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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3144, 17 March 1879, Page 2

It is said the terror of the law has altered Tukukino, and he now says he will not offer any further objection to the constructionof the bridge over the Okinemuri river, and the formation of the roads he promised to allow.

Some of the contractors for the County works, in applying for the specifications and plans of the works, asked if they would be allowed to carry revolvers with them. They felt there would be but little difficulty in putting through the Komata road if they were allowed to take their own way in carrying out the work. We have reason to believe Tukukino's objection to the work will soon be withdrawn.

It is pleasant to find that our native friends—at all times pretty well able to look after themselves —have yet friends, who, should any neglect occur on their part, are ever ready with good advice. It is stated that, upon the advice of their friends, they have made a claim for £100 as compensation in case the snags are taken out of the Waihou river. It is said their friends have found out a peculiarity that the' dusky sons of the soil have—that if they have money they pay their debts; but if without means it is considered a friendly action to help them to get some of that, the love of which is *ia>aid to be the root of all evil. Looking at the matter in that light is rumored to be the spur the friends spoken of have in suggesting that the claim for compensation should be made.

Re the Kaitangata Explosion, a Press Agency telegram says.—" Mr Eitchie, one of the directors of the Kaitangata coal mine, has written to Dr Hector a letter, which states that the late manager, Hodge, always stated that coal in the old workings never had given off- gas while being wrought, and after the workings were partly abandoned, he and hid brother had been through them on several occasions, and never found the slightest trace of gas. In corroboration, Thonias Eitchie states that two months before the explosion a party of gentlemen, under the guidance of Hodge, went into the old workings with a naked light, and explored from top to bottom without the slightest trace of gas being discovered. Ho thinks there is a strong probability that the gas that caused the explosion made its appearance suddenly. Dr Hector, in reply, says there is strong presumption on his mind that the first appearance of the gas in the old workings was sudden and in large quantity, and came and is still coming from a ' blower ' that has broken out in some part of the old workings.

The following is the text of the letter written by the Crown Agent, on behalf of the Lord Advocate, to Sir E. J. N. JN rapier, in regard to the proposed lottery scheme for giving assistance to the shareholders of the City of Glasgow Bunk :— " Crown Office, Edinburgh, January 13. —Sir, —The attention of the Lord Advocate has been directed to the published account of a meeting in Glasgow, of which you were chairman, at which it seems to have been resolved forthwith to promote a scheme for raising six millions of money partly %1 aid of the unfortunate

shareholders of the City of Glasgow Bank. The object of the scheme is so far most praiseworthy, but the newspapers assume and assert, and the public doubtless believe, that the scheme is truly a lottery, and that the balance (say £2,750,000) which is to be distributed in bonuses, is simply a fund of £2,750,000 to be divided into money prizes of varying amount, and then to be distributed by chance or lot to the winning ticket-holders. If the view thus taken by the public Press, and which has thus gained credence, among the public bo incorrect, it is unfortunate that it should remain uncontradicted. But it it be correct, I am desired by the Lord Advocate to point out to you, as chairman of the meeting above referred to, that in the present state of the law it will be impossible for the authorities to avoid putting it in force against all parties implicated in the scheme as soon as its real character becomes apparent. —I &m, your obedient servant, James Auldjo Jamieson, Crown Agent.

We wish to calkettention to the advertisement in another column, which notifies that the Tongariro will leave the wharf at 10.30 this evening for Coromandel.

Messes Nokbis and Allen's " Museum of Art and Science" was opened at Mr Burra's old shop, Brown street, on Saturday, and received extensive patronage. The "show" consists of the exhibition of clubs, spears, etc., and other articles incidental to savage life; curios, and a number of pretty mechanical toys. The mechanical singing bird is such a wonderful imitation of nature that it is difficult to believe it was fabricated by the hand of man. The fairy fountain is also a great attraction. The evergreen tragedy of " Punch " was performed Beyeral times during the evening, to the great amusement of the juvenile portion of the patrons of the museum. Mr Allen was very obliging in pointing out the principal features of the collection to his visitors.

These was a clean sheet at the R.M Court this morning.

Yesterday morning Mr Hosking, hairdresser, Brown street, was rudely assaulted by two half drunken bushmen be< cause he refused to give them a shaveit being Sunday morning.

Yesteeday the Bishop of Auckland preached both morning and evening at St. George's Church. In his morning's sermon the Bishop alluded very feelingly to the recent death of a Sis ter-of-Mercy in connection with the English Church ; and aa Sister Dora's work and labor of love is exceptionally interesting, we have given a further account of her in another column. In the evening the Bishop held a confirmation, when six young men and twelve young women were admitted to the rite of laying on of hands. The Bishop's address to the candidates, which was listened to with deep attention, was founded on St. Paul's exhortation to the Christians at Ephesus, " Be ye therefore followers of God, aa dear children." Yesterday's offertory came to £15 10s lid, of which £7 3s 3d, collected in the morning, is for the Hospital.

The tornado that swept over the town late on Saturday night did a considerable amount of damage in the way of levelling fences, blowing off chimney tops,. and making shutters leave their fastenings. There are, however, still the same number of houses here as there were before the gale.

Monday, the 31st day of March, is appointed, under the hand of His Excellency James Pendergast, a bank holiday within the Borough of JS"ew Plymouth, and the Counties oi Taranaki and Patea.

As an instance of the depreciation in the value of property which has taken place of late (says the Australasian), it may be mentioned that at a sale of houses in Grey street, East Melbourne, advertised to be held at 12 o'clock on Monday, only three or four persons attended at the hour appointed, though afterwards the number increased to about a dozen. The highest bid that could be got for the property, which was considered when last valued as worth £8,000, was £4,250.

The following extract is from a report of a Horticultural Show in South Canterbury:— "Several special prizes were offered for the largest number of sparrow eggs produced at this Show, which resulted in the following numbers being brought in : G. Todd, 3060; C. Clark, 2775; G. Siddons, 952. The prizes will therefore be awarded to these gentlemen, Mr Todd coming in for the first." The gentlemen (P) mentioned certainly deserve the prizes, and should have their names handed down to posterity. Boys in our young days got lectures, and occasionally something else, for bird-nesting, but gentlemen in South Canterbury get prizes for robbing at least 1600 nests. These gentlemen might easily find something better to do than waste their time destroying birds nests. The poor sparrow ! his lines have not fallen in pleasant places in South Canterbury.

A General Government Gazette of the 27th February contains a proclamation bringing the Eegulation of Mines Act, 1874, into force in all provincial districts in the colony. A Gazette Extraordinary of the sth inst. further prorogues Parliament till May 14th, and a Gazette of the 6th contains the copy of a despatch from Sir M. Hicks-Beach, giving a copy of the British and Spanish Extradition Treaty.

The following letter appears in a London paper :—Sir, I have seen the prospectus of the New Zealand Agricultural Company. It is said in the city that the vendors' agents, Sir Julius Vogel and another, are entitled to about £80,000 out of the purchase money as a commission for floating the company. If this be a fact, the public should know it. I have examined the register at Somerset House, and find that the documents authorising these payments are not there for public inspection.—Tours faithfully, Investor. —London, Jan. 29.

A smaet Thames man was playing a very naughty wicked game at cards called " poker" a few evenings ago, and towards midnight he was minus of every penny of £7 lie had when, he commenced to play. He wanted to continue playing, but he was stumped. He suddenly remembered, however, that the wife of his bosom had a live-pound note hid away somewhere at home to meet a rainy day.. Though dubious of his wife giving it to him, with a friend he concocted a diabolical plot to get possession of the cash. In pursuance of the plot he and his aforementioned friend left the card-room, and went to his residence and tapped at the door. " Phwat the divil's the matther, Pat?" came from inside. "It's me, Molly," responded the wicked husband ; " and there's a man here I owe £5 to. I've got to pay him, or he'll put the bailiffs in in the morning. " Yes, I will,"

endorsed his friend, with ill-concealed mirth, " you loafer, you've owed me the money long enough." " Oh, mo ! " says Pat, " what the divil will Ido ? " " Hoult on, darlint," came sympathising^ from inside the door, " I've got a £5 note to pay the gossoon wid." The front door was slightly opened, and the " flimsy " thrust into Pat's eager hand. " Here you arc, you spalpane," said he. "Oh ! don't be angry, Pat; come and have a drink," and they returned to their cards laughing over how they had victimised poor Molly.

An infidel boasting in a published lotto that he had raised two acres of Sunday corn which he had intended to devote to the purchase of infidel books adds—" AH the work done on it was done on Sunday, and it will yield some 70 bushels to the acre ; so I don't see but that Nature, or Providence has smiled upon my Sunday work, however the priests or the Bible may say that work done on Sunday never prospers. My corn tells another story." To this the editor of an agricultural paper replies : "If the author ot this shallow nonsense had read the Bible half as much as the works of its opponents, he would. have known that the Great Ruler of the universe does not always square up his accounts with mankind in the month of October."

* Not many months ago, a foreign ministor in London invoked the aid of one of the smartest Scotland Yard detectives, to find a young girl who had inherited a fortune of £50,000. At the end of. six weeks the detective returned, and gave in his resignation. He had found the girl and married her.

It will make some middle-aged people feel very old to hear that the Princess Royal, who was born within their remembrance, is on the point of becoming a grandmother. Her daughter, the Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, is expecting her confinement next month; so that, if all goes well, Her Majesty the Queen will be a great-grandmother before she is 60. Up to this time no Queen of England has ever lived to see her greatgrandchildren ; but Her Majesty may now reasonable hope to be a great-great-grandmother, and to see her grandchildren's grandchildren.