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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3097, 21 January 1879, Page 2

The Chairman and some members of the County Council yesterday visited the several batteries using the water from the County's race, and also the route of the proposed extension, with a view to reporting to the Council on the whole question of the water supply, and rendering it as widely useful as possible. The supply has not been equal to requirements lately owing to the long spell of fine weather, and in some instances we believe it was discovered that a great deal more water was being used than was required, to the detriment of some battery owners who wanted it, and would pay for it if given to them.

The New Zealand Government s.s. Stella, under the command of Captain McKersie, arrived in harbor at midnight with the Hon. John Sheehan and several other passengers.

At a meeting of the Railway Committee yesterday it was shewn that the total liability attendant on the turning of the first sod amounted to about £80. This will be borne pro rata by the local bodies.

Accidents will happen, says the Dunedin Morning Herald. We are told that in a public reading room the other day a gentleman, after perusing an illustrated newspaper, handed it to another, with a whisper that it contained the portraits of the Kellys. Immediately on his taking up the newpaper, the second gentleman looked at the illustration on the front of page, and exclaimed—" Oh Lord, what a bad-looking set of vagabonds they are ! " On bringing his glasses to bear upon the type, however, the second gentleman concluded he should hare turned over a page or two, as he found that the faces which had not prepossesed him were those of the Ministry of New Zealand.

Ik the allocation of stations for the Wesleyan Ministers at the " Wesleyan Conference at Auckland on Saturday, the Rev. W. Watkin was appointed to the Thames and the Eev. E. S. Bunn to Invercargill. The various appointments however are subject to revision.

The Hon. J. Sheehan met a number of the Natives at the Runauga House, Parwai, to-day, and had a long conversation with them on various matters connected with the Native department. Amongst the subjects discussed was the land required for the railway, and we understand the Natives repeated a promised given on a previous occasion, that any of their lands required they would give to the Government for the railway. Most of the principal representative natives of the district were in attendance.

The first Bhare list issued by the Thames Stock Exchange tor several months was issued to-day, and is published in another column.

The steam dredge of the Auckland Harbor Board and one of the punts were towed down by the Jtlotomahana yesterday. Other two punts will be brought down this afternoon, and it is intended to commence dredging operations to-morrow. The first woi'k undertaken will be the dredging of a channel about 4 feet deep and 200 feet long from the end of the Burke street wharf. How long the channel will remain open after dredging is stopped, or whether it will be worth the expenditure required, are questions which practical men differ upon, and we trust the Harbor Board will not go too far with their dredging operations.

Although the fine band of the Thames Scottish Battalion can discourse sweet music, they also know how to charge exorbitantly for the same. For playing at the Sailway Demonstration, they have sent in to the local bodies the modest little bill of £15, and besidei that stuck up £3 11s at a Shortland Hostelry, for which the local bodies will have to pay. For playing at the Macandrew banquet the same noble organisation of musicians modestly asked £10. They had cigars, etc., from Host Curtis amounting to £2 10s, and besides that, a square meal off the leavings of the banquet. These sums added together make the respectable total of £31 Is. We wonder how many square yards of harmony was obtained for that sum. Leaving joking aside, however, we think that the Scottish Band should draw it a little mild in the matter of charges, or perhaps when music is required those who want it will go where it can be got cheaper.

The Thames Scottish battalion will resume drill to-morrow (Wednesday) with rifles. The Saturday parades will also recommence. We understand that No. 2 Company expect their new uniforms by the Hero, now almost due from Sydney. The officers during the holidays have been assiduously practising infantry sword exercise, and by the time that No. 2 are ready to turn out, the officers of both companies will be inspected in this exercise on their first dress parade.

Ox Thursday evening next a banquet to celebrate the annual installation of officers of the Lodge of Light and Lodge Sir Walter Scott will be held at the Freemasons' Hall, Owen street.

These was no business at the R.M. Court this morning.

An old Thames resident now living in Melbourne, in a letter to a friend residing here says:—" You cannot insult a policeman here more than to mention the word ' Kelly.' On New Year's night a number of the ' happys ' were enjoying themselves in the customary manner, and one of them stole a barber's pole. He was arrested by the guardians of the peace, who cuffed him soundly. A man in the ground said ' These chaps should be after the Kellys,' and four or five of the police pitched on to him and gave him a sound hammering in the middle of the crowd. Policemen here do pretty well as they choose. Just fancy a Thames policeman hammering a man in the middle of Brown street for telling him to go and catch Winiata ! On New Year's Day I took a trip to Sorrento in the old Thames boat Golden Crown, which is a great favorite here. The Williams, another old Thames trader, is on the same line running in opposition to the Crown. Everyone here has 'Kelly on the braiu,' as the present mania is called. The

papers sometimes sell three or four editions extra just now, and photographs of the Mansfield victims and the gang are all the rage. Jem Mace is still carrying on his boxing saloon, and I have seen some prize fights there with bare fists, and the socalled glove fights are nearly as bad, as the combatants' fists are merely covered with thin kid gloves. In a fight between Larry Foley and Peter Newton 48 rounds were fought before the police stopped it. Both men were considerably damaged. Mace's Hall is licensed, and he has just had the license renewed. I don't think such proceedings would be allowed in New Zealand, and from the fact that Mace is well patronised, it would seem that the present taste of the Victorian public is very much depraved." [In regard to Mace's license for the " hall" being renewed, the correspondent is in error. Mace's public house license was renewed only on condition that communication between the house and the " hall " was walled up."—Ed.]