THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'OLOCK Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3551, 13 May 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'OLOCK Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1880.

Oub readers will remember that some 8 months ago a concert was given in the Academy of Music by our leading amateur vocalists for the purpose of raising fends to establish a club, the proposed name of which, we believe, was the Hauraki Club. The concert was, if we recollect rightly, very successful financially, and a fair sum of money was handed over to the projectors. Since that time, however, nothing further has been heard of the matter, and a* the winter season has now commenced, and some amusement (apart from that afforded by the hotel).is, in the opinion of most people very necesßary for the rising generation, we trust that sotae energetic people-will take the matter in hand, and endeavour to bring it to a successful issue.

We hear that a concert and gift entertainment 'is to come off shortly at the Academy of Music in aid of a fund for the lining of the Grahamstown Wesleyan Sunday School. There is a novelty connected with it, inasmuch as every person will receive a priza. Some of our best local talent are, we bear, to take part, and it is likely to be a successful affair. Great pains have been taken by the teachers in selecting the prizes, and the utmost attention has been giveD to make the musical portion of the entertainment successful.

The bakers on the Thames-must be making a rare living. We notice that brekd is selling at Sd per two pound loaf in Auckland. How it is thut the'benighted citizens of the Thames have to pay 4-^-d, or just 50 per cent, more tin n their fortunate brethevn in Auckland? We have not noticed a rise in Hour, iv fact it was further reduced £1 per tonj a few days ago.

In the middle of the most turbulefi 1 time in the history of this colony, and whoa the withdrawal of the Imperial troops was already a probability, the Legislature, to popularise and strengthen the volunteer movement, enacted that every efficient volunteer after five years service should be entitled to land scrip of the value of £30. This was in 1863, and from that time up to 1876 many colonists were induced to become volunteers, thereby literally entering into a contract with the Government to receive their land scrip on the expiry of the stated time of service. In 1876 the then Government passed an ordinance, repealing the Act of '63, and providing that its provisions should come into force from 73 —three years prior to the passing of, the Repeal Act. This proceeding we 'consider was a piece of tne grossest injustice to many volunteers, some of whom had completed their term of service only a short time after the Act of 76 became law. * Amongst those who are viotima of this injustice are a number of our Thames volunteers, and wef hear that they are bestirring themselves to obtain that what they think they are rightly entitled to? An eminent legal authority lias informed them, that the Government have been guilty of a simple breach of contract to the men who joined before 76, and it is now proposed to call a meeting of persons interested to take steps to enforce their rights by an appeal to the Supreme Court.

It may interest Scotchmen to know that Mr Burns the Royal Commissioner on Local Industries at present here, is the grandson of Gilbert Burns, brother of Scotland's celebrated bard. Mr Barns is the ex-M.H.E. for Koslyn, and the mit ator of the Mosgeil Woollen Factory and ether industries in Otago, and as such is eminently qualified for the labors in which he is at present engaged.

The annual meeting of tne Thames County Council will be held tomorrow afternoon, and at it tjie annual financial statement will be submitted. The gipss expenditure for the past year has been £32,006 19s sd, and the receipts £30,903. At the meeting, the Pumping question will come up, and the Council will .decide whether or not they will grant the aid applied for by the companies.

We believe that the anniversary soiree of the Baptist Church will be held on Tuesday evening next. Particulars will shortly be given, through our columns. . , v

It will bo with pleasurable feelings that our readers will recollect Mr Gordon Gooch v who ,san^ here in company with the Carandini Company. We notice that Mr Gooeii has commenced teaching si i« Auckland, and that he has tewn appointti Professor of vocal music to t! 1.3 Auckland College and Grammar School, and also at the Girls' High School. We wish him every success—a wish which will, we feel sure, be endorsed by everyone who knew him.

At midnight yesterday the Thames was visited by one of the heaviest rainstorms we have had this year. Several of Ihe low-lying footpaths were flooded, and a3 belated citizens waded home, the Municipal authorities were heartily anathematised.

Vincent Kabei at Ohaupo, while handling a log on Tuesday got his right leg jammed above the ankle, Dr Saunders was promptly in attendance, and set the limb. ,. The patient is progressing favourably.

v ~ MB"BenHett of the "fararu hematite works has. sent several tons of the raw hematite ore to the Exchange tailings machine for treatment. At the time of the visit.of our reporter a quantity of the ore was being " roasted " on a large iron plate. The system of treatment differs to that used by Mr Edwards in the treatment of his pigment, the hematite being first reduced to powder and then oxidised. Under Mr Bennett's process the crushing of the material takes place after the burning. Writing on this subject we may state that we were shown a few days ago by Mr Joseph Clark, of Shortland, a sample of paint manufactured by him from Bennett's ore^ a parcel of the Nelson article being also produced. The local paint was found to have a more brilliant color and much better body than the other. We have no doubt but that when the hew industry is properly developed hematite paint will be one of the staple exports of the place. - ,*

The Free Lance thus announces Sir George Grey's speech at Auckland, " The old ' gun' is loaded to the muzzle and will be tired off on Tuesday night."

s IMb Ji S. Wbbb, Secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, and General Manager of the Permanent Building Society, who left Dunedin a short time ago, on account of financial'difficulties, has not yet been heard of. If is supposed he went to San Francisco by the mail steamer from. Auckland. A careful investigationoos the books of the Society is being proceeded with.

Fbok a late cable despatch we learn that, a dreadful accident has occurred at New York. The roof of the Gilmore Gardens Theatre (a favorite place ©f resort and amusement) fell in during a performance, and created a terrible panic. Twenty-five persons were more or leas injured, chiefly in the rush to get out of the theatre, and in some cases the injavies have terminated f&^ally.

The Chinese do not seem to get over their antipathy to the steam-engine. Our readers will remepibei.' that the fivsc line of rails laid down in China was ruthlessly destroyed, and now we leavn that there is no prospect whatever of a railway being made in any par-t of the Empire, and the Imperial Maritime Customs along with the Imperial Board'of War, is once more engaged in forming a winter mail service between the capital and Shanghai by the humble medium of dofckeys. It is expected the donkeys will run the mails through in twelve days, and with an adequate supply of carrots, there would be no difficulty in maintaining a regular service, if the donkeys are not arrested as they were last year by the irate authorities at Shantung.. Ridiculous and even shmeful as is this expedient to maintain communication between the capital of a great empire and its leading cities, whose rulers have not the excuse of ignorance, it is better thau + nothing, and the Chinese Government will probably receive the devout thanks of the foreign Minislera at Pek:n'for their unwonted energy ia tbis matter.

In a review of the stute of primary education in Olago, the Daily iime.i thi j foreshadows the pi'ol'jble imposition of s,cbcol fees, hi the present financial condition of the the colony:—" The present expenditure on education, in the Colony of New Zealand, including school buiidbgs, approaches half a million per annum, aud

if the United Kingdom spent a proportinate amount the annual bill would come to something like £33,000,000. It' the 18.G00 children in the State schools of Otago were to pay ten shillings a quarter, one-half of the normal average annual expenditure of the Board w.ould nearly be met. It seems to us almost certain that parents able to pay school fees must be required to contribute; but to what extent must be a matter for future consideration." An Irishman once saw a clock which showed the Greenwich a?id Dublin time, and he saw that the Dublin time was 20 minutes behind that of Greenwich, and he asked how that was, and it was explained to him that Dublin being to the west of the first meridian must have its time later than that of Greenwich. " Then, be the powers ! " says Pat, " there, is another injustice to ould Ireland." The puzzle that has taken San Francisco by storm is now at work in Lawless and Op's. Smoking-room every evening. Vanity Fair, Richmond Gems, Old Judge and Zetland .Cigarettes. Ebony and Meerschaum Pipes. Smoking-room unequalled.—-Law-iess and Co. The unrivalled success of O. McLivbb's Smoking-rooms are quite apparent through the crowded state of his rooms nightly, enjoying and amusing themselves at Draughts, Dominoes, Cribbago, etc. The energy and perseverance of C. MoL. in securing good brands of Tobacco and Cigars for the district is meeting with its just reward; N.B.— Great var^|ty oS 1 Meerschaum, Briar, and Cherry wood Pipea.—C. McLivjer, Tobacconist. .".'.' ; .