THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3386, 29 October 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1879.

Mb James Mackay has been called suddenly back to Wellington by tho Government, and we should not ba surprised if ho were called to the Upper House, to the great disappointment of our local aspirants. It is well known that Mr Mackay was offered, in 1860, a scat with the Lords, but from some misunderstanding he was not called then. Probably the Government would consider Mr Mackny a fitting representative for the Thames. If this should eventuate how about tho Mayor, the County Chairman, with Messrs Osborne. Howe, Ebrenfried, Brasaey, Brown, Kilgour, Carpenter. Young, Greenville,' O. F. Mitchell, and other gentlemen : who, if taken at their own price, would be cheap for the highest officers in the State. We are going some day to have the right to elect our Governor, and without doubt some of the nimes mentioned may yet look forward for that honor.

The anmversary of the Lodge Sir Walter Scott, 633, S.C., was celebrated last evening by a concert and a dance at the Freemasons Hall, Owen street. There was a large attendance of brethren —not only of the Sir Walter Scott lodge, but also of the lodges here under the English and Irish constitutions. Bro. MeOullough, W.M., presided, and after a few preliminary remarks, Bro. Cornea sang an excellent sons. A duett by Misses .Hume and Belcher followed, and was well received. Bro. T. L. Murray, P. M., sang " The Free Lance," and quite took the audience by surprise, no one e7er suspecting previously that tho gallant Major possessed musical talents. Bro. Carrick was vigorously applauded for his excellent rendition of " The Watch on the Khine." Miss Probort was very successful in the song " Speak to me." Bro. Aiveyggape\ pc "My Grandfather's Clock," end Mi* Westoa " Hearts of Oak." both of which songs were deservedly applauded. Miss (ijon, in a piano solo from " Lurliue," greatly distinguished herself. A reading by Mr G. B. Phillips convulsed the audience. After the concert, dancing was commenced, and kept up with vigour till tho "wee sma' hours." The musical arrangements were under the able direeUoh of Mr li. A. E. Owen.

Fbiteb BflOTHsns new advertisement ippftn in another column.'

.Aritopos of tho Bad. catastrophe of Monday ni.^ht, we hour that .K>n!'s lather also vpc-ut to n suii;ii.J(.''s j'nivc, he imvinj? taken hi- lilffbv the sums means us thai r.dopied by iiis'iU-starred sou. The wife mid family of the decf-ased are in very puor eircumstar-cti-ji, a»d lawfc oveniug Mr J. C. Williams, vich his accustomed bi?i)iu'olenc!! and promptness iimujruniled a .sulrst}ri|itiun. si.ti.l already a few pounds to incut pressing necessities have been collected. It is probable that the JMiival Brigade, with the assistance of local amateurs, will act up an entertainment for thu benefit of the widow and orphans, and we have no doubfc but that a very considerable sum will bo raised.

At a select dinner party,-the chances of several candidates for the Upper House were discussed. Being somewhat of a private discussion, we are Hot at liberty to give the opinions expressed, but our informnnt assures us that if some of. tiie aspirants had heard their most trusted friends' opinions of their capabilities, they would be anything but fluttered. A well-known poet says that— " Bnsc envy withers at another's joy, And hates the excellence it cannot roach." And the couplet exactly describes the feeling that dictated the kind remarks of bosom friends of the candidates. We would call attention to tho advertisement in another column re the Presbyteriau anniversary soiree to be held in the Acudemy of Music tomorrow evening. Addresses will be delivered by'oeveral ministers ; music, sacred and secular, by the choir, and songs by several friends. The Otago Daily Times is uok very compliraentry to Auckland, and says:— .Referring to Mr Wood and other Auckland members leaving the Opposition. " The nature of tho allegiance which has been hitherto given to Sir George Grey by many of the Auckland members is now fully proved. The local Press has thrown off all disguise, and encourages'those who were elected specially and unreservedly to support Sir George Grey's policy to desert his .standard, solely on the grounds that they had no.more favours to expect from him. and could make much better terms elsewhere. All sentiments of loyalty are, according to the leaders of Auckland's public opinion, mere nontiense when votes of public money are in question. *■

The Whaftatano correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times writes :—" There have men heavy floods in the river here of late ; iv fact, we have had nothing like it since 1869. The water rose in some places eighteen feet above the ordinary level, and several hundred sheep and olhef cattle were swept away. Messrs S«'indl<;y, Wiikins, and Henderson lost between two hundred and three hundred sheep, but, had care been taken to drive them to the higher grounds, they would have all been saved. With, the exception of n lew sheep and ealvos, the Whakatane Cattle Company did not sustain any serious Joss."

Says our Tauranga contemporary : Tho requisition to Mr iUlen McDonald, asking him to apply to the House of Itepresentalives to have £4,000 placed on the estimates for the formation of a good road from Te Eoreatukahia Jfatikati, to Omaha, the head of the navigation on the Waihou Eiver, Te Aroha, was forwarded to him by the mail, which left for Wellington on Tuesday. The petition was signed by most of the people of Katikati, and a large namber of those in Tauranga, and had there been time to canvass several

additional signatures would have been obtained. The formation of this road will place Taurii'ga in direct couimunicalioQ with Waikato as there is already a good road from this to Te Uereatukahia, and also from Omaha to Hamilton, the only part unmade being that lying between Omaha and Katikati.

At a meeting of the committee of the International Uifls Match, held last evening, all tho preliminaries* for shooting were arranged.

The Herald's special says some of the cstrouie section are Tery .much incensed against Mr Sheehan, and talk mischief. Colonel W hit more made an offer to-day to the Government to take in Messrs Sheehan and Macandrew. No answer has yet been given, but probably the reply will be in the negative. It is reported that the linancial proposals of the Government involve'a re-imposition of the tea ard sugar duties. I can scarcely believe ibis. However, a property tax is likely.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of a budget of Parliamentary papers from the Government printer.-

The Exhibition correspondent of the Herald, says the colonial oreu and grate by H. Fisher, of the Thames is a Tery handy combination.