THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3478, 17 February 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1880.

As Sir George Grey, was about leaving by the Kotomahana last week Mr Cookson, jeweller, of Brown street, presented him with a small silver plato, made by him of silver extracted from Thames gold. It will be remembered that at the time Sir Geonje Grey turned the first sod of the railway a silver spade was to have been used, end which was afterwards to be presented to him, but the short time at the disposal. of the Committee prevented Mr Cookson, who had been entrusted with the order, from finishing the spade in time to be of service on the occasion, and so it was never completed, an ordinary spede being substituted. The Mayor, however, forvi arded the spade and oarrow used at the time to Sir George Grey, and in order that some suitable mark should distinguish the spade, Mr Cookson manufactured the silver plate, which bears a suitable inscription giving the date of the turning of the first sod of the railway, and some other particulars. Sir George Grey thanked Mr Gookson for his present, and said he would have the silver plate properly affixed to the spade. Thus the oversight of .Railway Committee had been met by the kindness and consideration of Mr Cookson.

The pi-ogranirae of fhe St. Patrick's Day races will be issued in a few days. It includes one flat race of 40sovs , and a hurdle race of 20sovs., besides minor events. We hear that Mr Percival, of the A.li.C, will be the handicapper. No doubt the entries will be numerous.

Me Kenbick, E.M., left for Coromandel to day.

The question of the uonpaymentof the insurance money to Driscoll, whose premises were I'ecenily burnt down, will be the subject of an action at the District Court. Mr Brassey will appear for the Norwich TJuion Company, aud Mr M'Mer for Driscoll.

We have received from Mr Hislop, Secretary to the Central Board of Education, the prospectus of the Deaf, and Dumb Institution, just established at Sumner, Canterbury. This Institution has been placed under the care of Mr Van Asch, a gentleman famous in England as a teacher of deaf mutes. Pupils will be received not later than March 10th. The terms are £50 per annum for board and education.

The Bangiora Standard asserts "of Pastor Cbiniquy :—" In one of his wretched lectures, he spoke strongly against any help being given to the Irish Belief Eund on the astounding ground that "it was not the Irish people who wanted money but the priests."

The ball given by His Worship tbe Mayor to the Waitoa visitors was a great success last night. Fully 80 persons were present, and the dancing was kept up till 5 o'clock this morning. After supper, the health of the Mayor and Mayoress wns proposed by -Mr Campbell, of Waitoa, in most flattering terms, and was received most enthusiastically. The Waitoa men expressed their obligations to the Mayor, and through him to the people of the Thames for the attention that had been paid to them during their visit-,- and expressed a wish that Thames residents would give them an opportunity at an early date to show their gratitude.

The land, 3,300 acres, mentioned by Mr Tole in his telegram to Mr MoOullough to be thrown open under the deferred payment system, will be gazetted in a few days, the delay being caused by the sanction of the Governor to the proposal not yet being to hand.

Me Missen of - the Waitoa Hotel, notifies in om 1 columns that his .establish-ment-is now replete with every requisite, and that travellers in the upper country can depend upon receiving every attention to their wants, and correct information respecting the district. We can recommend a visit to Mr Missen's home, which is admirably situated on the road to Hamilton, in the township of Waitoa, which although a private one adjoins the site selected by the Government for the future town of Te Aroba. At great expense Mr Missen has fitted up his establishment, and , from the attention that is now being paid to the Thames land, we believe a prosperous future is in store both for Mr Missen and the owners of property in Waitoa.

We understand that an open sailing boat race will take place shortly between the Wild Duck, belonging to Mr Hazard, and another boat, the property of Mr Porter. The match is for £5 a-side, the course being from the Goods Wharf to the Miranda. ' The mutch will probably eventuate next Saturday.

Mb Beeke, Mr Blake, and the rest of staff on the railway survey are now located in the Waikato—an earnest of the intention of the Government to make the Thames suffer for its adhension to their opponents. v "VYe bear that after the surveyors hare completed their work at Waikato they will proceed to Whangarei to lay off the line there. It is not in the power of Ministers to suspend the line, and we hope their action will meet with the deserved censure of the>Housp, whose instructions have been disregarded.

At a meeting of the Waiotahi School Committee, Messrs J. L. Campbell, Luke, and Prime were the candidates for the vacant scats in the Board of Education who received the votes of the above Committee.

Time and-place: Yesterday, 3pm., business room of one of the local banks. Enter individual with handful of money, which ho hands to Kmart young teller. Lutter looks oi'er the money, and selecting a half-sovereign, says, "Bad, I think," rings it on the counter, " Sounds right enough," bends it, and finds it as soft as lead. S.Y.T. ; •" Wait till 1 call the manager." (Calls.) Enter manager, and is' handed the suspicious dime. Great excitement! Manager requests individual to wait a few minutes, and rushes outhfltjess. Meets some of the Waitoa people, and they take him to have a drink. Soon forgets all about the coin. Scene 11. In the bank, 6 p.m. Customer and S.Y.T. anathemising manager, who has not returned. S.YT. says he's getting hungry- Believes his feelings with a good swear.- We are nofc in possession of the concluding portion of the interesting little drama.

The following is the weekly state of the Thames GoldGelcl Hospital from Bth to l'4fch February, 1880: —Statistical Nosology :'Zymotic Diseases—remained 3, ad mitted 1, remaining <1; Constitutional— remained 2, remaining 2; Local—remained 7, discharged 2, remaining 5 ; Violent —remained 6', remaining (J; total, remained 18, admitted 1, discharged 2, remaining 17. Out patients 84 —Mr Aitken, Bispenseivdcsires us to acknowledge a large basket of fruit for the use of the patients from Mrs John Bead.

The Waitoa settlers left, here this morning to return to their homes. Beforo leaving they drove four-in-hand to the residence of the Mayor, and gave hearty farewell cheers and good wishes to Mr and Mrs Ehrenfried. They all express themselves highly gratified at the manner they have been entertained during their visit. Major Murray, Mr Carriek, and other Thames getlemen accompanied them. The visit must have gone a long way towards cementing a friendly feeling between the people of the two districts.

It will be remembered that Messrs Foster and Grant, the delegates from Lincolnshire, requested Ihe Waste Lands Board/to place at their disposal 10,CG0 acres of land in the Tc Arolia district, and we have reason to believe that the Board is disposed to accede to then quest. The block, it is said, will include some of the best land in the district, probably _that claimed by llussell, if 'the claim to it is not substantiated.

Messes Gellion and Co. sold the Watchman Licensed Holding to-day at the Exchange Auction Mart. The purchaser was Mr J. Bowler, the figure being £165.

I'r is proposed to form a cadet corps of the boys attending the schools in the Waiotahi district. The lads, besides the drill given them during school-hours, will on each Saturday alterncon be further instructed and inspected. It is proposed to have some light uniform or badge, and the idea, we believe, is favorably received by the lads themselves, while their teachers approve of the scheme. There will be no night drills or anything to keep the lads from their home lessons or encourage them to keep late hours.

In Mr Wood's (fruiterer) window may be seen a sample of potatoes grown by Mr Adam Porter at Owharoa. The seed was obtained direct from, the famous seedsmen, Sutton and Bods, of England, and seems admirably suited for this province. One sort which grows to a large size is known as " Button's flour ball," and from one pound of seed planted, a yield of 2610s was obtained, some of the pot a toes weighing as much as lib lOozs. From time of planting till digging was just 11 weeks. The other sort exhibited is known as " Suttou's Magoum Bonum," and from 21bs planted 56ibs were, obtained as increase. Mr Porter intends propagating the above sorts, which he believes are very suitable for this district.

The plans and specifications for a new schoolhouse at Hikutaia are now ready, and tenders will be called for in a few da3's.

Out of the proceeds of a boat raffled by Mr Haszard, that gentleman donated £1 to the Ensor Fund, and a similar amount to the Irish Belief Fund.