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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3438, 31 December 1879, Page 2

The cuitlm of celebrating New Year's Day (to-morrow) bj some religious observants generally accompanied by festive rejoicing, the first day of the year, appears to have prevailed amongst most of the ancient nations. The Jews, the Egyptians, the Chinese, the Romans, and the Mohammedans, although differing as to the time from which they reckoned the commencement of the year, All regarded it as a day of special interest. In Home, the year anciently began in Match; and when Numa, according to the ancient legend, transferred it to the first of January, that day was held sacred to Janus Bifrons, who was thus supposed to turn at once back upon the old year and forward into the new. On the establishment of Christianity, the usage of a solemn inauguration of the New Tear was retained; but considerable variety prevailed; bi»th as to tiile and as to the manner of its celebration. Christmas Day. the Annunciation (25th March), Easter Day, and Ist March, have all, at different times or places, shared with the Ist of January the honor of opening the New Year; nor was it till late in the 16th. century, that the Ist of January was universally accepted as the first day of the New Year. So says Chambers, but localities have customs peculiarly their own. In looking back upon the past year, wo cannot say it has been as prosperous as we could have wished, but it might have been less so,: and the coming year may make amends. That it xnay be so all can hope, and so in this our last publication of the year, we wish our readers "A Happy and prosperous New Year."

With to-night's issue of the Star is published our Almanac for 1880. In the coarse of a few days a number printed on cardboard for our advertisers, <fee, will be ready for distribution, as on previous occasions.

The members of the Shortland Volunteer Fire Brigade proceed to Ohinemuri to-morrow morning on a picnic excursion.

By an advertisement from the Commissioner of Waste Lands, D. A. Tole, Esq*, it will be seen that a large quantity of Itnd is to be offered for sale at an early date/ -and included is no less than 56 allotments in the Te Aroha district. The land is spoken of as suburban sections adjoining the town of Te Aroha, and the price of the sections varies from £3 to £2 per acre. An opportunity ii 9 thua offered to Thames residents to secure land at reasonable rates. Land worth having cannot now be obtained at less than two pounds per-acre, and even if the first cost of the upper country to the Government was ascertained it would be found that less than the sums mentioned would not recoupe the outlay. We shall be pleased to find Thames residents buying largely, we have heard so much from time to time about land being required by residents of the goldfield, that now when the opportunity offers advantage should betaken of it. Mb Manning, of the Willoughby street Seduction Works, has purchased the Owharoa battery, and intends making a number of improvements for the convenience of miners in that district. Owharoa in the future, Mr Manning thinks, will yield a large quantity of gold, and be is so satisfied with the prospects that he has entered into this speculation.

Ohe of the returned warriors from Zululand tells me rather a good story. He was at Bovke's Drift, and was witness to one of the following incidents. A clergyman in clerical attire was hard at work handing out cartridges to the men, and he did it with a will. A private near was taking shots at the Zulus and cursing the while in the most ingenuous manner. " Don't swear, man! " shouted the clergyman. "Don't swear at them; shoot them!" I admire the moderate and practical views of this divine. —Truth.