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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3783, 11 February 1881, Page 2

The fortnightly meeting of that wonderful body eyclept the Thames Borough Council, was to havo come off last night but lapsed for the want of quorum. At 7.30 only three of the councillors responded to the call of duty, Messrs WilsoD, Osborne and Speight. After anxiously waiting for the arrival of the othe r members of the body, during which the reporters arranged their paper, put points to their pencils, and endeavored in some degree to lessen the monotony in various other ways, the council adjourned until Monday. No sooner had they done ao than Crs Bawdon and McGowan sauntered into the room, and were quite astonished at the fact ifc was nearly eight o'clock. Mr McGowan urged that it was not legal to adjourn the meeting until half an hour after the time for which the meeting was called had elapsed. It was his desire to proceed, but Cr Osborne who, like Mark Twain, wanted the business done, but some one else to do it, cleared off the premises, and the meeting consequently fell through.

The Lydia Howarde Grand Burlesque and Opera Bouffe Company intend to play a short season at the Academy of Music. The opening piece will be the muoical extravaganza of " Robinßon Crusoe, or the Pirates of Palm Bay and the Indians of Juan Fernandez." The Company is a very large one—'over twenty performers, and a change of programme will be given each night of the season. So well known is the leader of this company, Lydia Howarde, (hat it is unnecessary to say much in her praise. A Sydney paper says :—lt is a question if ever a better company has visited New South Wales than the Lydia Howarde Burlesque Company, or if a more capable, versatile, and generally efficient troupe has hitherto paid ua a visit. We trust a liberal support will be given by the Thames people.

The Te Aroha Minor is giviug a series of letters on "Te Aroha—a few glimpses at its past history," A great deal of information is contained in the articles.

Ownsra to the stewards of the Te Aroha race meeting upholding the protest in the Maiden Race against Dewdrop getting the money, having already won a racs for £10, the Emu gets the stakes, and Bundavra secures second place for the race for the Cup, Yatapa'a jockey having done something unfair in the riding.

The Assessment reviewers, Messra Taylor and Moat, sat afc the County offices this morning for the purpose of hearing objections against the assessments. Some alight reductions were made, Dr Kilgour getting his valuation reduced by £500. A great part of the sitting was taken up by an enquiry into Mr Robert Graham's assessments.

The Thames Scottish are called together for general meeting this evening at 7.30 o'clock, to consider the number of represen tatives to proceed to the Nelson rifle contest.

Tenders are wanted for worfcing on tribute eight sections of ground in the Reuben Parr mine.

The competition to decide who shall represent the Thames Rifle Ranges at the Nelson match will take place on Saturday. The ranges are 200, 400, 500, and 600 yards, seven shots at each range. ;

We would again remind our readers that tho tea, concert, and dance, in aid of the building fund of St. John's Church, Tararu, will take place this evening in the Tararn day school.

A SEXBNC suggests that Mrs Hampson should allow a collection to be made at tomorrow.night's service for the benefit of the Thames Hospital. He says so many have been benefitted by Mrs Hampson's services that few better opportunities could be afforded them for testifying their conversion than by contributing to the fund devoted for the relief of the poor, aged and sick.

It has been suggested that, an opening should be made in the railway embankment, and drain tiles put in afc that portion behind the Pacific Hotel, ao the water coming in the culvert afc Oochrane street might fiad an exit near Curtis' Wharf, and by creating a current, take away a large portion of the mud which causes such an abominable smell occasionally.

Mb Edwards has left in our office a samof tnanganise, ground to a fine powder. The material is from a vein found below Tararu.

Feom aa advertisement in another column it will be noticed that the Blanche will proceed.] to Coromandel this evening, after returning from her trip to the Wairoa.

The Dunedin Star in an article on the approaching session, says :— " Conviction almoßfc forces itself on the mind that the members opposed to the Government are putting the cart before the horse, in endeavoring to settle the policy before they have determined on a leader. What is wanted is rather a man given to genera'isation and skilful in attack, than a politician with principles, defined aims, and speculation. If they can agree on only a sensible course in their own interests, and can induce Sir GL Grey to forget the scurvey treatment in the past two or three years, they may give Ministers considerable trouble during the session."

The Southland Times of a late date says : —Ifc is notorious what luck has fallen to the foreign whalers that during late years have visited the New Zealand waters. The

American barque Asia, and the barque Sap

phire, hailing from Hobart Town, are lying afc present in Half-moon Bay, Stewart's Island, the former having 45 tuns of sperm oil aboard, and the latter 65 tans. The crew of the Sapphire had lately an encouater with an old sperm whale off Preservation Inlet, thnfc is fit to go into a book. Instead of

sheering off after receiving the harpoon, the

old fellow faced about and came at the boat open-jawed, fighting with both mouth and tail. During fire hours he did not move a mile [from where he was struck. Two harpoons were got into him aud one lance, and

also five or six bomb lauccs, but only one of the last exploded. The line which held him gave way aomehow, and the crew returned to dinner, the barque being only about 200 yards off. Af < er dinner the boat was again manned, and got close alongside the lish without being observed. The mate had a gun ready, aDd, being in a position to fire a deadly shot, pulled the trigger, when the cap snapped, and the whale, seeming to hear the noise,

swam away to windward and escaped. The fruitless snapping of tbac cap cost probably five or six hundred pounds. Such is life— and whaling!