THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3322, 15 August 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1879.

r, jWk have reoeived the following telegram from the Hon. the Premier:-— 11 Wellington, August 15.—The proclamation dissolving Parliament was signed this day.—G. Gbey." The welcome soiree to the Eev George Smith will take place at the Methodiat Church, Mackay street, this ereniog. Th» probability of Sir George Grey's election for Christclmrch ia bringing'out some of our local men. Mr Brodie's address appears in another column. Another candidate for Parliamentary honours is in the field, viz., Mr L. Ehrenfried. His address, printed in another coldmn states that his candidature is contingent |on Sir G. Grey's sitting for Christenurch. Mr Ebrenfried as a citizen has always been highly respected and being exceedingly popular, his chances of election are good. Captain Colbeck, one of the candidates from Marden, was a conserratire 'politican in the old country. Though only a late arrival, he takes a great interest in New Zealand politics. Mb Fibth, we learn, has just shipped from Matamsita, by bis:new steamer, the Kotuku, some two hundred and fifty lacks of wheat. Sats the Grey Biver Argus:—" Jimmy Taughan of Beefton, the mile-runner, has received a challenge from O'Connor, of Canterbury, tp r\in; him .any distance. The challenge Will probably be accepted." The O'Connor referred to was recently on. the Thames. A heabtless practical joke was played upon the worthy unsuspecting magistrate of Ashburton, our old friend Frank Guinness, Esq., at an entertainment got up for the benefit of the widow of the late Walter Hill, on the 17th instant, at the Town Hail, Asbburton; and which, strange to say, the Ashburton Mail says, "caused great amusement." The Mail thus tells the story:—A "Wondrous feat by the Ashburton Wizard" was the next item on the programme, and it caused great amusement. The Wizard (Mr W. H. Bristow) first proceeded to borrow a bell-topper, the lender being Mr frank Guinness, 8..M. Haying-, obtained the hat, the amateur professor of legerdemain very deliberately proceeded to rip it up with his penknife, and, after literally tearing it into shreds, coolly informed the astonished owner that he was powerless to do anything more; he bad forgotten the rest of the trick—the restoration of the hat—and was much obliged to the gentleman who had ao kindly lent it; Thanking the injured party was adding insult to injury. 'Moral—Don't lend your bat to amateur wizards.

There must be someplayful folk in these dull:times in the Wairarapa. The Masterton journal says:—" One or two attempts has been made lately to hoax us into publishing notices of the birth of fictitious twins. Having once been sold in this manner, we are very -unlikely to be again deceived. We do not insert notices of twins now without 1 either a duly swo^n affidavit from the parents or a personal inspection of the offspring/

ATTIGtTS, in tho writes:— " Much as the community desire the capture Of the Kellys, I don't think, from a business point of view, the people in the North- eastern district object to a bushranger or two. An inhabitant of one of the towns in the district came: to town one day, and his acquaintance commenced to chaff him npon his jovial appearance. •^ How can you look so happy," said they, "with such bad . milling prospects before you. It will be a serious look out for you if the drought does not soon breakup." " Oh," laughed the North-eastern miller, •'dry or wet does not affect us. Look here, the money spent in pur district since the pursuit ofthe Kellys Was organised has made us independent of rain or crops for the next two years at least. .You don't know what a fillip outlaw hunting gives to trade."

■ Mm Hooper says that the pictures of the JDucheaiof Edinburgh are far from doing her justice. Her face has lost the heavy look that was its chief defect. She has a lovely, blooming complexion, and would be very pretty it' her chin were not too short. .