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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3512, 29 March 1880, Page 2

: Cheistchuech to-day is excited like ourselves with the great number of volunteers. A review is being held there, and men from Otago, Wellington, and Nelson are taking a part in it. Yesterday a telegram says :—The town was very lively yesterday with volunteers. They paraded in three battalions and artillery and navals.

Me McCulloucui has received a number of lithographic plans of the Te Aroha block, showing the land offered upon deferred payments. Any member of the Land Association calling at the Stab Office can obtain a copy.

The officers' mess dinner to their com* panions in arms will take place this evening at the Governor Bowen Hotel, and at the Naval Hall the non-commissioned officers will entertain the officers of a similar rank of the Waikato Cavalry and Auckland Artillery.

We shall be pleased to see a good attendance at the .complimentary concert and dance at the Academy of Music this evening. A capital programme is provided, one of the most interesting items in which is a local song on Volunteer matters, which will be sung by the composer, Mr Wiseman, and the object alone should attract a large audience. Mr McLiver will also sing a local comic song —a clever parady, we believe, of "The babies of our blocjc."

The manner in which the Borough Council is treating the matter of the Water Supply question leads to the impression that the end of March will arrive without any satisfactory settlement of the question. After that date it will be too late, for the'vote of £3500 will lapse, and 'never again will an opportunity offer for a settlement of this question : really one of the greatest importance to the ratepayers of the Borough. We cannot understand the position taken up by the Council, who, having obtained more than their wildest dreams anticipated at one time, now want more than they are entitled to. The matter is one of entire gain to the Borough, who instead of having only twothirds of an interest in a Domestic Water Supply, managed by a Committee unable to either borrow money to pay its liabilities or authority to levy-a rate for the further extension of the supply, can obtain at once, by accepting, the capital arrangement made by the late Mayor when in Wellington, secure., the entire control of the supply, with an ample provision for all the wants, of the inhabitants for domestic purposes, sufficient to supply a reasonable amount of motive power which would yield a gogd revenue, and also the receipts from all water supplied the shipping of the port. All- this acquired at the expense of the Government; and yet our imbecile Councillors cannot see the advantages of the bargain, but, having got so much, want more. We can assert on good authority that the County Council are willing to grant all we have stated, and will fix the amount of water to be given for motive power for the future to an amount equal to that supplied at any time by the Domestic Water Supply Committee during the term of office of Mr McCullough. Let us point out to the burgesses, especially those of Shortland and the out-lying districts, the result of the non-acceptance by the Borough Council of, the offer made them; it removes 'further than ever the prospect of getting the water laid to Shortland, and the chance of getting it to the out-lying parts of the township is altogether gone. This will arise Trom the fact that the management will of necessity revert to the old unworkable Domestic Supply Committee, a body unable to borrow money, without the power to levy a rate,- and with aa income barely sufficient to pay ■ihe;r;working.;,expjons!Ss. i.:-_o.f:.^the_--- isu.pplyi. Under such circumstances, how is the supply to be extended? How are the pipes to be.paid for? The County will still retain its interest in the Domestic Supply, and with a good one of their own, will certainly not be inclined to vote money to extend one, the greater part of which belongs to the Borough. So the old state of affairs will return, and when" it is too late ratepayers will find how, by the foolishness of their representatives, they have been debarred from the enjoyment of one of the greatest requirements —an unlimited supply of water. It will have yet another effect, that it will lead to the ultimate absorption of the Municipality into the County. The Borough without funds-—without a water supply of its own—will be unable to meet the demands of the people, who will speedily take steps to be incorporated with a governing body whose faults certainly are not neglect of the interests of its ratepayers. Under all the circumstances we consider the Borough Council is wilfully neglecting the interests of the burgesses, foolishly neglecting an opportunity to secure a good bargain in order to gain an advantage oves? the County Council, and by refusing to accept a gift of £1,000, the amount offered for the County's share in the Domestic Supply, and how granted by the Government, the Councillors are altogether showing a great

want of consideration for their constituents, and a total neglect of their duties.

It will be seen that races are provided at Parawai to-morrow for the entertainment of our visitors. A good programme of races has been drawn up, and as many of the horses of our Waikato friends are good ones some excellent sport is anticipated. The men are entering into the matter with spirit, and most of the events are likely;tp be well contested. During the races a cricket match will be played, and altogether a pleasant day's amuse* ment may be looked forward to.

A telegram from Hawea says:— Everything is quiet in camp. The camp will be moved next week.

The cutter Sovereign of the Seas has arrived in Auckland from Noumea, New Caledonia, with 23 Communists, having left Noumea on the sth of March, and encountered severe weather on the passage. Great reticence was observed as to giving any information. As far as could be ascertained, two-thirds of the number were Deportcs and Liberes, and the remainder French colonists, who left on account of the stagnation in business through the cyclone and other causes.

The Catholics of Wellington presented a complimentary address to Bishop Bedwood on leaving per mail steamer for Koine. He expressed the hope of a speedy return with additional priests.

We have pleasure in calling the attention of our readers to an advertisement in another column notifying the fact that Mr George S. O'Halloran has taken the Hot Springs Hotel at Te Aroha. From the length of time spent by Mr O'Halloran in the Upper Thames district he is eminently qualified to give advicf to in* tending settlers in that district, and he will we doubt not be only too happy to assist gentlemen in want of land on which to settle. He purposes making extensive alterations and additions to the hotel, and from its proximity to the famous Hot Springs—the future sanatorium of the Thames —large numbers of tourists and others may be expected to visit the district. We wish Mr O'Halloran success in his new venture.

Notwithstanding that Mrs So-and-so 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 pictures 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., Tobacconists..