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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3526, 14 April 1880, Page 2

An extraordinary general meeting is called for the 26 instant, for the purpose of considering the advisability of winding up the Caledonian Gold Mining Co., and for other business.

Mb Newell Phillips, headmaster of the Waio-Karaka school, will shortly deliver three lectures in the Academy of Music. On Monday next the subject will be " England under Elizabeth," on Monday the 26th, a dissertation on " The French Revolution," and on May 3rd, "An Evening at the Garrick Club." Mr Phillips originally intended to give the lectures to his pupils, but his committee has induced him to deliver them to the public, thereby giving them the benefit of his research.

The Secretary of the Thames Ifospital notifies by advertisement, that the annual meeting of that institution will take place at the Academy of Music, on Wednesday next, the 21st inst at 8 p.m.

The two thousand shares offered by the directors of the New Golden Crown G.M.Co., have all been rapidly taken up, and a few hours after they were offered none could be had. They have since obtained an advance, 6s being offered for them this morning.

Tendebs are wanted for the Tererenga and Mangapouri bridges contract — Tauranga-Taupo road, .They close on the 23rd inst.

A dastardly attempt at incendiarism occurred here yesterday morning. Some villian endeavored to set fire to the houses of Messrs H. B. Cook and Palmer, central Pollen street, by placing a bundle of lighted shavings and rags between the two buildings. The embryo conflagration was fortunately discovered by Mr Keary at five o'clock in the morning, and a bucket of water extinguished the rising flames. The matter is in the hands of the police.

This morning His Worship the Mayor accompanied by the Town Clerk, left by the steamer with the object of interviewing Mr Whitaker re*the Thames Water Supply. As Mr Brodie arrived at the Thames last evening, the success of their expedition is somewhat doubtful, as before any arrangement can be come to the presence of Mr Brodie is necessary. The deputation is somewhat premature, as Mr Whitaker, in his letter requests that all documents and papers should be sent to him, after which, if necessary, he would himself appoint an interview. The Mayor, however, has ignored this request, and the result of the mission is somewhat equivocal.

The following appears in a late return furnished by the Government: —The Gold Fields Committee, to whom was referred the petition of Samuel Alexander, of the Thames, representing that he was the first to introduce means for crushing auriferous lodes at the Thames, and praying for relief for losses sustained, have directed me to report—That they have considered the petition, but have not called evidence thereon, considering that, if the facts to the alleged grievance therein contained were assumed to be true, no recommendation for relief could be made to the House. Referring to the petition of Mr Sowerby Greenville of Thames, praying for a reward as one of the original prospectors for gold on the Thames Peninsula, the Committee reports as follows : — That petitions of a similar nature have been frequently considered by your Committee during the last few years. That your Committee has never seen fit to disturb the original award made by the local authorities of Auckland in- 1870, or to justify your Committee in reporting that such award was in any degree unfair as between the respective claimants. Your Commiltee has therefore no recommendation to make.

The native cheek of some of the aborigines of this colony was instanced this morning. Some days ago a party of Hauhaus from the Waikato, hired a house from Mr James Thompson, of Shortland, who went to some expense on the building at the instance of the lessees. At five o'clock this morning, Mr Thompson noticed the natives removing their manes and lares from the house and suspecting that they intended to clear out without paying the rent, went up to them and demanded what was due. This was refused point blank, and Mr Thompson proceeded to prevent the removal of the articles, whereupon he was assailed behind by two of the Tenants while a thick set Maori patriot seized him by the throat. Mr Thompson struggled to free himself, and struck the native in the mouth, injuring his hand against the Maori's sharp teeth. The arrival of others ou fcho scene

quelled the disturbance, and the natives eventually tendered 2s about one fourth of the rent due. We believe this will be the subject of a case at the B.M. Court to-morrow.

The alteration of the boundaries of the electoral districts throws a great part of the Thames County into the district represented in the Assembly by Mr White, of Hamilton, so Mr Sheehan, claiming him as a fellow representative for the Thames, has written him the following letter:—J. D. Whyte, Esq., M.HE., Hamilton.—Dear Sir,—lt is with great pleasure that I have ascertained that your electoral district comprises a very large and valuable part of the Thames County, and that you are in fact a third .member for the Thames. I now feel quite certain that I shall have your hearty and influential co-operation in in pressing upon Ministers the fair claims of the Thames. I shall be glad to hare your assistance in interviewing the Hon. Mr Oliver (now in Auckland) in regard to many local matters which are now sadly delayed or neglected. I might mention primarily the Thames end of the Waikato-Thames Kailway. I have n) doubt that between us we will be able to convince Mr Oliver of the unintentional injustice which he is inflicting upon the people of the Thames, and induce him to take some active steps to have the work vigorously resumed. In another matter I know you will only be too willing to render help. I refer to our main roads. You are not perhaps aware that the Thames County is worse off in the matter of main roads than any other part of the colony, and having experienced as you have the benefits of first-class roads in Waikato, I feel assured you will eagerly embrace the opportunity of conferring similar blessings upon your Thames constituents. I hope we will be able to meet Mr Oliver together, and pat matters before him in such a light as will ensure success for some of our applications.—l remain, dear Whyte, yours sincerely, John Sheehan."

The averages for six years in the Australasian Colonies of illegitimate births to each 100 children born says a Dunedin paper are as follows :—Victoria, 3.38 ; New South Wales, 4.14; Queensland, 3.11; New Zealand, 1.68. Here, again, then, we can assert our pre-eminence. Turning to the particular! of illegitimacy in England, Scotland, and Ireland for the sake of comparison, we find some remarkable results. In England and Wales the percentage is 5.1, in Presbyterian Scotland 8.9, and in Eoman Catholic Ireland only 2.1. Note this, ye Chiniquyists who take pleasure in slandering your Eoman Catholic fellow Christians in regard to the immoralities of the confessional. In Scotland, the stronghold of Presbyterianism, one birth in twelve is illegitimate ; while in Ireland, the stronghold of Koman Catholicism, only one birth in fifty is illegitimate. "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone." It is gratifying to note that New Zealand stands higher in this respect than even Ireland, though during the past ten years the percentage has slightly risen here.