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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3350, 17 September 1879, Page 2

The Secretary to the Liberal Association calls a meeting of those persons desirous of joining the Association to* morrow, evening at 7.30 p.m. at the Pacific Hotel. The committee appoiuted at the public meeting to meet at 7 o'clock.

The dance given by the Cosmopolitan Quadrille Assembly at..the High School Hull last evening was a great success. There were sixty or seventy couples present, and Mr James Walsh officiated as M.C. in his usual efficient style. The music was supplied by the Hibernian Band, and gave great satisfaction, whilst the refreshments were all that could be desired. Great credit is due to Mr A. Phillips, Mr. Walsh and others, who,.by their exertions, made the affair so enjoyable.

Thebe was again no business at the E.M. Court to-day.

To-day we were shown a handsome silver medal manufactured by Mr J.Finlay, for firing competition by the St. George's Naval Cadets. Tho obverse side this handsome trophy bears the representation of a cannon encircled by a laurel wreath, and on the reverse an en wreathed space for the name of the winner. The medal is very handsome, and is a creditable testimony to the resources of Mr Finlay's establishment.

We would remind our readers of the concert in aid of the funds of the Hauraki Club to be hi.ld this evening at the Academy of Music. The programme appears in another column, and is a very creditable oue. Great attention has been given to the preparations, and we believe a treat is in store for all who can attend this evening.

Some of the Victorian unemployed have struck work, being dissatisfied with the low wages they receive—4s per day. The number of destitute persons had at latest accounts, very considerably diminished. Poor Victoria certainly is Berry-blighted.

Testebdat Mr John Leydon sold seven steers at the Parawai sale yards for Mr McCaskill of Hikutaia. They realised satisfactory prices, being chiefly purchased by butchers.

The work of filling up at the Piako G. M. Go's mine is proceeding rapidly, a considerable number of men being employed. The portion of the engine house that covered the winding engine has been removed, and preparations are being made for the removal of the.pumps.

Thf.be was but a moderate attendence of South Ward burgesses at the Templar Hall last evening, at the meeting convened by Mr W. J. Speight, a representative of South Wardin the Borough Council. The meeting was held for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion from the burgesses as to whether, in view of his absence in Wellington, they considered lie should resign his seat in the Council. In addressing the meeting Mr Speight said he did not want to resign, his seat for the Ward, but would do so if the burgesses thought their interests would suffer by hi* absence. A resolution was carried to the effect that Mr Speight should not resign but apply for leave' of absence during the session. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Speight, and the meeting adjourned.

Political feeling runs high in the Taieri. Three well-to-do farmers in that district were driving home in a buggy the other evening from a political meeting, when they got to high words, and from high words to blows, which finally resalted in two of the three being pitched unceremoniously out of the buggy into the scrub. These two finding themselves lying side by side renewed the quarrel, and commenced to. fight. The remaining occupant of the buggy, seeing the turn affairs had taken and that his companions were exchanging blows in good earnest, came down to intercede with them as peace-maker, but his intentions were misconstrued, and instead of being amicably received he was maltreated and rolled amongst the scrub and thorns in a most unmerciful manner. It is stated that the wife of the unfortunate man was employed the greater part of the night of the adventure in picking thorns out of her husband's face and head,

Ma Freeman, one of the candidates for Waimate, is a remarkable man. When on the hustings he was saluted with a, shower of Hour bags, but nothing daunted he preserved his temper throughout. With regard to local option, the candidate said if a man wanted a glass of whiskey by all means let him get it, because if ho wanted one he would get it. (Laughter.) On being asked his opinion on the " unearned increment,' he demanded that the question should be put in English. (Loud laughter.) On the question of woman's suffrage, he thought she suffered, enough already- (Loud laashter.) He had no income, and and thought it a hard thing for a man to get hold of. (Laughter.)

Some time since a blast of 12,0001b of powder was exploded in the quarry of the Glendon Iron Company, near Easton, Pennsylvania, displacing 60,000 tons of rock. The discharge was described in some of the newspapers as probably the heaviest • charge not .sub-aqueous e<rer fired in the country. To this a Califorhian mining journal takes exception, ond says that much larger charges are frequently exploded in the gravel mines of that State. Very recently the Iteserroir Ditch Company put off in their mine, at Sucker Flat, Yuba pountry, a blast of 50,0001b. of Judson powder, a very powerful explosive, and by which between 200,000 and $0.0,000 cubic yards of gravel, some of it indurated into q. hard cement, were so shattered that the most of it can be piped off under the heaiy bead waters there used. Occasionally' eren t greater amount of powder than this

is exploded by the larger hydraulic mining companies, who find it economical to ein-t p!oy such heavy charges, as doing more proportionate execution than small ones.

The Town Clerk of Napier has a thorough knowledge of human nature. Some little timo ago there was great waste of water from persons leaving the taps of the stand pipes open. In spite of notice to shut off the water, the tap of a certain pipe wa3 left open constantly. A happy idea then struck |lhe Town Clerk. He caused a notice to be posted "please keep the water running." From that moment the tap was always shut, and there has been no more waste of water.