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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3599, 9 July 1880, Page 2

Feom the quarterly report of the Executive Council of the Ancient Order of Foresters, Friendly Society, presented at the High Court Meeting, held at Dublin in April last, we gather the following particulars, which may be of interest to Foresters on Ihe Thames. On the 31st December, 1879, the Order comprised 290 districts, 4514 Courts, 541,509 benefit and 12,531 honorary members—the increase in the year being 3 districts, 60 Courts, 10,333 benefit and 376 honorary members. The aggregate worth of Court funds was £2,477,555, and of District funds £314,028, being an increase of £127,727 Court; and £14,697 District fund*. During the year 1879 40,535 members were initiated in Great Britain and Ireland, or 86 more than in the previous year, 1878. This, in the face of the great depression in trade during that period is to be considered very satis* factory. The deaths during the year were 9117» 5549 of which were members and the remainder 3568 either wives or widows of members. The sickness experienced daring the year was on an average of 9*45 days per member, or a little in excess of the average of 1878. The Juvenile Societies at the end of 1879 comprised 43,897 members, with funds to the amount of. £39 5s lOd. Amongst the new Courts recently opened was one at Honolulu, Court Lindsay, No. 6600, instituted on the 27th of November. In this Court the highest dignitaries of the realm are represented, His Majesty King Kalakana being installed as Chief Banger, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency J. M. Kapena as Sub-ohief Banger.

Ybstebdat evening as Mr P, Ferguson, manager of the New Whau mine, was riding down the Moanatairi creek, his horse stumbled and threw him, and afterwards rolled over him, breaking his arm and bruising him severely. Mr Ferguson walked without assistance to tbe Hospital, where his hurts were attended to. We notice that he is about today. Mb Bkassei received a telegram from Mr Tole M.H.R, slating that-the petitions for tbe removal of the R.M. by the public, his own private petition, and that of Annie Roberts, the complainant in the affiliation case Hobo its T. Short were today presented to the House.

The Grand Jury on Wednesday ignored the bill of indictment preferred against a man named Burnett, charged with " cutting open" one of the mail bags*. The Grand Jury made a "presentment" in respect to the "careless" manner in which the Post-office officials placed the mails upon the steamers. The Crown Prosecutor, in reply to a question, paid that nothing appeared to have been abstracted from the mail bags. The affair appeared to have been a drunken freak.

The Key. Win, Dunn, of Auckland will preach in the Presbyterian Church on Sabbath evening next.

With reference to the letter by Mr W. J. Barlow denying that he signed the petition for the removal of the BtM., we may say that a sum of £5 has been deposited with us by a gentleman who is prepared to bet and prove that Mr BaHovr did sign the petition, in the presence of two witnesses, if Mr Barlow will deposit a similar amount, and he undertakes to hand the amount of the bet, if won by him to the Ladies' Benevolont Socity,

We are very glad to here that Mrßadford, the popular managor of the Albumin, is no* on a fair way to recovery, though he cannot be expected to be about for a month yet. We are also pleased to see the manager of an adjoining mine, Mr Frank Dayktn—who has been luici up for some moaths—about again.

The recent revival of mining opera! ions at the head of the Waiotahi has been the means of testing the durability of the road. The result has been moat unsatisfactory. A few loads of material have been carted up this winter, and many places are now quite impassable to drays. Only yeeterday a horse belonging to Mr Taeker sank to his girths in the mire, and -was only extricated with difficulty. We would urge on the County Board of Works the immediate necessily of placing the dangerous pinions in a state of repair. The Foreman of Works for the riding has been most energetic in removing tLe slips, etc-, from both this and the Moanatairi creek road, and the outlay of a few pounds more would confer a great boon on the infant mines of the upper Waiotabi.

Last evening the olfactory organs of passera-by iv Davy etrect, near McGregor's Auction mart, were assailed by a most disgusting stench apparently emanating from a dirty pigaty. A small boy passing by war heard to ojaeulate: " P-fuoo! Wat a stink. Actiap us 'v.d take two sniffs of that would be a glutton."

In opening the oaeo of rape Bguinsb Will am Oolman Ciunow, the Grown Prosecutor said tiitil, it. unfortunately happened that very few sessions of the Oireuit Court wort' unatsociated ■with some offonco nguinet femnjeo, but htippily the court very, very scldoits had before it a case bo bad as the present one, viz., rape upon a little girl nine years of ago. He might tail the jury at the outset thai any consent on the part ol the child could not he accepted ua an excuse of the offence. The learned gentleman then went on to narrate the leuding points of the evidence which ho was propurod to adduce. The jury returned a verdict of (juily. Ournow was sentenced to ten years and two whippings. The ingratitude of the human race is demonstrated every day. This afternoon two gentlemen coming along Pollen street noticed a cart loaded with wood stuck in the mud. The horse ineffectually strove to extricate it, and tugged and tugged in vain, while the prepossessing Jehu in charge f>wore as often as the aiiimal strained and strained. The individuals in question, actuated by excellent motives, shoved the cart, forward while the horse was being bucked, a >d this called forth an angry expletive from the driver, who in tones almost equalling those of a Cyclops in ferocity, requested them to " get. out." Truly this is a pervorse generation.

We hear that a number of Thames gentlemen, notably several who are connected with our principal mines, are organising an expedition to the Melbourne Exhibition in the course of a month or two. One of the principal attractions will be Iho marriage of a well-known manager to a lndy >,ho ia to come from home and meet and marry her Thames lover under the- be witching shade cf the Australiun bluegums. Of course a number of Thames reeideute must see t he thing " through fair and cquare," so this immigration scheme has been decided on.

Air exceedingly large flock of black swaus was observed by some gentlemen in the Piako river to-day.

A dhsjbuctive fire occurred at East Hamilton on Wednesday evening, about 11 o'clock, When it. was aecertained that the premises occupied by Messrs Swarm and Cochrane (wheelwrights) nnd Mr Lane (blacksmith) were enveloped in flames. These premises rere erected on the site of the former building burnt down in January last, and connected with a large wheelwright and coach factory, together with smithy and carpenter's departments. No appliances being at hand it tvsb found useless to try and save the buildings, but the billows and a few tools, a waggonette, and some other things were saved. The exerlio sof the crowd were directed to the prevention of the spread of the fire to adjoining premises owned by White nnd uninsured. The efforts proved completely successful. Swarm and Cochrane had insured their building in the South British for £200. Stock and tools were uninsured.

The best of materials manufactured in a proper and workmanlike manner should give satisfaction. Henca we are pleased in daily, almost hourly, hearing such exclamations as " My word Douglas your loaf is now splendid," "Those biscuits are really beautiful," "My compliments to Mr Douglas and tell him I bavn't eaten such bread for years, &c, &c."

Pbiob to the transit of Venus in 1874, Professor Severn smoked any amount of glass to observe her with. Things have changed since those primitive days. At Professor McLiver's divan you ci»n now smoke Venus herself, raise clouds, and still make your observations without trouble. Buy McLiver's specially imported Venus at 6d and Is per *tick.

At a very pleasant tea party, the conversation turned on transmigration. A lady of exquisite beauty who was sipping McG-owan's best, turned to Mr and asked what form he would prefer to inhabit ? To be dissolved in 3s Tea madam.