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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3455, 21 January 1880, Page 2

These was a good attendance at the Oriental Exhibition last evening.

Ths s.s. Memsahib was chartered this morning to convey Mr Puckey, Native Agent, and Mr Mcllhone, Insprctor of Miners' Bights, who were to hare gene today by special steamer for Coromandel, on business connected with the Native Department. We are not aware of the circumstances connected with their departure, but we presume it is of importance, inasmuch as Mr Puckey had made arrangements to accompany Mr Hesketh to the Te Aroha. Mr Wilkinson, Native Land Purchase Agent, has gone up the country instead of Mr Puckey. At the hour ofdeparture, the little steamer was found out of order, and v*ill not leave till '5 o'clock to-morrow morning.

Our cablegrams yesterday announced the death of the Due de Gramoufc, a French diplomatist of some fame. He made his debut in public life in 1852, serving as Minister Plenipotentiary to several European Courts, and while ambassador to Turin in 1854 made himself conspicuous by inducing the Sardinians to enter into the alliance of the Western Powers against Russia. The deceased Due was married to an English lady by whom he has four children.

We would remind our readers of the meeting convened by ld|is Worship the Mayor at the Hibernian Hall this eveniug for the purpose of devising means for assisting tho fund being raised to alleviate the distress in Ireland. It is an object which we as Britons should assist with pleasure, and that the love for (he mother country is strong iv the hearts of Australasian colonists is evident from the hearty way subscriptions are pouring in, wherever movements for their collection have takon plaoe. The people of Victoria and New South Wales have already subscribed a large sum, and shall New Zealand bs behind when her aid is wanted ? We espeet to see great interest taken iv this matte*? on the Thames, and shall be happy to further it by every means in our power.

Thbeb was po bu?iue«B at the K,M* Court to-day.

The appearance of the convent at Shortland Las recently been greatly improved by the application of another coat of paint. The work was entrusted to Mr P. Birch, and has been executed by him in a most tradesmanliko manner.,

We learn that the .Rev. James Hill, late Presbyterian minister here, will visit Auckland in March.

Me Ginn and his staff of bricklayers have almost completed the foundation tor the Queea of Beauty Pumping engine.

Me V. Savage has for some time past been employed in refitting aDd improving his clipper yacht, the Whisper, intending to enter it for the Auckland regatta. The Whisper and two other Thames yachts proceeded to Auckland to day, and on arrival there will be put into racing trim.

Mks Mere Taipari's racehorse Skylark left this morning overland for Tauranga in charge of its trainer and jockey, Tanner. The mare is entered tor the Tauranga Plate, to be run at the end of the month.

These was a meeting of persons disposed to form a company for the production of hematite paint at Mr Gellion's office yesterday afternoon. Present—Messrs McCullough, Ehrenfried, Gellion, Dean, Wilkinson, Lee, and Edwards. The cost of a plant suitable tor the manufacture of the paint was discussed, and Mr Edwards laid a statement showing the receipts of the stuff treated by him, which gave a handsome net profit. The prospects of the mine and oiher matters were discussed, after which a sub committe was appointed to make all enquiries, and bring up a report at another meeting. It was the universal opinion that if economically and skilfully worked the hematite lode would prove highly remunerative, and if the report of the sub-committee is satisfactory there is no doubt but a company with a good capital will be formed.

The little steamer Vivid made a capital trip to tbe Upper Thames on Sunday. Leaving Graharnstowu at 9 30. she reached the junction at 12 30, andOmahn settlement at 4.40.

The briganline Linda Weber is at present loading timber at the Hauraki Sawmill for the South.

It is probable we may have an addition to our staff of medical practitioners hero shortly. Dr Callon, a late arrival, is at present on the Thames, and may be induced to settle amongst us.

The following (says the Patea Mail) is too good to be lost:—" A newspaper proprietor at Ashburton, contesting the mayoralty of that town the other day, was so sanguine of being at the head of the poll, that he had a gorgeous banquet laid out for his supporters in honor of the occasion. He didn't get in, though ; and we have not heard what became of the banquet.''

The case of Col, Fraser v. Imperial Crown G.M.Co., will come on for hearing at the Warden's Court to morrow morning at 11 o'clock. The protest entered on behalf of the community by th*j late Mayor is to be further proceeded with ; so we are informed by some in authority.

The citizens of Quartzville, an obscure village' in the North Island of New Zealand wanted to deputationise a Minister on some important business, and it was arranged that a deputation should proceed to an adjoining town to explain the wishes of the good people of Quartzville to the aforesaid Minister. The latter was known to be a slippery fish, and the acute Quarfzvillers reckoned if he heard of their intention, he might be fifty miles away on important business just when they wanted to see him, so they took an awfully solemn vow of secrecy and determined to surprise the great man. One of the deputation, who had been most zealous in advocating that the affair should be done sub rosa, but who was a — well a correspondent of the Minister's, telegraphed to the great man that ihey were coming. When the interview took place, the Minister let the. cat out of the bag about tbe telegram, and tbe look on the faces of the Quartzvillers as each scanned his brother deputationists was truly amusing, all wondering who was the traitor. The best of the fun was that the latter gentleman, who was kicking at the Minister, under the table, to silence him, accidentally let the boss of the deputation have it on the shin. This led to the discovery of the breaker of the vow of secrecy, and bitter were the maledictions of the embassy on his unfortunate head, especially when they found the Minister waa not disposed to comply with their desires.

A ntjmbek of the crack shots of the Naval Brigade assembled at the butts this morning for the purpose of firing in the first competition for representatives at the meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association to be held at Nelson next month. The ranges were 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards, seven shots at each, and some exceedingly good shooting was made. Oufc of the possible 112 points, Lieut. Gordon, the present champion, made 97, Parslow 96; P.O. J. Thomas 94, Seaman Frearson (ex cadet champion) 93, P.O. A. Thomas 92, and Seaman Armstrong 92. This is capital shooting, aud if our boys can only keep it up we may hope to see the Champion Belt again gracing the shoulders of a Thames " stormbird."

Oub Wellington correspondent informs us of several reductions in the Native Department. There are five or six of them affecting Thames officials—our friend Taipari being amongst the lot.

The following uotice of niotion ro the questiou of reading the Bible in schools was given at the Birmingham School Board, and serves to show the , state of feeling by a section of the community in England:—(l.) That the Bible be read daily in tho Board Schools. (II.) That the following regulations for the reading of the Bible in the Board Schools be approved :—Regulations : 1. The Bible shall be read daily, without note or comment, by the head teacher, or, in the absence of the head teacher, by the teaciier in. charge of the school. 2. The portion to be l-ead shall be suitable to the capacity of the children, and shall be selected by the head teacher who shall, at the close of each reading, make a record of the portion read in a book to be provided for the purpose. 3. The time for such reading sßall be between 9 30 and 9.45 a.m., except in the, case of aehoolg iv which religious instruction is being given under the regulations of the Boar.:, dati'd December 31. 1873, when the time shall be between 4.15 and 4.30 p m. on the days when such religious inHtruction is given, and between 9.30 and 9.45 a.m. on all other days. 4 Whenever a parent or guardian shall notify to tlje fcead teacher his ctesire that hi« ebild

shall be withdrawn from attendance at the reading of the Bible, such child shall receive secular instruction in a separate classroom during the time set apart for the reading. (III.) That the foregoing resolutions be referred to the school management committee to carry into effect.—Birmingham Post.

The Paris correspondent of tbejLondon Telegraph says that it would really appear as if (he Channel tunnel scheme has some chance of becoming a fact. After a close and long examination of the various p'aus yet sent in, M. Verard de Saint.; Anne stated, in the presence of many eminent engineers that the proposal was quite possible and practicable.

The Irish World says :—"All acts of eviction from the soil are acts of war. Indeed, the very word eviction (from evinrere) means to vanquish, to overcome by conquest. All this is warfare. It is well that the true definition of this doleful word should be made known. Made known to be conquered, in order that, realising the wretched position in which the 'fortune of war' has placed them, some or' them—the law-and-order ones amongst them —may go quietly out .of their homesteads and die peaceably by the roadside; leaving the victor to *do as he likes with his own.' Made known to the conquerors, too, in ortier that they may calculate the" consequences which may follow from the acts of some other men, who will nol surrender unconditionally to the exterminating foe, but will repay, robber law with the * wild justice of revenge.' We say Ireland to-day is in a state of war. How long shall this war go on ? It will go on until landlordism is evicted from the island, and the Irish people—every man of them, no matter what his creed or race, Saxon, Dane, or Milesian—shall have received his share in the inheritance.