THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3499, 12 March 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1880.

A large number of persons visited the Whau and Alburnia mines to-day, and all appeared satisfied with the show. There has been a considerable activity in Alburnias to-day.

We were yesterday ahewn a very pretty gold whistle, manufactured by Mr James Finlay, which the members of the Shortland Volunteer Fire Brigade intend for presentation to Mr ex-Superintendent Ball. It is very nicely engraved, and the workmanship reflects credit on the artist.

The anniversary sermons in connection with the Grahamstown Wesley an Church, will be held on Sunday next.

, We 'are requested by Mr Perry to say that the experiments in raising gravel by hydraulic power, alluded to in yesterday's issue were conducted entirely by Mr Brown, who has given himself a good deal of trouble in carrying them out, and that beyond mentioning the principle, Mr Perry had taken no part whatever iff'the matter. We believe that the process is likely to result in a great saving, not only in the cost of working, but also in the first cost ef erection of machinery.

The Thames representatives were to leave Nelson today. They will arrive here early next week.

Ohabactek is a mosaic which takes a lifetime for its completion, and trifles, the little things of life, are the instruments used in preparing each precious stone for its place. :

The Thames Scottish and Naval Cadets are called together for inspection by Col. Leckie at 6.30 o'clock this evening at the Naval Hall, the Hauraki Engineers at 7-30, the Rifle Bangers at 8 30, and the Native Corps at 9 o'clock, at their respective drill sheds. We shall be pleased to find that each of the corps mentioned has a good attendance.,,.

We learn from a gentleman who had an interview with the Hon. John Hall in Auckland on Wednesday that the £65,000 grant for roads arid bridges in North Auckland has been allocated to the various local bodies. As is usual in such matters, trouble is .brewing,, Mr W. Swanson thinking that a body in which he is interested has not received its share.

The fierce north-west wind that raged yesterday afternoon very nearly caused the destruction of the steamer Piako and the Naval Brigade gig. Both vessels were moored nearly opposite the Naval Hall, and the heavy swell of the waves caused both to drag their anchors, and run against the stone-covered railway embankment. The danger of the Piako was noticed, and a number of volunteers at once hurried to the spot, and with the aid of a strong hawser managed to pull her from her' perilous position to a point sheltered from the fury of the surf. The steamer had a few holes knocked in her bottom. It was some time before a sufficient number of the Navals arrived to rescue their boat, which was bumping furiously, and was slightly injured in several places. When assistance did arrive, she was lifted bodily over the bank and launched into the unruffled security of the intake.

The following tenders were received at Wellington for (he Tanamarere'contract (formation only) of the Kawakawa railway :— Accepted:. W. Simms, Thames, £9274. Declined.-Alexander Overland, Auckland, £9367; William Wilkinson, Auckland, £9478; W. Fougny, Auckland,' £10,555; Alex. Watson, Grahamstown, £10,576 i D. Ross, Auckland, £10.597; Breton and Glendining, Spit, £12,536.

Ik the cases of two alleged breaches of the Stamp Act against Joseph Farrow, heard in Christchurcb, Mr Salter appeared for defendant, and contended that, under section 11 of the Stamp Act Amendment Act, 1876, receipts for wages were exempt from stamp duty. The Bench, after consideration, agreed with the view of the case taken by Mr Salter and dismissed the two informations.

The following is the Thames team for the cricket match Coromandel v. Thames, to be played at Ooromandel on St. Patrick's Day:—Messrs Lawless, Burgess, Mac Lean, Gellion, Eggintbn, Gray, Crump, Murphy, West, Munro, and Harrison. The steamship conveying the cricketers for Coromandel will leave here late on Tuesday evening, and return on the following day.

The natives are at work again looking after, with the aid of the indefatigable inspector* Mr Mcllhone, their rights in the Tararu district, and have interrupted Messrs Casey and Darrow, who are quarrying stone up the creek for use on the reclamation works. We believe the contractors have compromised with the natives by giving a money consideration. We have already directed attention to the peculiar position individuals are placed in who undertake any works other than for goldmining purposes. The County and Borough Councils would do well to accept our adrioe in this matter, and at once communicate with the Government to have an alteration made in the tenure of this goldfield. If steps are not taken by these bodies, we will have something more to say upon the subject, and probably very much to the distaste of some concerned.

The following may be interesting to wbist players and is from Cavendish's new volume of whist and other card games. An interesting experiment was carried out to settle, as fair as possible, the relative chance of luck against skill in whist. Two good players, it seems, were matched against two bad players, and the same arrangement was made in another room, in which the bad players held the same hands as the good players in the first room, and vice versa, Thirty-three hands were played. In one room the good players ield good cards, and won four rubbers out of six,- iv points a balance of eighteen. In the other room the good players had the bad cards, and played seven rubbers with the same number of cards, winning three out of eeveu and losing seven points on the

balance. The difference was eleven points, or nearly one point a rubber in favour of skill. This is a point that all whistplayers will do well to note, for it will tend to allay to a great extent the discussions that so constantly agitate clubs on this question.

Ths following letter was received by Mr Mcllhone this morning. He is willing to make a (wager with anyone of a sovereign that he names the writer, who he says lives within a stone's throw of the gas works :—

Thames

MrM. You are too blame for that letter in the Star to Night You old

WRETCH

The gale last night caused considerable damage to the beach road from Cochrane street to Karaka Greek, also to the Tararu road sea-wall opposite the Tararu school. The Works Committee met this morning to arrange for repairing the damage.

Two plans of the proposed suspension foot bridge over the Kauaeranga creek near the Orphanage are now on view at the Borough Council Chambers—one by Mr Eawdon and the other by Mr R. N. Smith. The bridge will be a great boon, not only to visitors to, and the inmates of the Orphanage, but also to the transKauaeranga settlers, who, we may add have promised to largely aid the fund for the construction of the bridge.

The last new word comes from the arcadian bowers of Shortland. Brown was taking a drink in the Imperial, and it was said of him that he was deeply engaged in the study of pewterology. What a relief the invention of this word will be to thirsty souls who have become sick'tired of the stereotyped phrases " Come and liquor up," or " Will you have a wet." They will now be able to issue the invitation "Come and pewterologise," while heavy drinkers will hence' forth be known aspewterologists. Theonly drawback we can see is how to speak of a man in a drunken state. You cannot well say that so and so was pew tri tied last night. It would not be pewterological.

The following is a cure for sleeplessness :—Wet half a towel, apply it to the back of the neck, pressing, it upward toward the base of the brain, and fasten the dry half of the towel over so as to prevent the too rapid exhalation. The effect is prompt and charming, cooling the brain and inducing calmer, sweeter sleep than any narcotic. Warm water may be used, though most persons will prefer it cold. To those suffering from over-ex-citement of the brain, whether the result of brain work or pressing anxiety, this simple remedy is an especial boon.

The London Figaro, speaking of the recently published volume of the correspondence of Dickens, says:—The. two volumes are most interesting, and fill one with amazement as they show what pains and time Dickens must have devoted to this now neglected art. Many of his longer epistles are as deeply entertaining as. any of his novels, and most of them literally run over with his high spirits and inexhaustible humor. They are decidedly books to get from your library.

A Home paper states that Sir Julius Vogel suggests the expediency of organising an international exhibition of food. Both to consumers and producers the knowledge of what the world can do in the way of supplying food, he thinks^ must be greatly beneficial. The three great questions relating to human sustenance—namely, the. production of the raw material, its manufacture, in which the branches- of- preserrafcion-and cooking may be included, and its carriage, could be thoroughly sifted, the information thus supplied would enlighten agriculturists as to the scope of their powers, and would, he says, show them competition which they need or need not fear. It would also probably bring to their notice new articles or varieties of production. One great result of such an exhibition would be to prove that the British dominions possess resources that make them quite independent of the caprice of favour of other nations.

We have added a reading and smoking room to our establishment; all the Provincial and Intercolonial papers filed for reference. Business and other-men will find this a convenience that for a long time has been very much felt.—Lawless & Co., Tobacconists, &c.