THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3211, 4 June 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1879.

By the Australia we have news from the latest files, but most of the intelligence has been anticipated by cable. ;

The meeting of the Committees of the County Council was held at the County Council Chambers to-day. ■ 'The usual inbhthly* meeting- of the Council will be held to-morrowr afternoon.

Thames [men ever; to? the front! Major Murray, at the request of some young men willing to serve their country and defend the weak, telegraphediyesterday to the Governmentthat a: company of picked men could be enrolled'on the Thames prepared to take the field in case of an outbreak at Taranaki. ...,' : , j The usual quarteriy.qompetition for the Thames/District -,Belfc, as announced in our advertising columns, will take place on Saturday next. The ranges will be 200, 400, and 500 yards. "A large number of competitors are expected this time, and the Scottish Battalion will struggle hard to recover the trophy which has adorned the shoulders.of a Blue Jacket after the three .last competitions. We understand that-efery.facility is now afforded to our BhoOtistr ip get themselves in -'good fettle for Saturday, as the Belt Secretary has made arrangements with a waterman (Mr Southgate) at Shortland to ferry the men ,to and from the range for sixpence each;, and!.;;he will r be in attendance all day;. Markingi of c^rsey will have to be done by theinselvesi^/--'' \\'.';,■/} '• '- -';"^;'. ; THEBEiwas a, clean sheet at the B.M. Court this morning..... j

■'". Me Sub-Inspector Kenny will leave the "Thames' this evening on leave of absence for a few days. Wo understand that ; Sergk;M|ijor Mason,of Aiickland will fill his:.place.during: h'is.absfittcer^

The Wellington Licensed Victualler's Association are taking steps to wind up their affairs. . . .

The balmy atmosphere of the suburb of Tararu ihas; long /been ; known to be peculiarly favorable, to the production of prize fruit and vegetable!, but before this morning, we were not aware that Tararu could produce; anything extraordinary in the animal kingdom. „We were to-day !showh by Mrs M. A. Sawyer, df Tararu road, one of the largest carcasses of pork we over remember having seen. It weighed 4401b5, and when the animal was in the land of the living it turned the scale at scwt.; This large porker was rekred by Mrs Sawyer, and is of the Berkshire breed. "" ." )

>:;At( the Annual Licensing Meeting in.! Wellington,''; every application for an extension of license from ten till twelve o'clock was grahiWcL The Bench thought it grossly unfair to make one man. shut up ■at ten, and see his customers go to a twelve o'clock house hard by. At the Meeting held in Christchurch for the same purpose eight new licenses were

refused. There wast strong opposition iroin the Temperance League and tho Wesley an minister in the Borough of Sydeuhain.

Owing- to the general dullness of trade in Wellington, it is said some four hundred rneu of different trades are wanting; employment, and that woges are lowering considerably. The Post suggests that free or assisted immigration should be stopped till times improve.

A telegram from JS"ew Plymouth says the Governor has deferred- ; .his,-..visit■.-,,tp Auckland until the 12th insfc. From the position of affairs we will not hojsurprised if His Excellency will not bo able to visit the North until after the session*

The old saying "You must go from home to hear news " is exemplified by the following paragraph, which we clip from an Australian Exchange of a recent date :—The GoTernment surveyor at Grahamstown has completed the survey of that portion of the famous To Arohu block 6r\ thej,west:'bank of jWaihoa Kiver. There are now about 403 acres of magnificent land ready to be proclaimed open for settlement, which wiU bedone in a few days. „ ■ ; ;

Tho Post (Wellington) says arrangements are being made for bringing a thousand friendly natives to Taranaki, to act as a check upon Te Whiti and his fanatical followers. . ' ': ■"•-"'

.' A SQUATTIN& gentlemen of the Cameron clan (says iEgles) who prides himself on his knowledge of sheep and of having'been brought up amongst them, was lately driving a brother 1 Scot'to 'a neighbouring station. Nearing their destination ..they espied some moving objects at a distance. "Sheep," said the Cameron, in an accent .of conclusive dogmatism. "Birds," asservated; his more keensighted companion, "Bet, yoii a pound they're sheep," said the ovine.jexpert, who wasn't above making, expenses out of his countryman. ''.Done/ .said the; latter. "Doubleit?" said the astute.Donald, who had just observed a -figure which he thought his friend couldn't see, and he took* to be a shepherd. "I'm ori,".responded M'Tavish, who! had observed one 6f the flock soaring away. On nearer approach, the adventurous Donald disbbvered the sheep to'be native coinpanionsj and his beguiler (the shepherd) a scarecrow placed to frighten maurauding birds from a. cultivation paddock., : They punished the whiskey together that evening just the same.

""" A most extraordinary freak of nature (says the Moruya Liberal) was related to several gentlemen, which forms quite aj study; for naturalists. . Some! short time j since Mrs King lost her wedding ring; whilst,mixing up some food .for the fowls,; and 'had given up: all hopes of finding it. ' Yesterday morning,; whilst partaking of: an egg, she felt something, hard-inside,) and upon examination found her ring em- ■ bedded in the white of the egg. This circumstance is really wonderful, and appears almost incredible; but aslDrl Kingj vouches for its accuracy^ we believe it to! be true. It is certainly a "nut" we; cannot crack, and will form a problem for the scientific to crack. • : '; '■[ \

, The following is the estimate of the! sum required to be voted, beyond the ordinary grants of Parliament, towards de fray ing: the. expenditure. which ■ will come in course of -payment during the: year ending; the 31st of March, 1879, in consequence of the war in South Africa.The total amount is £1,500,000, and the; services [to which; it will probably be applicable are as follows :-r-Army; (Pay, &c.| Staff and. departments, Supplies, Field allowances, Army Transport, Clothing, and Warlike Stores), £1,000*000; Navy (Transport), £200,000; and' Contingencies, £300,000. !

, At a private meeting of creditors in ai small estate yesterday, says a contemporary, the following colloquy took place :— Chairman; to Bankrupt :i"What ; are;your liabilities?" Bankrupt: "God'; only knows." / ; "..What : are .your assets?". Bankrupt: ''iPTpthing.'',Chairman :, " What proposals, have you to make? ''■ Bankrupt:;'! None." Chairman: " What did you * call us here for P," Bankrupt: "Just to see .what you would suggest." The creditors set up a laugh, and the bankrupt joined in it; and the company adjourned to thei Commercial Hotel, .where, the Chairman shouted "phiz:" r; -<i ■•■ j--j - ■*■-<•--, ; , ? , A J.ADT, liyingnear Carlstad, in Sweden, greyiously offended 'a Finn woman who came into" the court of her house asking for food. The woman was told to.''itake that magpie: hangingnup onthe wall and eat it." ; She; took ;the bird: and disappeared, with an evil glance at the lady who had.been so ill-advised as to insult a Finn, whose magical powers it is well known far eiceed those of /the gipsies. 1 By-and^by the lady began to observe that wherever she went one or two magpies 1 always made their appearance in her path. Presently the number increased; I and the lady, who at first had < been amused, became troubled, and tried to drive them away by various devices. All was to no purpose. She could not move without a large company of magpies; and they became at length so daring as to hop on her shoulder, pull., her dress, and peck at her feet as] she walked! 'When she "could bear it no longer; she shut herself into her house; but the magpies were always waiting at fcbie door* and hopped in whenever it was opened. Then she took to her bed in a room with closed shutters; although even' this was hbt'an effectual protection, for the magpies kept tapping at the shutters day and night. The death of the lady is hot recorded. Possibly she is. still "dreeing her wierd ;" but it is fully expected that, die when she may, all the magpies in Werhiland will [be present at her funeral. ' ' '' ,'