke and Brother), was opened with a spread on the 20lh instant, Mr Ves'ey Stewart presiding, and most of the principal Eatikati settlers being present. The Stewards of the Thames Annual Eaces visited the Tararu Race-course today arid made arrangements with Mr. Bennett to put it in thorough running order. The straight and judge's box will be in. the same position as last year. The course was measured off and found to be exactly three-quarters of a mile in circumference. • The only business at the E.M. Court to-day was the fining of W. D. Reid 2s 6d and costs' for permitting a cow to wander at large. A. J. Allom and E. F. Tizard, Esqs., J's.P., occupied the bench. A meeting of the Thames Flour Mill Committee was held at the Governor Bowen Hotel last evening, { PresentMessrs W. McCullough (in the chair), J. M. Mennie, McGowan, Ebrenfried, Brown and Price. It was decided to form a company of 10.COO shares at £1 each, (one shilling to be paid on application), and a prospectus was agreed on. The gentlemen present and several others were elected provisional directors, -and Mr. Steadman was appointed secretary, .the latter being authorised to receive applications for shares. The Bank of New. Zealand were appointed bankers to the!company, and Mr J. A. Miller ,solicitor. There is every prospect of tile company being successfully floated. 4 telegram has been received from) the Hon. Mr Macandrew, stating that he will be in Auckland the week after next, if possible. . ' „ The Memsahib steamer returned from Coromandel shortly after noon to-day, with the County Chairman (Mr A. Brodie), County Engineer (Mr A. Aitken), Councillor A. Porter, Mr B. Comer, Mr J. P. Hall, Mr J..; W. JValker and others who accompanied Mr. Oliver Wakefield to the above place yesterday. Mr Wakefield, Colonel Fraser, and some others of the party return to-morrow, having remained behind to view the mines on the Tokatea hill. The Under Secretary will go from \ this; district thoroughly an .fait in matters relating to mining in this district. The Memsahib goes to Coromandel to bring the visitors back to-morow. Mb Hammohd, who appeared at .the Licensing Court yesterday as objector to the granting of a license tor a house to be known as the Belvidere "Hotel, informs us that he was misreported in that it is stated, he had. riot given the requisite seven days' notice of objection.. He had lodged the objection iv proper form and at the proper time. .■-•■■ Most people are under the impress|on that the close season for oysters com.? menced wajth^tj^^jnonth.^Such has been the case for%eTersFyeafs back, vbut we have seen no proclamation to that effect this year, as required by the Act, and for all we know there is 'at present no prohi- . bition to the taking, catching, or exposing for sale of the delicious bivalve. Perhaps some one can throw some additional light on the matter.. We have* received some Parliamentary Papers and.Nos. 25 and 26 Parliamentary Debates from the Government Printer.

The following, is the letter referred to in yesterday's. telegrams as having been received from Sir Julius Vogel by Mr J. Woods, composer of the music to which Thomas Bracken's "National Anthem of New Zealand " is set:—"7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., June, 1878.— Dear Sir, —I thank you very much for a copy of' The New Zealand Anthem' you have sent me. I like it very much; and if you will send me three additional copies (charging me for the same), I will try and arrange in the direction you point put. I think the idea is excellent of associating our colony in the minds of children being educated in this country with a pleasing melody they.can never forget, and the remembrance of which will bring before them Britain beyond the seas..—l am, sincerely and gratefully yours, "" Julius Vogel." • . - •

" Atticus " tells the following story in the Melbourne Leader :—" The Sergeant, as most people know, is rather hard of hearing. When the-crier was reading out a paper the Sergeant had several times to tell him to speak up. The greatest ornament of the judicial bench at length said severely, ' Hand me the document; I will read it myself." But the Sergeant's face was turned to one side, as he sat with his hand to his ear, alljittention ; and he knew not that the paper had left the crier's hands.' Imagine the feelings of the spectators when, after the learned judge had read for a minute or two, the ''Sergeant testily exclaimed • Well, my man, if you mean that for reading I'd go to school again. Open your mouth and pronounce your h's.' "

A scHoet inspector but recently appointed .to that position and who, says the Lyttelton Times, was desirous of ascertaining for himseif the state of affairs in his distiict, paid some unexpected visits to the various schools.' He arrived at one during the hours when scholastic duties should have been attended to, but, much to his surprise, found the children scampering over the desks and apparently beyond control. .Near the fireplace sat an'elderly man,- quietly perusing the newspaper, and apparently absorbed iv it to such an extent as. not to notice the uproar iv the school. The inspector tapped him on the shoulder and asked for the head master, also expressing surprise at the disorderly state of the school, ■ whereupon, the other replied that the only head-master in that establishment was his (the . elderly gentleman's) wife. It was stated that a very unfavorable report of the school w ( as the result of his visit- • •