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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3497, 10 March 1880, Page 2

The p.s. Enterprise is the only boat for Auckland to-morrow, and leaves at 9 o'clock from the Goods wharf.

The Liberal Associa* ion will hold its, quarterly meeting this evening in the Hauraki Club Boom, commencing at 8 o'clock. Subscriptions will however be received by the secretary; from 7.30.

The Thames Scottish Cadets are called together for drill this evening.

To-moeeow night Colonel Leokie will inspect the Thames Naval Brigade at 7 o'clock p.m.,: and the Thames Scottish battalion at 8 o'clock. It is scarcely necessary to remind: the members of the corps that a good muster is especially required. Col. Leckie has been specially appointed to report upon the Volunteer corps of the colony, and the ' Thames should be able to occupy a prominent place in his report, both for numbers and discipline. In another column we refer at length to volunteer matters.

By a telegram from the secretary of St, Andrew's Lodge of Freemasons, of Auckland, we learn that the brethren of that lodge hare been notified to attend the funeral of Bro. Pitkathley, and they will meet the steamer on arrival in Auckland, and accompany the body to the cemetery.

Mb John Osboenb, Mr L. Melhose, and, Mr O. Garrett were elected last bight respectively Master, Treasurer, and Tyler of the Corinthian Lodge of Free Masons, holding under the English Constitution. ......:

These was a clean sheet at the E.M Court this morning.

_Asr impertinent correspondent wants to know if a prize will shortly be offered for the best local' witticism. The funny fellow asks might not the Harbour Board after their bungling management be called the Thames mudflats. This person is not given to flattery, and his flatulent joke should make every- flatfish in the port of Thames wag its tail with disdain.

• The Taranaki people intend to give Okey a grand reception. Our boys will be invited t 0 participate, and will, doubtless, be feted to their heart's content. The If avals are making preparations for a grand reception to Mr Thomas, Carbine Champion, and his fellows. We. do not know whether the festivities will take the form of a ball or a banquet.

\ The Thames cricketers will probably visit Coromandel on St. Patrick's Day to try conclusions with the doughty knights of that place. The Thames Club, though it has lost several good members Of late, has also had one or.two acquisitions, one-of them «being Mr. Rotheraoo, who promises to be : both useful with the bat and in the field.

MBsKilgour and other lady and gentlemen; amateurs of the Thames are busy preparing for the concert in aid of a fund to build a bridge over the Kauaeranga for/; the use of the Orphanage. We believe a. capital programme is being prepared, and that Mr Wiseman will contribute a comic song on the occasion, a local production, and touching late events. The concert; will probably take place early in April. ?

We understand a concert will be given at an early date for the benefit of bandmaster Hunter of the 'Thames Scottish jßattalion Band. Some musical treats are being prepared.

■i?HE brethren of Lodges Sir Walter Scott,, Lodge of Light and Corinthian are requested to meet at the Freemasons' Hall, Owen street, to morrow morning at 8 o'clock, for the purpose of attending H;he funeral of their late Bro. Pitkethley.

Law reformers have for years called upon the state to appoint a public prose-, cutor, and a home paper discussing the appointment made under the late act in Great Britain says:-—" At last we have a public ; pro.secutor. .The office was created by an Act passed last session, and its incumbent is technically to be known as ' Director of Public Prosecutions. 1 Mr Maule, Q. 0., Hector of Leeds, is the gentleman whose name will be first associated with the post. It will be his business to institute^ under the supervision of the AttorneyGeneral, criminal proceedings in cases of importance or difficulty and •< in cases in whicft private, persnns do not prosecute; further, to give advice to chief officers of police, or clerks of justices, respecting prosecutions. In the discharge of these duties he is to have six assistants. ;All this is a concession to law reformers, but it falls considerably short of what many law reformers desire. The establishrijent of the new office cfoes not involved thS; reeognitipn of the principle^ ; thal(every crime, though the immediate sufferer may be an individual, is really committed against the State. Both in Scotland and in France this is the view taken, and the idea that a criminal prosecution is the vengeance taken by one individual on another is not admitted. Notwithstanding the operation of the Act under which Mr Maule is appointed, it will still be open for private individuals to initiate criminalprosecutions." y >

It stated on good authority (says the London correspondent of the Manchester Gjaardian) that the Government have just made a extraordinary purchase of 25,000 horse shackles for cavalry purposes. It is said that silently, if not secretly, great preparations are being made at the Horse Guards and the" War Office. H Oiiditsate, indeed, plentiful that the Government are making military ■ arrangements for the possibility of hostile work in i the spring. The war; party, which is very numerous in Pall Mall, anticipate that when tha Russians are advancing in Central Asia the British will be moving to the ocenpatibn of Herat. :

Douglas Jerrold and the late Henry Compton went one morning to view the pictures in tEe "Gallery of Illustrations." On entering the ante-room, we are told in the memoir of the comedian, they found themselves opposite to a number of very long looking-glasses. Passing before one of these, Compton remarked to Jerrold, "you've come here to admire works of art. Very well—first feast your eyes on that work of nature! "—poiuting.to his own figure reflected in the glass. " Look at it—there's a picture for you!" " Yes," said Jerrold, regarding it intently, V very fine, very fine indeed I " Then turning to his friend —" Wanta" " hanging, though!" •• •■'•.■

By long-established law in England weddings must be solemnized between 8 a.m. and noon. These are what are called the canonical hours. The reason for such a requirement is not' for us to assert. One writer attributes the origin of the law to a time when excessive drinking in the latter part of the day was common, and to a desire to restrict weddings to the temperate hours of the forenoon. However this may be, the rule has been long established, and hence the familiar custom of " wedding breakfasts." A bill has now been introduced into Parliament which will, if passed, enable marriages to be celebrated at later hours of the day. Then there can be wedding luncheons, wedding kettledrums, wedding dinners, wedding teas, wedding suppers, as you please.

A London correspondent writes:—A few friends of the late Prince Imperial, despairing of the erection of any national memorial to the Prince in one of the parks, hare asked the Duke of Sutherland to allow them to place a statute in Stafford House Garden, in such a situation as will enable it to be seen from the Mali. The duke has given his consent, provided only that the statue shall be a worthy and an appropriate one.

A GBAVE subject.—ln large white letters upon the fencing of a New York burying-ground is inscribed the following notice:—" Use Jones' bottled ale if you want to keep out of here."