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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3832, 9 April 1881, Page 2

Between six and seven this morning, the firebells clanged out their loud alarms, and the firemen turned out with all their parapherntlia, some of them no doubt hoping for an opportunity to put the efficiency of the new mains to a practical test. The cause j of the alarm however turned out to be "only a chimbley," as one small boy informed auother in our hearing.

The Advertiser this morning gives the Crown .Prosecutor and. Mr Superintendent; Thomson the credit of obtaining the fresh evidence in the Procoffy case. This, we have the best authority for stating, is if incorrect, the credit being due to Constable Nicholas Cleary, of Te Aroha, whose services in this affair will, we trust, be recognised by the authorities.

Thb anniversary sermons in connection with the Grahamßtown Wesleyan Church will be preached to-morrow by the ,<Rev. HDerfsbury, of Auckland. -

At the B^M. Court this morning one individual, charged with drunkenness, and who had been incarcerated all night, was discharged with a caution. Another, who, besides having partaken too freely, of liquor, had dicharged a rifle in the street was fined 5s and costs for the first offence, and 40s or 14 days' imprisonment for the second.

From a notice in another column it will be seen that a bazaar and gift stall will be held in the Volunteer Hall, Skortland on Wednesday evening next, in aid of the building fund of the Mackay street Primitive Methodist Church. The fine band of the Naval Brigade will be in attendance during the evening and render selections of music..

Ik consequence of the absence from the Thames of the Rev. S. J. Neill, Mr Samuel Edgar of Auckland will officiate at the Presbyterian Church tomorrow at both services.

Mb Samuel Hetheringtox, the wellknown Pollen street draper, notifies in another column that he is now opening up his new stosk of winter drapery. MrHether* ington's establishment iskn.wn to all residents here, and those requi>ing the best: and most 'fashionable gjods tin certainly oblaiu them there.

The following further reply has been received by the editor of this journal from the Government ro the Haven Gold Mining Com. pany •—" Wellington, April 9—Only now obtained copy of London Standard, containing prospectus of Haven Gold Mining Company. Am' informed Auckland of Commerce., has sent necessary cablegram to London.—John Hah., for Minister of Mines." —William McCullough, Grabamstown. ,

HabkiSOn's claim, Blue Spur, Otago, ■has washed lOOOoas gold for three months' work.

We are informed that the following persons will give additional evidence on behalf of the Crown in the Procoffi murder case at the Supreme Court on Monday next: —William Baker, J. H. Smallman, William Hyde,""Grepr'ge Lipsey, and John Meyer. It will| we believe, be entirely circumstantial. Mr Brassey has beenr in communication with the \ Government re the fee allowed by them for : prisoner's defence—lo guineas—and yesterday Mr Whitaker, to whom the matter had been referred by Government telegraphed to Mr Brassey that a 50 guinea fee could not be allowed, but that they will allow ten guineas on the brief, and a refresher of five guineas per day for each day the trial lasts. The prisoner has been furnished with a copy of the depositions taken at the late trial. Mr Brassey leaves for Auckland this afternoon to conduct the defence.

Me W. L. Rees airived by the Tararua at Auckland on Wednesday night with the intention of commencing proceedings against the Free Lance. He intends, we are informed, to issue eight or ten writs for separate libels. Proceedings are to be taken criminally.

The Government have received several despatches from the Agent-General by the San Francisco mail, mostly, however, relating to matters connected with tbe assumption of office by the Agent-G-eueral, Sir Dillon Bell. There is nothing of public interest in the despatches. - "

The Otago Daily Times says :—As soon as the returns to the ciroular of the Bible-in Schools Association have been tabulated, we purpose giving some particulars of the result, but in the meantime we may mention that nearly seventy schools (including several of tbe Dunedin ones) have sent replies, and that these are largely in favour of the efforts of the Association to have tbe Bible ,re«intro• duced into the public schools.

With reference to the article which we abridged from the Herald headed " Lotti Wilmot in Court," and which appears in another part of this paper, that lady sends the following letter to our contemporary:— Tn your valuable paper this morning, His Honor is reported to speak of " morbid curiosity, which any person who has watched or read my history must put down as a rash assertion. No curiosity could possibly have led me to the Supreme Court, as I h ye travelled almost entirely over the world, worked in military hospitals, and seen life from every point of view. My mission was business, and a few suggestions may be valuable, even if offered by that much despised (at the present time) sex—a woman Why was not the motley crowd of idle men ordered out of Court, whose prurient curiosity was pandered to yesterday at the public expense ? Would it not be more in accordance with decency (if the unfortunate woman is modest) that daring th« trial ail idle men be ordered out of Court, and the report rs women (instead of grinning boys). My views may be in advance of the present age, but advancement and education will soon compel the stronger sex to make way whenever ability is shown even by the weaker (p yeically only) sex. I wish to correct a . ve*y great mistake in your report this morning, the officials all, without exception, treated me with every respect and courtesy due to my position, and ho rudeness was experienced by me.

A cobbespondent who visited the Hospital this morning, writes as follows.— : Tbe lad Richard Thomas, who received a bad fraciure of the leg at Parawai some time ago, was discharged thiß morning cure). The fracture in this instance was very peculiar, ps it was impossible for bis medical attendant to make out where the fracture was ; however, the patient is cured, and that is the nuin thing. One of the paiients at present receiving medical treatment is Alfred Hafcten, who it will be remembered fractured his leg by a falling log about the end of February. This man is lying in a curiously constructed splint of Dr Payne's contrivance —an appara'us for which the Doctor claims a certainty of good results in every case. In this case it is a matter of pure conjecture where the damage has been sustained: the patient cannot tell by his own feelings, and the attendants cannot by the,sense of either touch or sighl". In addition to th« first named patient, who leaves the institution to-day, Richard Ghrubb, who has been suffering from a dislocated shoulder, will also be discharged.

The Mining Journal soys : —"Thepresence of gold in unmißtakeablo quantity in Fortescue (Stannagwin) mine, Cornwall, was reported a few days einoe, the place of die covery being the lode in the engine shaft. A. few ounces of lode stuff was only tried the result being so satisfactory that large samples hare been sent to London to be tested. It was stated a few weeks ago in Truro that large quantities of gold were found in this mine, &nd that Sir J. Hawkins made a 1 rge sum of money from the sale of gold."

Sir George Grey was expected to come to town on Wednesday last, in order to proceed to the Thames to address bis constituents. He was, however, unable to leave the Kawau as Viti Lofa, a Fijian chief of high rank, and Mr Williamson, a Lands Commissioner, who has come from England, were resi Hng there. They ware taken on to !Fiji by the outhern Cross on her laßt trip. In all probability Sir George will come to Auckland on Wednesday nevt. —Herald.

The Bill for the boarding out of destitute children has passed the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, and is regarded by the Sydney Press as one of the most valuable measures of the session. The experiment has in fact been tried without a law, stimulated by the experience of the sister colony of Victoria, nnd the Bill is merely a recognition of its success. The Sydney Telegraph says: —" The chief point, and that upon which the successful working of, the Act must largely depend, will be the efficient discharge of duty by those officers who are to have control of the boarding out of the children, and the intelligent co-operation of the visiting inspectors. No insuperable obstacle need be looked for in this direction, and we are therefore justified in anticipating the successful and satisfactory working of the Act." There is a good opening . f>r some of our would-be law makers to introduce a copy of the above bills into the New Zealand Legislature.