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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3974, 23 September 1881, Page 2

In the Warden's Court this morning th* case of J. A. Miller v. Brown and Corbett was further adjourned for a fortnight.

A FBW minutes after eleven o'clock Ibis morning the alarm of fire was rung out from' the Grahamstown bell, and in a very short time a number of people were on the way to the scene of the conflagration. It appears that some of Mr Lamb's men were engaged tarring plank* in Mr Lamb's timber yard on the Beacb, when by seme means the tar pot was overturned, and t1 c stuff catching flre ignited several pieces of timber in the vicinity. With the assistance of a few buckets of water the flames were soon extinguished ; although the Grahamstown brigade with tbe hose reef were on the spot, ready if their exertions were required. The damage was but slight. .

A Good joke ossurred a few days ago in a certain Borough hot many miles away from here. Some young people, knowing the liking entertained by a certain gentleman for the luscious fruit of the banana tree, carefully forwarded a large bag to his residence. He returned home late in the evening, and noticing the bag suspended on the door handle, carefully undid it, and after observing the contents, carried them into his house, no doubt anticipating the treat in store for him. He sat down and contetnplatd them with the eye of a connoisseur. Then he took one out and proceeded to peel it. His consternation was great when he found that they were like the Pharisees, good to look at without, but void within. Tbe bag was discovered the next morning in the gutter on the opposite side of the road; and judging from the manner in which it was mangled, the recipient of the gift mußt have exhausted himself with vexation.

'The following is an extract from a letter from H. W. Ogilvie, of AuckUnd, re the subject of ostrich farming, which Bir George Grey bas recently brought under the notice of the House. The letter was addressed to Sir George Grey:—" About twelve months ago I purposed myself going to the Cape and introducing ostriches into this colony, but was laughed at. From my experieno), I think the North Island and many o the Islands on this coast, well suited for birds, a ore particularly the Chatham Isles. The latter are quit; as' good as'the Cape itself. I think that you may lay claim inc'i eetly \o being the introducer of the domeelioated ostrich into Africa, as you reoe-Tiber some 21 years ago you bad two tame ones in the grounds of Government House at Cape Town. This example induced the late Sir Water Carrie to bev<3 some in bis p irk at Nat lands, Grihamstown. He plucked them on one occasion, but thefeithers of prime quality only realised £6. This was owing to the bird 4 breeding and hatching. A Mr Douglas then took them over and invented an incubator, hatching all the eggs and plncking only young birds from six months up to four years. AMr Akerstone, near Grahams* town, makes £600 yearly from one pair of breeding birds This, of course, is an exception, but I may state t at if Qstriph feathers decreased in value 40 per cent., they you}d pay belter than any other industry. At the Cape the average tales in Port Eitabelh alone are £50,000 monthly.

T#bb b was a large attendance i»t the Cambridge ra«es yesterday. The following were the events;— Hurdle Race: Two started, Sportsman and Harkaway, who kept together to the leventh hurdle, when Harkaway rag of the course. Sportsman wag an easy winner. Makten steeplecbaie: Bandjfct ajjd Tommy

Dodd fell at the second hurdle ; Loafer and Htiikaway raced for it, IJarkuway winning easily by a length. Cambridge Spring Cup Handicap: This event was won eusil* by n rank outsider Stanley ; G-ruud Duchess second. Cambridge Steeplechase : Dttrick btmlked after once goin* round. It ns an exciting race between Hitrkawtiy iind Sportsman, Both horses left out the lust jump. Sportsman won easily, but had to go buck and jump the last hurdle, thus Harkawuy won by half a length.

Thk Wellington Tim. a concludes an article on the West Coast situution as follow):— " The Maoris must be given to understand in plain terms that their obstruction will be no longer tolerated. If they persist in the idiotic stonowul ing proceedings urged by To Whiti, they must be mv le to (eel the grip of the iron hand. This is what the Govenment o ight to he prepared for. Hiilnrto the latter has persistently h- Id out the olive branch of peace An eicess of forbearance lias been manifested, but if, in spite of nil thi«, th» Maoris push matters to extremities, a blunder of the worst kind will b» perpetrated if they are ev<r allowed the opportunity of doing so again. Retribution must be sharp mid thorough—its crowning act the pasting of a ploughshare through Lite settlement at ParihaUu, and the immolation of the false prophet &! d his high priests. We do hope that before the session closes Parliament will strengthen the hands of Ministers by giving a decided expression of opinion in this direction. Any exhibition of philo M torisui at the present juncture would be entirely out of place."

Fibe kindlers are now so much a necessity to all housekeepers that it is needless to say much in favor of such goods, yet the kiodlers made by Mr Williams, of Albert street, Auckland, are the very beet manufactured. In another Mr Williams also adver ises amonia wu*bitig fluid, said to be of the greatest use in cleansing clothes.