THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3490, 2 March 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1880.

Captain Wildman has receded an appointment upon the Staff at the rifle contest.

Mr Donovan lectures to night in the Academy of Music upon "Ireland—her miseries and her misfortunes." From the synopsis of the lecture we may anticipate a most exhaustive discussion of the subject, and as the lecturer is recognised as a fluent and humorous speaker, with a good knowledge of the history of his native land, a very entertaining and interesting lecture may be expected. The subject of Ireland and her grievances is one occupying the attention of the statesmen of England, and in the coming election tor seats in the House of Commons, the case of Ireland will turn the scale in many a contest. We shall be pleased to see a good attendance.

These was a large attendance at the District Conrt to-day, great interest being taken in the case of Driscoll v. the Norwich Union Insurance Company. Mr Tyler and Mr Miller, assisted by Mr Mcllhone as junior counsel, appeared for the plaintiff, but Mr Brassey very unkindly succeeded in getting out of Court the distinguished assistant, under the plea that he was wanted as a witness. A little scene then followed between the Court, the Cardinal, and the lawyer, but for the time being the lawyer beat the Cardinal. How long the victory will last is a question easily answered by those who know the peculiarities of the man who looks alter the Miners' Eights. .

The alterations have been made by Mr Curtis to the baths, and this morning a number of gentlemen enjoyed a plunge. During the time the baths were out of repair some of our young generation user! the bath-houses for anything but proper purposes, and, in fact, turned them into receptacles for all sorts of filth. Mr Curtis, at considerable expense, has bad them thoroughly cleaned out, end lsds or others caught inside the baths without permission may expect to. have an interview with the Eesident Magistrate.

In our items by the Hero from Sydney we notice that Brown and Campbell's pale ale, brewed on . the Thames by Mr Hogg, has taken second prize, the only other prize for this class being Joel of Dunedin. This is better than we first learned by calogram.

The County Council will hold its usual monthly meeting to-morrow.

Me Waish left to-day for Katikati; his horse Matlock left some days ago, being entered for the races which take place to-morrow.

The first serious offence amongst the Armed Constabulary at the Plains occurred on Fridays when at an early hour of the morning a sentry was found asleep at his post near the roadway. Strange to say that.when he was found, several natives were seen loitering in the vicinity. Under the circumstances the offender will probably be dealt with by a .board of officers. — Herald.

A petition, signed by a large number of "miners .'and business people of Coromandel, has been presented to the Mining Inspector, praying him to cause a large number of unworked claims and licensed holdings to be forfeited. As there is a large area of ground locked up, it is to be hoped that something will be done to open it up to the miner.-

The midday adjournment of the District Court to-day, while the judge was addressing a few remarks to tbe jury, the onlookers began to clear out making a great noise, while two or three despising the sanctity of the temple of justice donned their hats : one was cautioned by the bailiff and at once removed the offending chapeau and a'constable requested an elderly, man who had also put on his hat to remove it. This person who, probably thinking that the Court was adjourned, and that tbe constable was officious, refused, and the man in blue promptly removed it and pushod the offender out. The latter not relishing such a summary ejection, struck the cons I able in the face, and was at once run in. Tin's little incident caused considerable excitement, some of the spectators taking the part of the constable, while others believed he had behaved too harshly.

Yesterday afternoon, a heavy column of smoke arose from the cone of Mount llangitoto, evidently from the scrub having been set on fire, but the appearance of the mountain resembled, in miniature, the pictures in the Illustrated News of Mount Vesavins in eruption. As the shadesof evening closed in, the chain of fire running through the scrub down' the southern slope of the mountain presented a very beautiful and picturesque spectacle. —Herald.

The Herald correspondent gives the amount of gold yielded by the Coromandel mines for the' past month as 5470z3 9dwts.

A Pakjls correspondent writes that n eently a keeper belonging to Orazi's Circus, who slept; near three elephants, was about midnight aroused by their cries. He at first thought that a cat or a dog had,got into the circus, but listening attentively, be heard a suspicious noise in the customers' storeroom. He went on tiptoo and saw a -stranger, with a dark lantern trying to pick the storeroom lock. The keeper unchained the largest elephant, which with characteristic sagacity' went straight to the burglar, put his trunk around the felon's throat and kept him at proboscis' length until apoliceman came.

It is currently reported that the raeant portfolio in the Ministry maybe offered to Thomas Dick, M.HIK. for Dunedin, and accepted by him.

An old Scotch lady w.as told th«.fc her minister used notes, but would not belie ye it. Said one, " Gang into the gallery and see." She did so and saw the written sermon. After the luckless preacher had concluded his reading on the last page, he said, " But I will uot enlarge." The old woman called out from her lofty position, '" Ye canna, ye canoa, for your paper's give out."