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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3890, 17 June 1881, Page 2

--A DIHKEB-will be given to Mr John Brown at the Governor Bowen hotel ; to morrow evening. A' long programme of toasts has b u6» drtisvn up, and an influential committee hsvp lukeu riie matter in baud.

The Borough Council have been driven at, j last to authorise the construction of the water I table on the west side of Pollen street, s;> strenuously advocnted by ourselves. Councillors as "Well as other individuals cannot escape the weight of piiblk- opinion ; and altbdtfgh one or more members lust Jiigt»t, fot; the'sake of what they imagine 10 be cousin tency of conduct, made a feeble effort to prevent the work being proceeded with, yet the good dense of the majority prevailed.

Thb officers of the Thames Scottish Buti teijpjs.,,!!»7l^ftV(i!:.?rt«in.^.i!hp»..W,aiK*^. r fPft^l ryteam, and their opponents, at dinner this evening ab the G-overnor Bowen Hotel. !

.Wh ..understand that the County Council received a telegram from Mr J. B. Whytei M.H.R., to the effect that a sum of £250 would bo granted by 5 the Government for road improvements in the .Te' Aroha district. The Thames third member is already oatlj at work this session.

The Thames Scottish Battalion held their usual,drill Jtwt night. The 3ergcant-Major put the men through some com puny and battalion movements in a sharp and decisive manner. The Adjutant then fell the officers in, and exercised them for half an hour in various evolutions, which were smartly performed. Before dismissal Messrs Alex. and.Andrew Thorburn were proposed and ac epted as working members of No. 2 Company. The roll was called, and the rmembers proceeded'to the Academy'to enjoy the performance of their fine band. A testimonial is being-subscribed for by the members of No. 2 Corup'ny, in order to. present a souvenir io tSerf»eant ft. Hudson, their late young but energetic secretary. Mr Hudson, owing to his removal to the Auckland Poßt Office, has been compelled fo sever his eonnec tion with the battalion. It will, however, bo gratifying to him to find that his exertions for the progress of the Scattish were not unappreciated.

The first concert of the Thames Scottish Band.was held at the Academy of Music last evening, and was very well attended. The following selections were played in a most creditable style, the audience frequently applauding -.—Slow March—" Valiant," by EMarie; Selection—" Weber's Kuryanthe," by Sydney Jones; Valse—" Beautiful Loch Lomond," by H. Round; Selection—"The Pirates of Peazance," by Arthur Sullivan ; Polka—"lmperial". by R. Smith; Galop— •'Masken Galop," by L. Otrtel. It is the intention of the battalion to continue these concerts during the winter month*.

11 Loveb of Mtrsic " writes as follows :—I was at the Academy of Music lasb night at the concert given by the Scottish Hand, and with your permission would respectfully suggest to the worthy bandmaster —That one or two operatic overtures or selections, to which the audience would not be entire strangers, eliould be inoluded in the next programme. -Far be it from me to find fault with the concert last night; it was all grand music and capitally performed, but with all due respect to the Band 1 think it was rather too grand for the general public to appreciate. As regards the arrangements in the Ha/7 too; I have attended a good many promenade concerts in England, but never was I at one where the audience sat the whole of! the evening in the freezing, formal manner they did lust night.

The New Zealand District Council of the Independent Order of Rechabites held a special.meeting on; Tuesday' evening last at the'Bbpe'of Auckland Tent Room for the consideration of certain modifications in their rules to meet, the requirements of the.Friendly Societies Act, 1877, and the Friendly Societies Act Amendment Act", 1878. There was a good attendance of the members of this Council, and at 6 p.m., a most recherche repast was provided by the Auckland members to : entertain .those coming from the Thames and other distant parts. After the refreshments had been partaken of, business w»s commenced with a determination to finish whit was expected to be a long and tedious job. However, through the pains taken by the District ;Becretarv to have everything connec ed with the business of the meeting in a prepared state, they had completed their business by 10 o'clock. The Secretary was instructed to get the rules copied and signed, and sent; to the Registrar. This concluded the b sines*.

Thb Marine Department has been instructed to report upon the necessity for th<» erection ot alighthouse on Waipapa Point f If, ms id expected, the report is favourable, the lighthouse will be erepted. Q-overnnneut are prepared, to recognise the services tendered by the police at the wreck of the Tararua, but they do not consider the payment of v bonus necessary for services, beyond compensation for the value of . lothos destroyed in rendering such services.

A PoriiiEK street shopkeeper was making several, alterations in,the internal arrangement of his shop yesterday, and was considerably pestered by people looking in and enquiring the reason therejf. In order to have a Jittle quietness, he stuck up in the wiadow the following notice, "Selling off, going to Queensland," and was then allowed to finish his work in peace.

Mb MUBBA.T, M.H.R, again gave notice of his annual Drainage Bill. For years he has brought up this pet chicken, which has as regularly beea consigned to oblivion. There was a perfect storm of laughter when he gave notice of it again yesterday. Years ago, when drainage matters were being discussed at Home, Mr Murray wrote to Sir Robert Peel offering some' suggestions. Sir Robert Peel wrote thanking him for the suggestions, and stated that the Board »f Trade would no doubt cosnider them. Since then Mr' Murray has carried that letter nearest his heart, and has a craze for drainage.

In the House of Commons yesterday the bill providing for the closing of public-houses in Wales oa Sundays was read a third time and passed.

Replying to a question in the House, it was stated Government did not intend to propose any amendment of the Harbours Act of 1879, but would assist Harbour Boards in getting any alteration made that appears necessary.

C# VeAlb deserves great credit for the course tftkeu by , biin in tabling a notice of motion to have * number of nejsHssary works proceeded with in • thd' South Ward in order in some measure to compensate for the neglect of that portion of the township by the Works Committee of the Council.