Untitled

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3295, 14 July 1879, Page 2

We understand that the committee of the Sunday School Union hare decided to repeat the Service of Song, as given by them a few evenings ago, in the Theatre Royal on the evening of the 22nd inst., that building having again been kindly lent them for the occasion. We notice that a meeting of the Thames Scottish Cadets is called for this evening. We believe part oi'the business to consider the advisability of changing the corps into a Naval Cadet Company. The company expect new Snider carbines shortly^ and we have no doubt that under the command of Captain Mennie the corps will be as successful as sailor boys as they have been as landsmen. ;•: We were shewn a letter from a Sydney gentleman to a friend here, in: which the following paragraph appears:—My wife and I were; thinking of a trip to New Zealand^ but we now intend to wait till the, Maori war is over." This shews what an exaggerated notion bur Australian cousins hare of the present native dinlThe ShorHand Sawmill Company is now in full work, and there is timber enough, available to keep the mill running for a twelve-month. The company has a large number of orders to fulfil, including, several from Australia. The last heavy fresh entirely cleared the creek, bringing down about 1000 logs, many of which were very:large.! >, . , Several ' southern .. exchanges speak highly of Puriri mineral water. "Brandy and Puriri" is almost usurping the place "S. and B."

We would call attention to the fact that initial' performance of the Royal .Illusionists will take place at the Academy of Music this evening. The Auckland press speaks highly of this " show." Mi job Withers will inspect the several volunteer and cadet corps of this district on Wednesday and .'.Thursday evenings next. The Hauraki Engineers will parade in their usual place of meeting —the Graharastbwn Hall, and the Thames Scottish, ZTos. 1 and 2 Companies, at the invitation of the Navals will, together with the Brigade, parade in the drill hall of the latter on Wednesday night. .The Rifle Bangers, Native Rifles, Scottish and St. George's Cadets will muster at the Shortland Volunteer Hall on Thursday night. As the Thames men hay* not had the pleasure for several months past of being inspected by Major Withers, it is confidently expected that each company will turn out in strength. The members of the battalion are requested to parade with their havresacks. : The crew.of the Josephine captured n large porpoise on their voyage to jthe Thames. : J! . ! : The schooner Christina with a shipment of iron pipes for Mr McGaul arrived on Saturday afternoon. She commenced disohargiug at the Burke street wharf today. . ■ 7.-. ..•■•■■ ■■■••> ';-• -j^ |_ f .. The Colonies and India, a Home journ» nal for colonial readers, says :-—" A rioH discovery has been made at the Thames of a lead and silver deposit. The ore contains 50 per cent of lead, on an average,. £2 worth of silver, and 9dwts 13gr«| of gold per ton-. ; We are informed that on Saturday last there was a slight fall of snow at Puaga Flat. Snow also fell an inch thick lat Tairua. ■ ■ ■■; '<;■ : • . . \v; ■' '! ■■"> \ \ On Saturday evening there was I a crowded house at the Academy of Music to witness the last performance of the; English Opera Company. T.he,,wholeiofi "H.M;S. Pinafore" and the last act; o€ ."The Sorcerer" were performed,- tand several encores were demanded and gfven' at the fall of the curtain. The audience were evidently highly pleased. The company left for Auckland on Saturday night. ;, ; ' The anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne was celebrated at Chris tchurch Saturday by a dinner, at which the usual toasts and speeches were given. 'C■'■'?-\ „At Auckland yesterday an itinerant musician named Maurics Bradshaw, alias Whistling Dick, attempted to take away his own life by jumping from" Queen street wharf. He subsequently repented, and endeavored to swim ashorfe. T He was assisted by a constable, and reached a place of safety in an exhausted state. He was locked up on the charge of drunkenness. The body of Mr Austin, who died suddenly on Monday last at Pokeno, -17 miles from Auckland—and was the subject of an inquest on Tuesday, at which a verdict of "death from heart disease" was recorded—is still kept by his friends, owing to its remarkably lifelike appearance. They have used hot blankets with the object of trying to restore warmth. There is little doubt, however, that death really took place on the day stated, anjd the relatives, convinced of this, wifl probably bury the bodyforthwith. I Clay containing a valuable mineral oil has been discovered on Mr Teiford's property, Otanomono. . • ■ We recently noticed a telegram in tbe Sydney Morning Herald referring to a very large sheep killed at Carcoar, the carcass of which weighed 1321b5. We can do better than that in New Zealand, On Saturday we were shown by. one of our local butchers the dressed carcass of a "New Zealand "mutton weighing 1381b5.! Listeners never hear gqod of them-* selves. 'We recently heard some one remark, " That Star man is a fool." If you pick a newspaper man up for a fool, simply because he writes foolish things, a preacher for a saint, simply because he is, you'll get most terribly fooled in both instances. Some loose cash changed hands in Invercargill lately. A member of the local Police Force who had been like many others, carried away by Professor Baldwin's marvellous performances, made a bet of £5 with the Professor that he could handcuff him with a regulation pair of " bracelets " in such a way as to defy ;he Professor's mightiest cunning to get loose. Bets were taken up all over the town, pour et contre, and the excitement 1 of tbe evening was intense when Professor Baldwin, duly fixed by the officer of police, set himself free in an instant. Thkee are many strango anomalies in French laws and French customs. A young girl who recently shot her seducer because he refused to keep his promise of marriage, has just been acquitted at Bordeaux; and yet French law takes into no account breach of promise; nor has a girl who has been seduced any claim on her lover, even for the support of a' child. The murdered man committed no illegal act, and the girl who took the law into her owu hands is acquitted to the great delight of the crowd in the .Court-house. j

Annie Laueie— It was •• William Douglass " who wrote of " Bonnie Annie I Laurie:" ! ; Her brow is like the snowdrift, Her neck is like the swan, Her face it is the fairest. .:. That e'er the sun shone on, ! That e'er the sun shone on, . And dark blue is her e'e; J And for honnie Annie Laurie I'd lay me doun and dee. She was the daughter of Sir Robert Laurie who thus in the family register quaintly records her birth: " A.t the pleasure of Almighty God* my daughter, Anna Laurie, was born upon> the 16th day of December, 1682 years, about six o'clock in the morning, and was baptised by Mr George Hunter, of Glencairn." And his oVn marriage is given in the j same style: ♦• At the pleasure of the Almighty, I was married to my wife, Jean Biddell, upon the 27th day of July, 1674, in the Tron Kirk of Edinburgh, by Mr ! Annane." Willie Douglass, by the way, j who poetically asseverated his readiness ; to'die for Miss Laurie, did nothing of the sort, but ran way with a Miss Clerk and married her. Miss Laurie did not like 1 his style. i A young gentleman being pressed very hard in company to sing, even after he had solemnly assured them that he could not, observed testily that they were wanting to make a butt of him. No,,my •dear sir," said George Coleman, the younger, who was present, "we only want to get a stave oat of you."

Local Exhibition in Albert, • street. magnificent collection of newest; patterns xrv Geolong, Mosgiel, and West of England' Tweeda, at Mabshai.l'B Tailoring Bopartment.~[AßVT."l