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Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4047, 17 December 1881, Page 2

We would remind our readers of t c opening concert of the Murielle Concert Company at the Academy of Music this evening.

The Rev. Thos. Hamer will officiate at the Congregational Church to-morrow at both mornisg and evening services.

It is currently reported in Auckland that a co-operative grocery store and bakery is to be started in Shortland. Some were unkind enough to say that the proprietors of the t Thames papers were to be offered billets in the establishment, as their livelihood will soon.be taken from them when the new paper started. The platform- of the new journal, it is said, will be Liberal, (with other people's reputation), G-reyite (abolition of (he Upper Houie), Templar (towards making men sober by Act of Parliament), Orange (in its advocacy of the Land League, and the general destruction of the Catholic Churoh) j matters touching fcbe millenium, the lost tribes, spiritualism, and: the nationalization of the land, together with dissertations on the unequal distribution of capital, and the unrighteousness of the present dispensation which requires men to labor for a living, will also receive attention in the columns of the new paper.

We understand that a juvenile entertainment will be held in St. George's schoolroom, Bolleston street, on a given day next week, by tho Eauaeranga Boys' School, the object of which will ba to raiee funds to defray the expense of entertaining the Auckland Schools cricketers on the paying the return match of "Our Boys" last year. All th« prize drawings, &c, will be arranged in the room for the occasion—thus giving the entertainment, a further attraction for those who may not have seen them.

It is intended to hold a New Zealand International Exhibition at Cbristoburch about March next year.

The rights and priviledges for the three days' meeting of the Auckland Racing Club were sold yesterday by Messrs Tonks and Co. The cards fetched the respectable sum of £155.

A TSTOaEAPHiCAL error crept into our report of the distribution of the district prizes. Miss Lucy E. Watkin for the composition, prize is a pupil of the Kauaeranga Boys' School, aud not the Kauaeranga Girls' Scbool as stated by us.

The Poverty Bay Herald, iv a leader cornmeeting on Mr Macdonald, one of the candidates, is not over complimentary, as will be seen from the following extract from that journal:—" It is difficult to accuse Mr McDonald of possessing any definite or fixed political principles. Such a remarkably versatile man—who changes his tactics as the chamelion his hues, according to the position in which he is placed—such a " slippery customer," as some call him, is difficult to deal with. He changes front s> often, that he does not know whether he is proceeding, or taking ground to the rear. ' But if he will act so uoskillfully n to let uncertainty, or the chapter of accidents to guide him, the electors must pin him to selections of their own. Mr McDonald has said on several occasions, and be repeated the contradictions on Saturday night, that, firstly, he was an avowed opponent of t!:e Hall Government; secondly, that he would stick to the Grey party and Liberal measures; thirdly, that all Governments were alike to him ; and fourthly, he declared, with more honesty than discretion, that he would support any Government so long as he did not injure himself." Mr McDonald, if the above be true, evidently thought to obtain a majority of votes by promising to support the favorites of all and sundry.

Ohlt one rase was heard tliis morning, the delinquent having communed too long with those ancient cages, who, although defunct in body, are still alive in the spirit. A nominal fine was inflicted.

A TKIKGBAM informs us that the Returning Officer for Thorndon to-day laid au information against the Hon. C. J. Pharazyn for plural voting at the recent election. Au information has aUo been laid against two electors of South Franklyn on similar charges. The cases will be heard on Thursday. A man named Smith, a labourer of Alfredton, has been arrested at Maeterton on a charge of voting twice at the Wairarapa North election. ■--.•;■.

A hbay? thunderstorm swept over the township early this morning, causing many somnolent residents to awake long before their usual time. The rain poured down iv torrents, filling the watertables, and collecting in beautiful miniature Isles iv the roadways.

At (he brouking up of the Eauaurangu Girls' school yesterday afternoon, the Chair was occupied by Mr Renshaw, and not by the Mayor as was stated in last evening's isme. The prizes were presented by Mrs T. L. Murray. On leaving each of the scholars received a paper bag containing some cake, lollies, &c

The fund for Mrs Grarfield has already attained the large sum of 339,000 'dollars It is entirely due to the untiring efforts of Mr Cyrus W. Field, always ready and willing to engage in any generous enterprise, that the subscriptions have been so bountiful.

Dr Bt/lleb, at his meeting at Earori, urged that the Datives should be treated with kindness but firmness. As showing the value of the latter be instanced a case where 500 natives came down the Wnitemata Harbour to avenge the disgrace of a chief who hud been fined for stealing a pair of boot*. Several of the influential c'liofs went to Government, house and represented their case to 001. Wynyard He received them kindly, but told them that if within an hour they were not all gone from the harbour, the guns of Fort Brilomarb would fire on them. The deputation left, .md another one immediately after visited Government House and asked for ;u,oilier.hour's delay. " No," waß the reply," begoii9 within tii hour or we fire on you," uuri the 500 men disappeared without delay. Tliut ribe was, said the doctor, eter uf'erwarda our iriends and allies, but had they nut been firmly dealt with they would probably have SHcked the oily of Auckland. As showing their extreme selfishness, he stated that when he was commissioner at Foxton, carrying out the " flour and sugar policy," a native came to him aud said be whs starving. Dr Bailer went to the store and ordered a bag of sugar and a bag of flour, when the Maori looked at him and asked, "Well, but who's to pay me for taking them home— Waikato Times.