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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3840, 20 April 1881, Page 2

The anticipations concerning the precarious state of Lord Beaconfield's health, have been verified by his demise which took place last night. The void caused by his death in the political and literary world will be hard to fill up. Disraeli was undobtedly one of the meu of the century. In a late issue we referred more particularly to the history of his life. ;

At Te Awamutu during " the occupation;" our men were much surprised at the sight of a white Maori woman. The skin was as white and fine as could be conceived, ;and the hair a delioafce ginger with a shade of golden -yellow thrown in,' but the contour of the features and structure of the body showed she was only a Maori waitrine. Her chin was .elaborately tatoed, and she seemed perfectly oblivious of the interest she occasioned. The natives say they do not know hor parents asserting that she comes from the snow mountains. ■' \

Me Daniel Gloonan was married at the Catholic. Church, Short-land, this : morning, Father O'Reilly tying the connubial knot. We heartily wish Dan success in his voyage through life in the matrimonial Bhip.

Mb H. Hbebebt has left in this office a cumber of eeeds of the BOPghum, a plant used for fodder. It is said to possess wonderful fattening qualities and grows luxuriantly in moat classes of soil.

Ewoottbagung reports reach us from the Waitekauri mine. The tributers, Hollis and party and Butler and party, are raising first 'rate ore, and the late rain will enable them to. crush.

With reference to the reef discovered by Hone Werahiko some time ago at Te Aroha, we learn that recently the prospector- has been doing more work on it, aud has traced gold for over 100 yards. He speaks very hopefully regurding the prospects, considering it the best yet found for miles around.

A pabtt of men are prospecting at Puriri, with what success we do not know.

A xakgke number of Thames people attended the Auckland races.

We are glad to hear the Thames Amateur , Operatic-. Company iittend performing tbe " Sorcerer " on , the evening of the sth prox. ia aid of St. John's Church, Turaru. It will 'be remembered wit!) what great;, success the' above company met with when they performed the " Pinafore " some months age> '■'and judging froth what we can learn we anticipate a bumper house on this ocC'ision, for in addition to the cause, which is a laudable,- one, the opera is such us to please everybody, and is already looked forward to by a largß ii umber of our citizen frieude.

It has been suggested that, in view of the Thames Council Bpondiug some money on the Waiotabi Creek road, that a portion of the last.vote should be expended in the construction of large, waggons capable of carrying six >^Beven^£oa«- of qunrlz It is well known that^Bedrays in ordinary use cut up roads very "nfuch, especially in bad weatherj'while LJe waggons, with their large wheels, would be less destructive. It is, urged^ that the saving of wear and tear on the roads would more than repay the first cost of the waggons, and the benefit to the miners would be some* th'fng very considerable.' The coat of carting from the Waiotahi is very bea^jy, and quartz that would pay handsomely has frequently to be laid aside,' owiDg to the heavy expenses attending its removal to the battery. We would recommend the suggestion to the County Council. ,'

We were somewhat in error in stating that the census of the memberß of the Eoman Catholic Church on the Thames had been taken for the purpose of levying the school tax. It appears thk.t it is a regulation of the church that a correct list of fche members should be in the hands of the pastor, and for that .purpose periodically a census is taken in each district.

A meeting of the subscribers to the Thames Hospital will be held' at the Academy of Music to-night.

Xbndehs are required for shingling the Eoman Catholic Church, Shortland. Father O'Reilly will show the specification to intending tenderers. ,

Mb R. R. McGbeqob advertises a sale tomorrow of the stock-ia-trade of a general store, etc

Mb Geob&e Lanseii,, a successful Ballarat mining speculator, who is on his way to England, is at present at the Thames. He was shown through the Kuranui Hill United, and ofeher mines.; •

At the time of the war 10,000 troops were stationed at Te Awamutu, and their trenches and rifle pits are still to be seen.

A well known Queen street boniface while down the coast recently, shot several shags, and bringing them home threw them into a oorner of his bar. Presently, in comes young T-—- the new chum, who, spotting the plant said t» the landlord, " Hallow! Joe, ducks." " Yes, will you have a pair." "Don't mind if I do; very many thanks. What's your poison." Well, they had a drink together, and young T ■■-■ borrowed Joe's gun and went off with the brace of shags as proud as Punch. As he went down the street all the little boys grinned, but he remained in blissful ignorance till he reached home. The revulsion of feeling is reported to have been truly awful..

It has been represented to ua that fche statements were untrue contained in a letter written by some ladies of Paeroa, and which appeared in • our columns, referring to the Police officer in charge: of that district. Persons who know Sergt. Rusaell are prepared to assert that he has never, been known to either play cardß or dice in any public house nor had he favored fch» holders of publicans' licenses in any way. It is said the statements were made out of'spite, and with the intention to injure the officer referred to.

. .The following is, Col. Lyon'a address to the men after the review:—Major Withers, officers, non-commissioned officers, and troop's Auckland and Thames volunteers, —It affords me Tory great pleasure to. meet you here to day. I consider you deserve very great praise and credit for having foregone your Easter holidays for duty, and I hope you will have learned something. If I were now to say you were equal to regiments of the. line, I should be saying what was not correct. I cannot say so, for the reason that you cannot afford that time and attendance which are so absolutely" necessary, for making: a Boldier._ It is only through continued drill and discipline that the Imperial army has attained its efficiency. Ido not say this with abyidea of depreciating your value, I only nmntion it in order to stimulate you to greater exertion at drill, at the same time I must admit that I have been very well satisfied to day with your performances, and t^e manner ia which you turned out from your camp, considering the wet weather. I was agreeably surprised at the steidy manner in which you marched past. I cannot give the palm to, any one, but all did remarkably well. There is one fault to find. I have heard a great deal of t-ilking in the ranks. If there is one thing abominable in volunteering," it is talking'ia, the ranks. In some cases there waa more talking than in others. If some of jo a heard me use l-ather strong language, I think it waa justified.Your skirmishing falls short of efficiency. When ia square, you were lax and loose; and a real "cavalry charge wou!d hava cut you into smithereens —by 6-eorge, they would. You do not seem to understand the bugle calls, owing no doubt to your * being continually drilled in drill-sheds instead of in the field.. If you want to be efficient, you must go into the country. That is what is required. The squares and what wo did to-day were entirely amusement. Such things as squares to receive cavalry are not known in modern warfare. Cavalry nowadays would not charge squares. They would be broken by line fire. All you have to do in the way; of drill is skirmish, skirmish, skirmish. When you learn that, I shall be glad to see you. I hope you hare enjoyed yourselves, and I am sorry you have had so limited a stay. I trust tlm will not be the last of these reviews.

Me .Roiil/ESTON reached Wellington on Monday.

The gold medals being struck at the Mint for the Melbourne Exhibition .are to be one and a-half inch in diameter, the silver medals two inches, and the bronze three inches. The gold medals will contain each £i 10a worth of gold. The design is plain. SiThe profile of the Queen is surrounded by a wreath and the words " Melbourne International Exhibition, 1880;" and ou the reverse side tha motto of the Exhibition. Specimens of each medal will be sent to the Queen nnd Prince of Wtile3.

McGUHEr, the alleged murderer of Bell, was captured in the raugea yesterday. He had been seen going across Mangahua river, and the Little G-reypolice were notified of this fact, and they immediately followed close on his back, eventually capturing him.' It is stated that McG-ahey's jealousy was well founded, and that latterly he had been brooding'over his domestic grievances.

The following are the probable starters for the Sydney Cup, to be run for >to-.day :— Wellington, Progress, Woodlands, Blaok Swan, Falmouth, The Pontiff, Strathem; Richmond,' Braidwood, Barber, - Canary, Orient,. Wandering Jew, Major, Cynic, Templar, Q-uuild. ~.

The Wangnnui Herald learns that a party of natives have brought down the river a pair of antlers taken from a deer shot near I'ongariro. The natives stale thab thare are close on 100 head of deer on the,block known as Rangitawn, ntar Tongariro, their existence being unkuowu uu'il the lu'sfc two or tree weejp. At first the native were alarmed,

not knowing whether the deer were dangerous to approach, but after a tirn'e they shot one, and brought the 'antlers to town with them; The flesh of the deer hhey consumed, enjoying a haunch of venison with great gusto.

-The Waikato Mail hostile following :-"A singular accident; happened to Rewi on his way to the Hikurangi meoiing. 'lEefefl down a precipice 70 feet deep,' from which he was taken up insensible'by Messrs Ross, Thompson, and ' Mokau Jones.' Rowi, when he recovered consciousness, aßked to be dipped in the Punui River, and afterwards found that he had recovered tha use of his left arm, which had been for some time prejnously. ■paVaTysedr Rewi was Cirried back ib his residence at Funui, where he remains for the present." ' '