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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3146, 19 March 1879, Page 2

It is the intention of the Naval Brigade to g>e a ball and supper in honor of Carbine Champion Gordon and the Thames Representatives at the New Zealand Rifle Association contest at Nelson. This is a proper course to take, and will give an opportunity to the ladies to show their appreciation of our boy in blue, and his fellow representatives. . It is nothing more than might be expected from the Navals, who are famous for their esprit de corps. The ball will take place on Mondayevening next, and the tickets have been made, reasonable in price,, so that none may be excluded who wish to do honor to the Champion and his fellow representatives. The band of the corps will play some of their latest and best dance music during the evening.

Colonel Fraser is expected back by Friday from his trip South.

Messes Gellion and Co. to day submitted for sale by auction the five years' lease of several receiving shed sites on the Shortland Quay. None of the bids offered came up '.o the reserve placed on the sites, and they were consequently withdrawn.

These was no business at the E.M Court to-day.

The railway reclamation contractors (No. 1 contract) are making first rate progress in filling in with trucks and drays, and if they go on at the present rate, ere the wet season sets in the work will beVell advanced. Over 4000 loads of stuff have been already deposited, and good supplies of mullock are available. In the wet weather, the drays in a great measure will have to be dispensed with, and the conveyance of the stuff done by the trucks alone. At present most of the filling in is done by piece work, and good men are able to make fair wages at it.

The meeting of the Licensing Court which wa3 to have been held yesterday has been adjourned for a week in consequence of the non-arrival from his southern tour of Colonel Fraser, R.M., Chairman of the Licensing Commission. Colonel Fraser is expected to arrive in Auckland this afternoon.

The tenders for the second section of the railway works close to-day. We believe there are at least six tenders sent in by Thames men, and we trust that the contract will fall to the lot of one of them.

It has been suggested that as there is little prospect of the Cemetery Com*, mittee being able to build a bridge over the Hape Creek, that the bed of the Creek at the road crossing should be paved or pitched with small stones. As the crossing is at present it is a disgrace, and if the course suggested above would be an improvement it should at once be done.

We have to acknowledge the receipt from tho Government Printer of a number of papers laid before the Parliament

during last session ; among others, the report upon contracts for public works, statement showing amount of arr:;.rs due for assisted immigration, correspondence re mail services, list of telegraph stations with the receipts and expenditure of each, notes of the meeting between the Premier and Hewi, telegrams relative to the murder of John McLean, regulations for the institution of scholarships by Education Boards, correspondence re a general drainage scheme, respecting charitable aid between the Chairman of the Vincent County Council and the Government, aid the report of the Native Affairs Committee.

The proprietors of the exhibition of curiosities, clever mechanical contrivance, &c, now on view in Brown street, seem to be drawing a fair amount of the patronage of the public, who express themselves well pleased after an inspection of the numerous articles exhibited. The beautiful singing bird alone is well worth an inspection—it is a marvel in itself, and sings as niturally as a real live bird. The fairy fountain with lime light effects is another great draw, and wins the welldeserved encomiums of all who visit the show.

We hear it is probable thit a team from the Union Cricket Club will proceed to Coromandel shortly to play a match there with the Coromandel players.

The following is a copy of the petition sent last year by Mr Alley, taken from a return furnished' by the Native Affairs Committee:—" The petitioner, who is a European, states that in the year 1872, he entered into negotiations for the lease of a block of land in the Upper Thames Valley, and subsequently obtained it from the Native owners. That his occupation of the said leasehold was objected to by the Government agents—Messrs Clarke and Puckey—and that his cattle were driven off by Natives, at the. instigation, as he believes, of the Government agent. Petitioner prays that his statement may be investigated by persons unconnected with the Native Department, and that he may be reinstated in possession of his leasehold, and that such other relief may be given him as the House may deem fit. lam directed to report as follows: —That this petition be referred back to the Classification Committee, as it does not appear to involve any question of Native affairs."

By a return laid on the tuble of the House during last session by the Hon. Mr Ballauce, and to hand by the last mail from the South, is a statement shoVing the amount of arrears due to the Government on the 30th June, 1878, on account of assisted and nominated immigration. From it we learn that Auckland was debited with £8053 8s 7d, Christchurch (the highest) £12,747 13s sd, and Dunedin £12,187 12s lid. The total sum owing amounted to no less than £47,908 14s 6d.

A man who states that he worked as mate with Ned Kelly at Oxley Plains, Victoria, about two years ago, called at our office on Wednesday morning and informed us that he has received a letter from a friend in Mansfield, assuring him that it is the intention of the Kellys to try to escape to New Zealand. They have a first cousin living near Oamaru, ard after visiting him they intend to escape to America.. We give the man's statement for what it is worth.—Saturday Advertiser.

The Waka Maori says :—A word with respect to the forthcoming meeting at Te Kopua, and we hare done. If Sir George Grey and the Native Minister are flattering themselves with the hope that none but their favored reporters will be there—men who will dress up the report of the proceedings so as to make it presentable lo the House and the country — they will be disappointed. Our reporters will be there.

Mb Joseph Clack, of Victoria, has contributed £50 to the Kaitangata Belief Fund, and Mr Stead, a Christchurch gentleman, another £50.

The Bible used at the R.M. Court, Wellington (says a Southern paper) had become so greasy and dirty that the bailiff, for the sake of the dignity of the District Court, purchased a new one out of his own pocket. The book has been in use 15 years. The bailiff, who has been appointed, without Salary, to the newly-cheated District Court, has had to invest in gown and articles to match at a cost of £20.

Bismarck seems determined to put down all freedom in Germany, his latest effort being to destroy freedom of speech in Parliament. He forgets he cannot restrain freedom of thought, and his impolitic measures of repression are certain to defeat their own aim. Before twenty years are over history will change his name to Miss*mark.

Mb H. T. H. Knight, we hear," has received a Government appointment at the Thames. We have not heard the nature of the office that Mr Knight is to fill, but that he deserves some recognition for his services in the cause of Grey liberalism and clap-trap few will deny.—Napier Mercury.

The arts of advertising have been nearly exhausted of late by competing drapers. Several successfully announced that they would allow to purchasers a discount of 20 per cent. The thing got monotonous, and a late comer struck a fresh line. He advertised that at his establishment there would be uo newfangled and deceptive discount of 20 per cent., against which he earnestly warned the public. He offered them "genuine old-fashioned reductions of 4s in the pound." This was irresistible, of course, and discounts were nowhere. The Sydney Mail is responsible for this.

The following letter, signed "Old Cricketer," containing a certainly novel suggestion, appears in the Melbourne Telegraph :—■" As you are an admirer of field sports and a supporter of progress, I feel sure you will afford me space to ventilate a proposition affecting the good old game of cricket. As we have the advantage of the presence of a number of eminent English cricketers, and as the game just now is in great favour with the public, I do not think a better time could be selected to discuss the matter. My suggestion is, that all maiden overs bowled should be credited as runs, in the same manner as byes, leg-byes, wides and no balls. At present the practice is merely to record in the analysis the number of maiden overs bowled: but beyond this fact the bowler gains no benefit for his side. By this means a batsman would be compelled to play a freer game than many now do, and instead of keeping his bat in the block-hole he would have to hit at least one ball ?n each over to prevent a maiden being scored against his side. It would also have the advantage of making

I the fieldsmen more alert ti save a run from the last ball of an over from which no runs have been obtained, as the run saved would count one to their side for the maiden over. No doubt batsmen would lose their wickets quicker than they do now, but the excitement in the game would be greatly increased. Some may think the innovation to great to merit discussion, but then there are many in this world who do not care for any alteration, and are content to jog along in the , old-fashioned style."