Untitled

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3162, 7 April 1879, Page 2

Last month's issue of the Australasian Banking and Insurance Record publishes the aggregate banking returns for 1878 for the six principal colonies of Australasia. On turning to the table of advances, discriminating the colonies which have offered the best securities, we find that .New Zealand heads the list of increase for last year over 1877 with £3,)65,0CD, the advances for 1878 being £14,529,0C3, as against £11,364,00 for 1877. All the other colouies, except Victoria, also show an increase, the latter having a decrease of £63,0C0, doubtless, in a great measure due to the recent political disturbances causing an expatriation of capital. Note circulation in the six colonies shows a net expansion of £30,000. The precise comparison in the note circulation is as follows :—

Owing to some misunderstanding on the part of some members of the Thames Club the cricket match 11 T.C.C. v. 15 U.C.C. did not eventuate on Saturday, several members of the former failing to attend at the appointed time. After waiting some time it was decided to play a scratch match, sides being picked by Whitford and Burgess. The following were the scores: —Burgess's side—Burgess, b Whitford, 18; G, Smith, b Hunter, 12; Hoskins, c Whitford b Whitford, 0; George, b Hunter, 1; Mills, b Hunter, 0; Bailey, b Whitford, 6; Murray, c Munro, b Whitford, 9; Gudgeon, c- Aitken, b Whitford, 6; Tivgonning, not out, 5 ; extras, 8; total, 54. Whitford's side :—Whitford, b Burgess, 2; Hunter, run out, Murphy, b fcniitli, 5; J. Smith, 1.b.w., b. Burgess, 3; Feiney, c George, b Burgess, 1; Lough, b Murphy, 0; Gribble, b Murphy. 3; Gentry, b Murphy, 9; Aitken, b Muiphy, 0; Munro b Murphy, 17; Beere, not out, 4; extras, 7; total, 51.

A cricket match between elevens from the Kauaeranga school and St. Thomas' nchool was played at Parawai on Saturday. Each side played two innings, and the match was won by the boys of St. Thomas' who nude 90 runs to their opponents' 87.

Mb G. N. Beasset took the oath as a Coroner of the Colony of New Zealand before Colonel Fraser, E.M., to-day.

The e'ever illusion, entitled Fatiraa, was exhibited at Mr Burra's old shop, Brown street, on Saturday evening, and attracted a large number of visitors. Fatima is a little girl whose head and shoulders apparently rest on a small stool in the centre of a bare table, and, though the spectator can see the draperies on the opposite side of the table, the lower portion of the girl's body is invisible.

Says the Herald: Mr Vallance's team —Pmfire, Lady Ellen, and Sinking Fund —are scratched for all their engagements at the Auckland Autumn Meeting.

It is stated that the South British will declare a dividend of 15 per cent.

The amount received on behalf of the Kaitangata Relief Fund (says the Herald) is £873 13s lOd. This is short of the £1000 which was expected to be raised, but perhaps other sums will be obtained at the meeting of committee to-day, which will make up the expected amonnt.

The time of meeting of the H.A.C.B. Society has been altered from 8 o'clock to 7.30.

An ei'ror occurred in the puragragh in Saturday's paper re the hospital subscriptions : instead of Alburhia employees £6 10s, it should be Moanatairi employees £6 10s, and Alburnia employees £9 3s.

Aeeangkements hare b.eu made for chartering the Ilotomahana to convey the volunteers to Auckland for the Waikato Eeview. It is expected that all the companies will be well represented. The Thames Scottish Battalion will send about 130 men.

We have observed, says the Northern Advocate, that a portion of the Press have commented with g:*eat apparent dissatisfaction on the fact of the cost of the Land Tax valuation 71 certain districts being larger than the sum likely to be derived from the tax itself. What of that ? Does this not point to the justice of the measure. The tax was levied to get at those large landed proprietors, who, perforce of the unearned increment, derived the most benefit by the expenditure of borrowed money. Here in ihe North, we muy fairly say the unearned increment has no existence, because our lands have not had the chance of being enhanced in value since the construction of public works is foreign to our soil. If tho Land Tax Act has failed to affect us, that is just what might be expected of a just law, and such it will have proved itseif.

Os Saturday night, in 0119 of our principal Grahamstown Hotels, a man in a semi state of insobriety, began to talk boastfully of the Kelly gang of bushrangers, and frequently referred to " Dear Ned and " Dear Dan." The story goes that a yarn got about that due of the celebrated Kelly gang had honored the Thames with his presence- Two constables in mufti hearing tie story went to the he/el and comuienclftHn a roundabout manner to ferret something out of the supposed bushranger. Of course the guardians of the police had to "shout" to set the man's javc-tacklo't'o work ; but they got nothing tangibie*li)ut of him. After beating about the bush for some time the man said " You |'.\ bobbies want to know too much. Good night," and he left the hotel. It subsequently transpired that the unknown was a bushman in town on the spree.

The other day an itinerant showosan was sitting at the door of' His show yelling out at the top of his voice: "Walk in ladies and gentlemen and see the great d'lu&ion—the greatest illusion in the world." A beery lookiag bushman presently rolled into the show, and Fatima was pointed out to him by the obliging proprietor. After the beery man of the woods had admired the illusion in silence fora few minutes, andunavaj^rigly puzzled his muddled brain to comprehend the mystery, he said:" An', boss, you say that's an 'lusion." " les, and a good one too, is it not," was the answer. " Well, boss," said the bushman, " I once had a brother, and he was an 'lusion; but he warnt such a good 'an as that gal o' yourn. He was an 'lusion with one leg, but your 'lusion haint got no legs nor no body. Come and hare a drink."

A letter from Wellington states that some well-known Melbourne footballers have successfully started a club there, and play under the rules of the Victorian Football Association. The club musters fifty-three members, and played its first scratch match lately, sides being picked by the captain and vice-captain, the former winning the game by two gaols to one. The rules of the Victorian game felt rather strange to (ho players in the first half of the game, but in the second half every man picked them up, and played as if he had always known the Victorian rules. The spectators were much pleased with the game, and hoped that the Victorian rules would be adopted all through New Zealand.—Herald.

Dubing- the consideration of some country matters at tho meeting of the Board of Education Mr Dargaville suggested that the Board should obtain photographs of the various sohoolhou«es and teachers' residences throughout the provincial district. Tho cost would be trifling and the^ photos, would be of great use when applications for pecuniary assistance came up for consideration. The Chairman (Dr. Campbell) thought that in some cases the most cogent argument that could be urged before the Minister of Education for a grant in aid would be the presentation of a photo. The subject then then dropped but many will think that it is worthy of further ventilation. —Star.

By the arrival of the Levuka, says the Fiji Argus, we learn that everything is reported to be very quiet at Kotumah, tho war being finished between the Wesleyans and Catholics that had continued so long, much to the detriment of trade. About thirty persons were killed altogether in the fighting, and a few died of their wounds. The Catholics, being greatly outnumbered, were obliged to succumb. The fighting is said not to have been of a very fierce character, as most of those engaged on both sides were relations, and had compunctions about killing their friends, though differing on religious matters. This isolated island, being only about eight miles long by three broad, it is no wonder that the inhabitants here become considerably mixed up by intermarrying.

When is a candle properly vexed?"-* When it is put out.

The weekly staie of sick at the Thames Goldiields Hospital, from 30th March to sth April, 1879, is as follows :—Statistical Nosology.—Zymotic diseases —remained 3, admitted 1, remaining 4; local—remained 7, discharged 3, remaining 4; developmental— remained 2, remaining 2 ; violent—remained 5, remaining 5. Totals —remained 17, admitted 1, discharged 3, remaining 15; out-patients, 30. Mr Aitken, dispenser, desires us to acknowledge the receipt of a parcel of periodicals from the Sunday School children of the Baptist Church, and a parcel of old linen from Mrs Ccain for the use of the Hospital.

At a meeting of the Ngatimaniapotos at Kopua, some reference was made to Kewi's action towards the Government and the Native Minister. Eewi at once rose and challenged anyone who disapproved of hia conduct to come forward and say what he had to object to, but none seemed at all inclined to accept the challenge.—Herald.

- An Exchange says—" General Tom Thumb is dead. He died at his native place, Bergen, in the province of West Friesland, iv Holland, whither he had only recently retired, after realising a handsome fortune from exhibiting himself in the chief countries of Europe and America. The cause of his death was dropsy. The real name of the General was Hfaneman." This refers to the Dutch Tom Thumb, not to the original Tom Thumb first brought before the public by Barnum, the American showman.

A Baenstaple (England) paper says that Lord Elrington has returned from a tour in New Zealand. He delivsred an interesting lecture at Barnstaple, in the course of which he astonished the audience by telling how ho had seen 5,000,000 acres of uncultivated land advertised for sale by one firm in a single advertisement. We have no doubt the noble lord's hearers were very much surprised, and so are we. This is what a Timaru paper says about the Empire City. Timaru is also noted for its smells :—" Wellington is not a very .easy place for a stranger to find his way about when he is once ' off the beach ' he readily loses himself among; the i. arrow lanes, and alleys, and slums into which the newer parts of the town have been cut up by speculators, and which will one day render the city all but inhabitable. We heard of the plan of des> cribing the whereabouts of a particular house though, the other day, which was rather good. A visitor from abroad passing through the Empire City, asked a person whom he met in the street, where a certain well known resident lived. The answer he received was something like this—" Go on straight till you come to the next stink but one. Then turn to the left, and keep on that side of the road 17 stinks, when you will find another turning. Cross over there, and your friend's house is just beyond the eight stink on the right hand side. It has an open drain and a dead dog in the front of it. You can't miss it. The slops of the whole street meet just there.' The visitor sent his card by post and got on board his steamer as fast as possible."

On Wednesday afternoon (says a Fiji Exchange) several members of the licensed victuallers and wine and spirit trade met at the stores of Messrs A. M. Brcdziak and Co., to test the merits of an article entirely new to, this market, namely, condensed beer. This article has been introduced here by Captain Croaker, an old colonial, who we understand is likely to take up his abode amongst us. This condensed beer is originally brewed at Home, and after condensation exported in hermetically closed tin cases, in the form of a paste, the contents of one gallon occupying but a very small space. On arrival at the place of consumption it has to go through another and simple process, and is then ready for use. Thus much saving is made in the amount of freight, while a palatable beverage is secured: The introducer claims that he can in point of price successfully compete with colonial brewed or imported English ales.

In the old churchyards (says iEgles) there are quaint epitaphs ; but even the modern cemetery is not without eccentricities. In one near Melbourne may be found this:—" Sacred to the memory, &c. This stone is erected by Mary, his Wife, as a token of Filial affection for the loss of her deceased Husband." Need I add that this monument bears the name and address of a stonecutter in Cork, Ireland.

1877 1878 Victoria £1,350 113 ... £1,281,133 N.S.Wales ... 1,154,257 ... 1,170,970 New Zealand ... 891,216 ... 967,705 South Australia ... 458,080 ... 483,389 Queensland ... 371,758 ... 359,943 Tasmania 129,665 ... 122,588 £4,355,089 ... £4,385,728