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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3087, 9 January 1879, Page 2

The residents of the Karaka Creek near Ball's battery, are complaining of the indecency of a number of lads—some verging on manhood—bathing in the dam near the battery. These hoodlums disport themselves in the somewhat shallow water in a state of perfect nudity, utterly regardless of the passers by and the -T*eM«nt.B,-flnmfl of. whomJire_within a few., yards of the dam. On Sunday morning last a number of these larrikins while performing their ablutions, amused themselres calling put after people going up and down the tramway. This nuisance should certainly be put a stop to, which could easily be done by an occasional descent of the police on the locality.

A private telegram from Napier to a gentleman.here states that at the meeting of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars the Hon. Mr Fox: was elected Chief Templar; Mr WJ. Speight, Secretary; Mr Jacquers, Vice-Templar; Mr Jenkins, Treasurer; Mr G. N Phillips, Chaplain; Mr Elli3, Marshal. A successful public meeting had been held, at which the speakers were the Hon. Mr Fox, Messrs G. N, Phillips, Speight, and Hemus.

A Duubdin telegram says :—Amongst the civil cases to be heard at the Supreme Court next week is one of breach of promise of'marriage, and disclosures are expected.in connection therewith likely to cause slight commotion in upper court society. The plaintiff is a barmaid of rather prepossessing appearance, and defendant the son of an eminent Govern* ment engineer, who has not long left the colony. It fteems that over a year ago the defendant was sojourning at an hotel in Invercargill, in which; plaintiff was employed as a barmaid. They became acquainted of course, and after defendant left Southland, th«y corresponded together. In due time plaintiff gave birth to a child, and it is said that in his letters defendant does not deny paternity, though he refused either marriage or maintenance.

The cricket match yesterday resulted in favor of the Tarauaki team, their second innings closing for 124 which, with the total of the first innings, makes their total for the match 205. In the second innings the Thames men played much better than in the first, 68 being made with the loss of five wickets when the stumps were drawn. Speaking generally of the match it must be admitted that the visiting team is much superior to the one pitted against them, and the beating is not to be wondered at. Cricket is a game much practised at Taranaki, consequently there are a much greater number of players to select from, and, indeed, the eleven that played yesterday might hold its own in any part of the Colony. ■ With their bowling menMessrs Bayley and Sarten—they are strong in that line of the game, as might well be instanced by the manner the Thames wickets fell yesterday. In the fir<t innintts Bayley t ok seven for fire runs, and Sarten three for 24 runs. Their fieldißgia also good, while the batting of Davies, Biddiford, Cunningham and Harrison, can always be depended on to make a score. Biddiford lately, at a match at Patea, made 70 runs in one innings, and Davies in Auckland the other day scored 60. The Taranaki people deserve credit for their pluck in sending out a team so well able te win laurels from the North.

The Asbburton Mail, writing of the calling of Mr W. Wood to the Legislative Council, says:—"His great drawback is that, though pompous as a speaker, he is exceedingly simple in his manners, and makes himself as agreeable to bullock drivers as he does to mercantile magnates. But this is a fault which, perhaps, continuous intercourse with the blue blooded gentlemen of the Council may in time modify, if not entirely remore. There is

one thing wjiich must be admitted of Mr Wood, and' tt is that during a tolerably long political career he has always remained true'to the colors of Liberalism, and has ever clung closely to the cause of the people." : /