The Rotorua has arrived at the Bluff.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3509, 24 March 1880, Page 2

The Rotorua has arrived at the Bluff.

A meeting of Volunteer officers was ! convened by Major TV L. Murray last night, at which every company was well represented. I'ros and cons having been advanced and canvassed, it was finally decided that the following programme be carried out :• —The officers composing the Reception Committee will proceed on Saturday to Kirikiri to induct the Cavalry into the Thames district. On Sunday a general church parade of every company will take place. It was resolved that a hearty welcome be extended to the A. Battery of N.Z. (Auckland) Artillery* to participate in Monday's review, and that Major Murray wire to Captain Payne;to that effect. The review will take place at Tararu, as before stated by us, on Easter Monday, the Brigade assembling at the bank corner at 9 a.m. District orders will shortly be issued relative of detail of corps on that occasion. A luncheon will be provided at the Volunteer Hall, Shortlarid, after the conclusion j of the : review. The following officers were | appointed as the committee to arrange the same :-rCaptains Farrell> Mennio and Savage; Lieutenants Barlow, Brownlow, and Gordon. The officers will entertain the Cavalry and Artillery officers at a banquet, to which the leading municipal magnates will receive invitations, at the Governor Bowen at eight" o'clock on Easter Monday. L. Ehrenfried Esq. (Mayor), by advertisement calls the citizens together by request of a number of the inhabitants to make arrangements for the due entertainment of our visitors on Tuesday, as their stay will last until Wednesday morning. As many ladies are expected from the Waibato it is considered that a ball will be the best item for Tuesday night, to which all citizens should be invited, and that the welsome extended to our fellow settlers -cf the Waikato may not be left entirely to the hands of the military element.

The horses in a cab belonging to Mr Baker, driven by a, young lad named 1 Patterson, b:lted to day, and had it not been for the presence of mind and courage shown by the driver very serious consequences might have resulted. .It appears the reins broke coming down Pollen street, and the horses, while the lad was attempting to secure the broken parts, bolted, turning into Albert street at a furious rate. Patterson very pluckly jumped upon the back of one of the hrpses, and managed to clutch the unbroken rein, which, having secured, bridle of the other horse pulling both, up without any help before the team reached the Bank Corner. Had he not succeeded in his efforts it is very probable the horses would have turned into Brown street towards their accustomed stand, very likely smashing the carriage to pieces/injuring themselves and endangering the life of the young man. So pleased were those persons who had witnessed the occurrence at the plucky manner in which Patterson behaved, that several offered to subscribe a sum of money in recognition, but the lad refused any such offer, and proceeded with his accustomed duties.

A meeting of the members of the Thames Land Association was held last night at the Star Office. Mr MuCullougu stated the steps that had been taken since the last meeting and the result of an interview with Mr Rollest©n upon tho subject of the lands opened for sale and the requirements of some intending applicants The quality of (he land and the position of the block offered were discussed at some length by those members who had inspected it. Tho statement that Mr Eolleston promised to cut up small portions of bush land to enable occupiers to procure timber for fencing and other purposes was considered highly satisfactory. 'The meeting then adjourned.

Owing to the Te AVoha being detained for the purpose of undergoing her halfyearly inspection of machinery, she was unable to leave this afternoon at 3 o'clock, but Capt. Dalton intends to leave Shortland wharf punctually at 3 o'clock tomorrow morning, and will lake his advertised time at Paeroa.

This afternoon we were informed that a serious accident had happened on the Karaka tramway, by which a valuable horse belonging to Mr Alexander Unthank, the lessee of this tramway, fell over one of the bridges down into the bed of the creek, and was killed on the spot. The boy who was driving had a narrow escape of sharing the fate of the animal, only saving himself by dexterously jumping on one side as t'ne bridge gave way; caused by the rottenness of the structure. The wonder is that more accidents have riot happened ere this.

A meeting of- citizens for the purpose of making arrangements for entertaining the Waikato visitors will be held at the Pacific Hotel this evening.

The attention of caterers is called to two advertisements re luncheons, appearing in our advertising columns.

The final meeting of the Irish Eelief Fund Committee will be held at the Hibernian Hall this evening.

The adjourned quarterly meeting of the Liberal Association will be held this even* ing at the Hauraki Club Room.

A stjsi of £3 will reach the treasurer of the Thames Orphanage within a day or so by the hands of Captain Wildman, the proportion of the sum won by our boys in blue at the fecent district prize firing and which they generously promised to divide between the Orphanage, the Hospital, and the widow of the unfortunate volunteer, accidentally shot on the Kaiwarra (Wellington) range. : '

One person was charged with drunkenness, and fined the usual penalty at the R.M. Court this mornings

Ths attention of citizens is called to the advertisement of his Worship the Mayor in another column calling a meeting for devising ways and means of extending a fitting reception en the part of the municipality to the Waikato and visitors.

Our big brother is hard on our mining reporter, but as usual instead of pointing out where he is in fault, and ending there, the editor indulges in.many uncalled for remarks. The statement that " the quartz at the.bottom of the winze is scarcely of so favorable a quality as that broken at the top " seemed to have given great offence to our contemporary. The statement cannot be contradicted,; it is well known that very rich stone was taken out as soon as the winze was commenced, of which due notice was gfven to the public by bulletins in the hand-writing of the editor, posted up on the verandah of the Exchange, but the stone lately taken from the bottom not being so rich the public were carefully kept in the dark. We cannot see why so much mystery should be made, or so much offence taken, no one supposed that the stone was very rich at the bottom, and*.the statement, although true, was not altogether new. The unkind remark that we are inclined to make a dead set against the mine is only worthy the editor, and his reference to the admirable manner in which the Auckland Star is posted is intended as a compliment to himself seeing he is the acknowledged correspondent of that journal. While we do not wish to say anything against the manner the Star conducts its business, we may remark that a»fellow director of the editor, stated to us that certain statements appearing in the Star Were not correct, although sent by our would-be upright friend. The possession of a large interest in the mine referred to, we are afraid has increased that well-known-peculiarity of the editor and his sensitiveness and his fondness for imputing motives has led him to say things about our reporter that are utterly uncalled for. In the interest of the public we conduct our journal andivhile we carefully avoid saying aught to damage the property of anyone, our duty calls upon us to state facts as we find them. We regret that.the manager, Mr Day kin, who we have always found obliging and courteous, should have allowed his director to credit him with such remarks.

At the Presbyterian Assembly, the liev. D. Bruce announced that Mrs Henry Somerville had promised a donation of £1000 towards the church, part to be devoted to the Assembly Scholarship Fund.

It is stated that a tremendous number of schnapper, mullet, kawhai and other fish are~lying dead up the Waiwera river. The settlers cannot account for it.

The following report of a little scene at Mongonui, in which Mr Lundon, MILE, was one of the principal actors is given by the Luminary :—Mr - Lundon ; then addressed the natives, Mr Kelly actinias interpreter. He commenced by explaining to them that they had lost their best friends in the overthrow, of the .Grey Ministry, and that the present Government had robbed them of their inalienable rights, by depriving them.of their duel vote ; that they had mortgaged the native lands, which had never passed through the Native Lands Court, for the sum of £27,000,000, that had been borrowed. He also told them that the people of his country had been . fighting for the last 400 years fcr the very same thing that • the present Government had robbed the Maoris of, and only within the last 50 years had they gained their rights. Here .he charged them to stand up for their rights. At the same time the Chairman requested Mr Lundon to be careful what he was saying. At this staga one of the Pakeba electors addressed the Chairman thus: "Mr Chairman, a fatr minutes ago I held up iriy hand as having confidence in Mr Lundon; I now withdraw it." Mr Kelly at the same time refused to interpret any more of his seditious remarks; the Chairman gathered up bis Blue Books and papers, and »ked.

addled, and Mr Lundoa then attempted to address the natives in their own language, but he had to stop short, not being sufficiently advanced as a native linguist. At this juncture an influential native got up and made a very good speech, ridiculing Mr Lundon's views in regard to the natives."

Red Cap, in (he Free Lance, in" his letter to the Thames people, says :—I see you are wincing under the fall in Whaus. Did I not tell you to be careful about big whizing, you noodles ? Why won't you take a fool's advice. You will never make anything out of scrip if you are advised by the very wise. You say that it is Tom Hicks that has brought the scrip down about your ears. I might say it was the reappointment of old James as manager of the Caledonian that did the business. The fact is, the bottom has not been good ; thal's what's the matter. * Two gun detachnsanta under command of Captain'Payne, Auckland Artillery having been invited to participate in Monday's review, every arm of the service will thus be represented, viz., Cuvalry, Artillery, Engineers, Infantry, and Navals at the Tararu sham-fight. Apropos r-of the subject when are our blue jackets to receive their long promised field pieces? however, we hope the Thames Navals will lake their cumbrous guns of antique date to the field and shew the Auckland Artillery what they can perform in spite of all disadvantages. We opine that if the two corps " changed rounds" that the Auckland men would scarcely be so smart at handling the Thames " infants " as at their own toy guns.

The special correspondent of the Lytteiton Times, writing from Parihaka, says .-—The curse of the district, and the great hindrance to the peaceful solution of the Plains difficulty, is PakehaMaorism personified in every possible form, and ramifying in every conceivable direction. ■■ . , .

If we take Herat, what will be the effect on Persia and Eussia P Will Persia allow us to take a city which she has always coveted, and tor a time, held, without a strong protest ? And can we count on her friendship, or even neutrality, if we thus take possession of what she herself has always wanted and has often heldP Eussia could nefer make her way even towards India except with Persia's assistance, and every effort has been made heretofore to counteract the efforts of Eussia to secure a paramount influence at the Persian Court. Will not the capture of Herat throw the latter into the arms of Eussia P At Herat, Ayub, Yakoob's younger brother, is known to be already in communication with the Russians and Persians. He will bid high for the support of either or both, and if he receives but a few Eussian officers, he may be enabled to make Herat a rather hard nut to crack. Yet on we must go. Here we dare not remain after Spring, unless we would provoke attack by our hesitation. Delay would inevitably enormously multiply our difficulties. The unavoidable delay caused by winter is to be deeply regretted. A Eussian force has left Targui, and has moved in the direction of Tekke, but its destination is unknown. Doubtless, they prefer " the devil they don't know to the devil they do," for anything' in the shape of a Christian is to them an abomination. The Eussians, however, somehow managed to cause themselves to be looked upon as "deliverers." The unhappy people will find the difference in their masters if the Eussians ever (hold sway over them.— Times of India.' '/"' " ,

A cxteious story is related by the Armidale Express, which states that a town not 100 miles from Armidale, and within the last month, a couple went to a certain church with the full intention of taking one another for better or worse. The fair and blushing bride had just merged into 16 summers, and the bridegroom appeared on the shady side of 40. The ceremony having been duly gone through, the couple now .made one, wended their way to their ; home, and happiness reigned around. Things went right for a whole week, when an altercation took place between them, which ended in the bride seeking the home of her parents, and the husband carefally nailing up every means of ; ingress except the door, which, padlocking carefully, he locked on the outside. The consternation of the bride's parents on .her return may be readily realised, and/the incensed father demanded her marriage lines ; but lo ! she had none. Away he^rushed, and*demanded them from the performer of the ceremony, who immediately handed them to him, making excuses for the oversight in not having handed them to the'couple _on the marriage day. On * his arrival home a consultation took place as to future action, when a friend present requested to sge the marriage lines, and, scanning them careful'y, ■ remarked, " Why these documents are worthless I They have not been signed by either of the contracting parlies, although duly certified as being correct by the officiating clergyman!" The agitated father immediately sought the clergyman, and what his feelings' were it would not be easy to realise; but he besought the father to be calm, and he would send for the husband, get him to sign the documents, and all would be well. t A note was instantly forwarded, asking him to step up to the house of the bride's parents at once, and meet the clergyman. He came, and hearing what the minister required, refused point black to sign them, stating they did not suit each other, and as he saw now that they had never been legally ''married, he considered himself well out of a bad bargain. The case is. likely to occupy the attention of a bench of magistrates at an early date.

In addition to the award of a Gold Medal (L'Acade"mie Rationale), and also the Silver Medal, awarded to John Brinsmead and Sons, of Wigmore Street, London, for the superiority of the Piano Exhibited by them last year at the Paris Exhibition, the founder of the Firm has been created Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, this distinction being conferred on no other British Pianoforte Manufacturer.— [Advt:] ,

Notwithstanding that Mrs So-andso did not work the picture that we got first prize for at the Exhibition, and Miss So-and-so did work it, we can safely assert that the picture's in our smoking and reading room are far better, and only require the criticism of the public to ensure prizes at the Melbourne Exhibition.—Lawless and Co., Tobaceonists.—[Advt.] ■■"•'. •".■,

Josh Billhige' Philosophy.—Mothers and grandmothers, when you want your friends to use McGowan's 3a Tea, 'juat Bkirmiek ahead on that line yourself.' One pound of this example iB worth a cartload of ptccepti.