THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3764, 20 January 1881, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881.

Wb understand it is the intention of the Chief Postmaster to remove the iron pillar letter-receiver from the corner of Albert and Brown streets to the corner of Mary and Pollen streets. This will not be done, however, until the posting boxes at the new office in the Public Buildings are ready for use..- ■. ' ■-■■■■ .:.••■.

Mb John Shebhan purposes visiting the Thames within the next 10 days, coming by •way of Te Aroha.

' It is contemplated a' un early date to hold a soiree and concert at Taruru in aid of the building fund of St. John's Church.

The choice of representatives from the Thames Scottish for the Nelson rifle contest will probably be made at a meeting to be held this evening. at eight o'clock.

At the meeting of the congregation of St. James* I^eabyteriau Church, a satisfactory report and balance • sheet was presented. Special votes of thanks were passed to Mesdames J. Prater and S J. Neill for their success in collecting the sum of £70 during the year towards painting and decorating the church, and -to the outgoing Committee of Management. The following Committee was then elected fjr the ensuing year :—Messrs J. Prater, W. Ferguson, R. T. Douglas, J. Ferguson, J. M. Mennie, J. Laing, R. Farrell, D. Henderson, J. H. Smith, W. D. Reid, D. Crawford, J. MoGowan, J. Clarke, J. Muir, J. Thompson, T. Crawford.

A meeting of shareholders of the Thames River Steam Navigation Company was held yesterday afternoon iv the offices of Mr A. Hume, Albert Etreet. The following'report of the preliminary directors was . real and adopted:—" To. the shareholders of the Thames River Steam Navigation Company, Limited (to bo registered).—Gentlemen,— Tour provisional directors beg to report having hud the necessary agreement executed with Mews Price Bros , for building a new iron steamer for the sum of £2240, of which i&OO lias been paid on account. £600 is to be p«id on the 28th. iastaut, .and the balance

of £340 two months after the steamer is finally taken over, Messrs Price Bros, having to keep everything appertaining 10 the steamer in good order for three months from date of' taking over, which is expected to be about the end of February. Good progress has been made on the works of the new steamer, and your provisional directors would recommend appointing an engineer at an early date to make an occasional inspection &nd report as the work proceeds. The hull of the Buby, included in the terms of purchase, is in good order, and now lies eecured in the intako opposite Messrs Price Bros', yards. .Four hundred and ninety-three shares, out of six hundred and forty have been applied for and allotted, on which the sum of £556 has been received, and it is anticipated the balance of 147 ■hares will be taken up by coontry.settlers. When the rules are passed the Company will bo registered." The articles of association j were read and confirmed, and the following | appointed the first directors of the new Com Ipany: Messrs Bead, Benshaw, Wilkinson, j Marshall, Hogg, Dean, and Moore. The | Bank of New lealand were appointed bankers, and Mr J. A. Miller solicitor to the Company. Messrs H. C. Gillespie and D. R. Geltion were appointed auditors.

Me John Highway has been appointed by the directors of the Pumping Association to the charge of the machinery at the Big Pump. Mr Heighway hus had a great deal experience in such.matters, and the appointment is a judicious one. Mr Comer has still the supreme control, and all under the surface is his especial charge. . „ •

A TBMGEAM to the Herald says :—I hear that a caucus of Opposition members of Parliament was held a day or two ago in Dunedin, Mr Macandrew, Mr Montgomery, Mr Shrimski, Mr Hutchison, and Mr J. C. Brown being present as leaders. The result has not transpired, but strenuous efforts are said to have been used to induce Mr Stout publicly to declare himself as leader of the party, and to announce his intention of entering politics next general eleotion.

Thb following weights have been declared for the Tauranga races :—Tauranga Jockey Club Handicap : Foul Play, 9st lOlbs; Paramenft, Batslb; Saunterer, Bst lib; Vengeance, 7et 101b; Gilderoy, 7at; Bundarrah, 6st 101b ; Reseington, 6st 71b ; Wbakatane, fist 71b ; Penrose, 6st 51b. Handicap Hurdle: Te Whiti Marama, list 101b 5 Doubtful, list 71b; Highland Fling, lOst 71b; Whakahihi, lOst; Awahou, 9at 71b.

The New Zealand Volunteer?' Gazette Beeß no reason to deplore Mr Bryce's resiguation. It has good reason to believe that he was a strong advocate for indiscriminate and impolitic retrenchment, and says that but for him the Volunteer force would, in all probability, have received better treatment at the hands of the Government than it did. The force could not have fared worse. Would it not be well, asks the G-azette, for the Volunteers in the different districts to interview their Parliamentary representatives, and come to some understanding with them as to what they will do in reference to the force when Parliament meets. Volunteering at present is in such an unsatisfactory state tint we strongly recomtLend the Government to select a certain number ol officers from "each branch of service, viz., Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers, Rifles, and Navals, to report on the requirements of their different forces, and their present state, such enquiry to be held before Parliament meets, and the report to be presented to it. As it is, there is nothing but discontent, and a growing feeling amongst officers and men that the Government are acting in an unnecessarily harsh and unwise manrfer in their action towards the Volun-

teeis. We are informed that the other Sunday a religious service was held at Te Aroha under peculiar mrcumstances. Our informant tells us that a prominent Orangeman, whose name we are not quite certain about, had erected a large store for a Thames merchant, and that, as it was near completion, the Wesleyans asked for the use of it for a Sunday service, which request the builder readily granted. On the arrival, however, of the Rev Mr Watkin, Weeleyan minister, he found the buildmg in the occupation of Fatler O'Eailly, and the Roman Catholic worship in- progress. It is also said that Father O'Reilly, whom we personally know to be moat courteous as a gentleman, publicly thanked the Orangeman who had given him the use of the building, and said all Catholics should thank Mr , who was preseat in the congregation; for bo had passed by his own people to let the Catholics have the building. He is reported to have said the gentlemen who had so aoted was not only a Proteßtant, but. he was also a prominent Orangeman. We are also informed that" the Cardinal" is walking about the Thames slapping the Orangemen on the back and laughing in their faces about this affair. Now, we do not say this is true, but if it is we can only regret it. The Roman Catholics have an undoubted right, equal to that of Protestants, to their places and modes of worship, but it is no part of a Protestant's duty, much less of an Orangeman, to afford a facility for their worsuip, to the exclmion of a body like the Wesleyans. If this report is not true we shall be glad to have it contradioted.T—Free Press.

A OABHEGBAM under date London January 18 says :—A very severe hurricane, accompanied by an exceedingly heavy fall of snow has been experienced throughout nearly the whole of England. The railway lines in many places have been blocked, and traffic suspended at several coastal ports. Many vessels have become total wrecks, owing to the fury of the g-ile.

.An exchange says:—lt may not be gonerally known that under the provisions of the Special Partnership Aot, any person cun embark in business with general . partners, being responsible only ta the extent of hie contribution to the partnership. It this were more generally known, the provisions of thu Act would likely be more frequently taken advantage of.

OtTB telegrams notified a few days ago that Mr Montroso had purchased the Waikato Mail, and we now understand that possession will bo taken by that gentleman in a few days. The Waikato residents are to be congratulated at having such a skilful, experienced, and enterprising journalist in their midst. We shall expect to see the Muil much improved under the control of the new proprietor.

From: an advertisement in another column it will be seen the billiard-room adjoining the Provincial Hotel is to be under new management, the lessee promising every attention to patrons.

The Flag of Ireland publishes a cartoon representing an English "rough" standing over the bodies of twe persons whom he has just shot down, aud it asks us to believe that there is " no coercion for him."

'Ihb Poverty Bay Standard says:—"For some time past several persons well up in Maori matters have felt an uneasiness in consequence of the influence Te Kooti was guining throughout the district of Poverty Bay. It is an authenticated, fact that a Maori has been declared " Makutu "by Te Kooti, and acts as agent for disseminating the form of worship advocated by that notorious murderer and rebel. Wo are sorry to learn that this disoiple has gained many followers, and through his working upon the superstitions of the natives, many of the more vacillating of our allibs have enrolled themselves under Te Kooli'a banner "

A somewhat novel question has emerged at Waikato in which His Excellency the Governor is involved. It waa sir ranged- that the Governor should lay the foundation stone

of St. Andrew's Anglicaa Church ab Cambridge, and that the JFreemasous of Waikato should take part in the ceremonial. 'But it appears that His Excellemcy is not a Mason, arsd the brethern at Hamilton have tele» graphed to Auckland for advice as to whether in the circumstances them can take part in the proceedings. We presume the answer will be that, His Excellency not beiug a Mason, the members of that fraternity cannot take any part in the ceremonial which he is to preside over. A celebrated casa of this kind is on record. Some thirty years ago Prince Albert was to lay the foundation stone of the new National Gailaries at Edinburgh. Her Majesty was in Edinburgh at the time, and the ceremonial was to be a very grand one. But then, as now, it transpired at almost the last moment that the chief personage was not a brother of the myatic craft. Great was the consternation. The Masonic body is strong in Scotland, and to cut them out would maim the rites, and seriously interfere with the display. But they would not yield, so as to take part in a ceremonial where the stone was to bo laid by one, however eminent, who was not a Mason. They offored to put Prince Albert through all the necessary degrees on the very morning when the stone was to be laid. But he would not Bubmit to the ordeal, and it was said that he was prevented by his wife, Her Majesty, who would iiot allow him to become privy to any . secrets which he could not divulge to her. The difficulty waa found to be insuperable, and the thing had to be dote without the Masons.—Herald.

The Poverty Bay Standard bas the following :—We hear that Mr J. Cuff, who bas practised his profession as a lawyer for some years in Napier and GHsb->rne, bas decided in removing from the latter place to the new El Dorado —the Arolia township. Mr Cuff is, at present residing there, and making arrangements for moving his family without delay, being satisfied with the business and other prospects of the place. We clip the following from an exchange; and we can only say that we wish Mr Cuff th»t measure of prosperity bis professional abilities entitle him to :—" Mr John Cuff, solicitor, from Poverty Bay, has oommenced the practice of his profession at the Thames. Mr Cuff is a sound sensible lawyer, and was much esteemed in GHsborne, where he resided many years, for his integrity and gentlemanly behaviour."

A tklegbam from Opunake says:—Te Whiti's address to the people at Parihaka was, as usual, in metaphor. He did not directly touch on politics. The prisoners released were present at the meeting. Ihe natives have full confidence that should the Governor go to Parihaka, Te Whiti would finally eettJe the difficulty. They ridicule our laws, owing to the release of the prisoners, and boast of having made Government release them. Hiroki officiated as caterer. Tuhi's father looked downcast:. 'I he meeting was well attended, and the natives appear more attached to their ariki, or chief, since the release of the prisoners.

Sin William Fox is quick at retort, and usually sileuces any hostile questioner. But he met bis match the other day at Awahuri. He was lecturing there about his American experience, and amongst other things, talked of Amorica's vast grazing farms, where full grown bullocks could be raised for the market at three dollars each. At the close of the lecture, one of the audience questioned the strict accuracy of this latter statement. Sir William persisted that it was strictly accurate. " Then," retorted his questioner, " how is it thai if hides are worth, almost anywhere in the world, from 15s to 20s, that stockbreeders can be so foolish as to sell their stock at less than the value of the hide?" This was a poser. Sir William looked thoughtful and cogitated over the problem.

By cable we learn the result of the wool exhibition at Melbourne, No first prize was given for long wool. The. Pre.es generally aj-ree that the moat sanguine expectation regarding the quality is more than rralised. The following are the general results: —Victoria takes 20 first prizes, 13 second, and 6 third; South Australia, 5 firat and 1 second; Tasmania, 2 first, 3 second, and 2 third ; New Zealand, 2 first, 1 second, and 1 third ; Silesia, 1 first; New South Wales, 2 second, and 1 third: and Queensland, 3 second.

Thb Miner says :—During Mr McLaren's visit to the mines, ha has come across many instances of parlies of men working without tbe slightest knowledge of mining, several parlies being entirely composed of men who never handled a pick in their lives before. In no less than four instances he had to stop parties sucli as described, in consequence of the treacherous nature of the grouud, until they obtained the services of some one having practical experience to direct their operations. In one case, the men were literally digging their own graves, and when informed of the danger they were in, obeyed his instructions with an alacrity which showed they had only realised the risk they ran.