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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3184, 3 May 1879, Page 2

We are informed that Mr H. H. Driver, student,, Auckland (formerly of the, Tliames), ..vy.ill preach : D.V.* at the Baptist Chapel to-morrow.'

ni We,had, the pleasure of jSeeinj: to-day a 4 very fine picture just fresh' from the hands of Mr John Calder. It is a view of the Ohiuemuri Eiver above Mackay town, just at the entrance of the Gorge, and in the centre is the well known bald spur. _ Ihe selection of the view is a very good one, and affords ample scope for the a.rtist to display his ability : tho rapid3,at the foot of the spur, a cascade down its side, the wooded hills in the back, and the flowing riyer in the foreground, altogether make a very pleasing picture.

Me Geobg-e Wilson, who has been appointed Mining Tlndervi ewer, vice Mr T. James resigned, entered iipon the duties of bis office yesterday. ' Mr Wilson bears the reputation of being a thoroughlyskilful practical miner.

The following are the s amounts of the tenders received for alterations and additions to the Old -Man's Kefuge t—H. Ladnor, £254 10s^; Farrell Bros., £339; Thos. Donovan, £359; S. Bloomfield, £300; J. H.'Flatt, £355 15s ; Bbyer and Chappell, £343 ; Twentyman, £390. .k "■•.'The Thames Scottish battalion fired for prizes to-day in two squads. Whsn the forenoon squad had finished Drum • Major McLean was at the top with a fine score of 52 points from 15 shots. There are_about 12 prizes altogether, and the competition; wilL be very close, as some No. 2 -men have been shootingup well lately. The two com* pany 'belts are also being fired for. A coEBESPONDENT says : —I was rather amused last Saturday in one of the shops on ike Thames by a customer asking for change for a sixpence-—two three penriies, please. The shopkeeper replied : "Well, really, mam, I am afraid we haven't any threepenny pieces left. We had plenty this morning, but so many people come here on the Saturday for them, to put into the collecting plate at church, that we rarely have any such coins left after 8 o'clock in the evening." "

Mb Vesey Stewart was a passenger by * the -Enterprise last night en route for Katikati.. He much prefers travelling by- steamer from Auckland to' the Thames, , and then overland to Katikati, than taking steamer direct for Tauranga.; During his stay in Auckland he tried to induce the steam-boat proprietors to offer facilities to travellers to'the East >G6asfc by i issuing through tickets, providing horses at the Thames and Katikati to take on tourists and others,' whom business require to pass frequently to and'from Auckland; The idea is not a bad one,, and, if: possible, should be carried bu^as'it'woukl be another link in a chain to more intimately bind this com-, itiumty with, the 3East; Coast 1 settlements. If.the idea"yas taken up by the Auckland and North §hore Steamship Company, there should be little difliculty in: Vso arranging that passengers from Auckland could be taken by the Te Aroka to Paeroa, and get horses there for the other Coast.

Labor is scarce at Patea. Rail waycontractors offer 12s per day for laborers and cannot get them. ; The Cabinet.has spent so large a part of the recess.in different districts of the colony that opportunities for joint consultation have been rare. But, if report speak truly, the recent conference in Wellington baa given■.■ form to the principal legislation for the coming session. Several; great questions must be dealt with in fulfilment of past pledges, and some: o£ these are already fore-shadowed in articles that have appeared in the Wellington papers. The synopsis of the Electoral Bill, furnished in the Post,'will; we think,' turn out to be very near the mark. The 1 bill of last session, with its four-fold qualification, was pronounced cumbersome, and if the Government can compass a form of manhood suffrage by comprehensive residential and property qualifications, the measure will hare the recommendation of . simplicity. Manhood suffrage, -pure and simple, without any restrictions, would be a step of questionable prudence. -Politics in America afford a melancholy example of the evil of detonating the franchise and opening it to corrupting influences. We expect, therefore, that the Government bill will provide some safeguard. Those most feasible are an educational standard and some condition enforcing fixity of residence.—Star.

People who cross City Hall Square at night hare (says a Bew York paper) noticed a little woman clad in an old brown gown, a tight sacque, and a white frilled cap scrupulously clean. She walks the square from 1 9 pirn. till past midnight to and fro, scanning every,man's face, and after mapy disappointments every night goes slowly, very late, up to her home in Mulberry street. About four years ago, John Ueilly, her husband, was employed in the presß-room of the Herald. . About; nine o'clock every night he met his wife, who brought down his lunch and. carried back the dishes. One cold dark night he did not meet her, and as she did not know the way to the > pressroom she waited some time; and then went home. In her room ) she found his dead body upon her bed. He had been killed by the fall of a roll of paper. She did not die, though she was

near dying, and she slill waits every night to meet hV husband. Winter and summer are alike to her, and no weather delays, though she is sixLy years of ago.

11l temper among the members of a household is often the roauli of the absence of cheerful amusement in which all may join". Ono of the, best antidotes is Music. A Piauo or. Harmonium is always a source of pleasure, nud sometimes eventually of profit also.—J. Geigg, Pollen street.—[A dvt.] '?