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Thames Star, Issue 3082, 3 January 1879, Page 2

It is said that the claim of the Church Mission Society of £2000 for damages done to their property by carrying the Thames Water Kace through it has been settled by a payment of £300.

We have seen a telegram which states that the Hon. J. Sheehan will not likely visit the Thames until about Wednesday next.

The Union Cricket Club will practice to-morrow at Parawai Gardens. A good attendance of members is requested, so as to enable two elevens to play if possible. Wickets will be pitched at 3 o'clock sharp.

We understand that Mr John Gibbons, the owner of a block of land at Waitoki, on the bank of the Waihou, has offered to give any portions of the same that may be requirei for railway purposes gratuitously. We hope to see this example followed by many others.

After the usual business at the fortnightly meeting of the Court Pride- of Parnell, A.0.P., at the Oddfellows' Hall, .Richmond street, last evening a very interesting ceremony eventuated. It consisted of the presentation to Bro S. C. Schofield, Past Chief Hanger, with a P.C.JH.'s certificate, elegantly mounted in a mottled kauri frame, and also a neck ribbon, as a token of the members' appreciation of the manner Mr Schofield had conducted the business of the lodge during the past year. Bro. McCullough made the presentation, and in doing so passed a high eulogium on Bro. Schofield's conduct in the chair, and also referred to the satisfactory manner the Court business had been carried on. Bro. Schofield briefly thanked them for the presentation.

By the departure of Mr Delaney, late of the All JSations Hotel, Coromandel street, we lose one of our oldest hotelkeepers. Mr Pelaney has, we understand, purchased, for the sum of £4000, a large hotel, with land adjoining, at the Waikato. Mr R. S. Brown, late of the Willoughby Hotel, is now the presiding host at the All Nations.

How reliable some of those Southern papers are. The Oamaru Mail in a report of ibe turning of the first sod of the Thames Valley Railway, from its own cdrrespondent, speaks of the " turning of first sod " of the railway between Grahamstown and Shortland.

On New Year's Day an old toper abstracted a few shillings irom the tills of two of our principal hotels. In both instances he was detected shortly after the larceny, and on each occasion eloquently begged himself off.

Letters of allotment hare been issued by the Bank of New Zealand for the increase of capital authorised at the meeting in October, and we observe with satisfaction that the directors have fixed the price of issue at £7 premium, thus affording a margin of. from £5 to £6 on the present price, which is equivalent to a handsome bonus to the fortunate shareholders. , The general expectation was that the price of issue would be ten pounds premium, and we have no doubt the great majority of proprietors would at that price have availed themselves of their allotments, but we think the Directors have exercised a wise discretion in not exacting the highest price, and no doubt shareholders will fully endorse their decision.—Auckland Star.

The following letter from a miner formerly resident here, to a friend still on the Thames, has been placed at our disposal for publication. The picture of .New Guinea life is not encouraging:— "Cooktown, 7th December, 1878.—Dear , —Just returned from New-Guinea. Were unsuccessful in finding payablegold, half a grain to the dish beitfjf^bJJ^fte'' best prospects we, go^-^Te headed the Goldie, and as it-^vas continually raining;, thought it bfest to clear out untii^ about* next May(- or June, when • some/ of us anticipate returning, not%o tha^< ar t t but some oth«-r Of theVJslanjis^jj^iie cUmate could hardly be surpassed a%^here for its unhealthiness. <, I know ojf nonV"*ft)fc2 have been there t and gone' inland wlu*l have not had fever.. I aui\sorry to sayjl, had my share with the,rest,N|j U (; a g tipfys will not allow me to give you AVngtii/o'll^' account of the trip, it will; .bo %i4er to say as little as possible at presenifand by next mail I will have time:?so write out a full account of my four months' stay in New Guinea. If you should ever hear of gold being struck in^ New Guinea, take my advice and be in no hurry to get there, for those who are first will have great obstacles to contend with, and 1 fear very many who may go will hot return. lam at present faring sumptuously in a hotel here, but it won't last long, for the purse is getting light. I left two horses over there, because there was no chance to get them brought back. The trip has cose me a little under*£loo. lam not sorry for going,and willjlhppte, be spared to go again. One thing I gained was satisfaction, as well as knowledge. I hope you are again aa well as you were before^he unfortunate accident, and that your health; as well as that of your wife and family, is good. Tell Mrs ——that if I had a chance I could send her a splendid plume of a Bird of Paradise. I have a few, and if I can get a chance any way I will let her have one. Trusting to hear from you to the old address, believu me to be, dear ——, yours sincerely, « ."

There was no business at the R.M. Court to day.

The Bay of Plenty Times has been enlarged to double demy (same size as the Star), and Mr Vesey Stewart has joined Mr Rathbone in the proprietory.

The people of Tauranga are subscribing to a testimonial to Mr E. M. Edgcumbe, formerly proprietor of the Bay of Plenty Times, who is leaving for a visit to England. Mr Edgcumbe has for four years filled the office of Chairman of, the Town Board, and in various ways has contributed to the advancement of the Tauranga district.

The Melbourne Champion Race, the result of which appeared in our yesterday's calograms, will be rather a curiosity in Australian racing annals, inasmuch as three out of the four ; favorites have been placed, and it is quite possible that Ro'o.dee, the fourth favorite, will* on receipt of further advices, be found to be not far behind. The bookmakers would lose heavily. It may be mentioned that none of the prizes in Abbott's sweep on the Champion Eace have come to the Thames, though several Thames residents drew horses. The lucky possessor of the second horse in the sweep—worth £200—is a Tauranga gentleman which he secured by the investment of £5.