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Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4346, 5 December 1882, Page 2

A SLIGHT accident happened this afternoon in the Wuiotahi mine. Two men employed there, named Wil«on and Band, had put in a hole, and lit the fuse, but the charge missed fire. They then started to drill out the tamping, and in doing to by some means ignited the powder. Bond's face ia considerably marked, though not seriously .hurt, and the eye-sight is not affected; wbi'e Wilson escaped almost entirely free. Bond was taken to' the hospital, and his injuries attended to.

A wondeefulj freak of nature is on exhibition in the premises near the Exchange Hotel, Shortland, formerly occupied by Messrs Durham and MacLeod, drapers. It was, our informant aajs, calved by a cow in Botany Bay on March 10th last. It has one head that of a kangaroo, and a formation representing Ihe place nature apparently intended for another, eight legs, four ears, three eyes, two of which resemble a ca!f's, the other being unlike them, but, it is said, similar to that ef the kangaroo, and two tails. There are several other points in which this lusus natura differs from the usual order of things ; for instance, the ears are under tbe eyes. To lovers of the exJUordinary and wonderful this monstrosity is well worth seeing.

An advertisement appears in another column of a meeting (in connection with the Colonial Land Settlement and Endowment Association, Limited) for this evening, at St. Joseph's Bchool. The objects of the association will be fully explained at the meeting.

Mb SIEaiFGEH, tbe well known veterinary surgeon and specialist, has arrived at the Thames, and is stopping at the Governor Bo»en Hotel, where he receives orders ar.d makes arrangements for the further sale of his medicines, including balsam and cough syrup. The New Zealand Times cays :— " Amid tbe multitude of patent medicines—some good, many*bad, and others indifferent, of late introduced to, the public of the Colonies—it is difficult, indeed, to gay what is or is not deserving of public favor, but as regards Mr Sleeinger's preparations there can be no doubt at all. He baa perfected medicines which fulfil,all that is claimed for them, whether applied to the human system, or to the animals whore constitutions he has -foryears made his special study.

A telegram received to-day states that Messrs Harrison and Clark*, tbe contractors for the erection of the winding machinery at the Old Crown Frincees shaft for the Thames Winding As ociation commenced operations yesterday for the removal of the plant, which may bo expected to artive here in the course of a few days. Tbe machinery, which consists of a 25-horse power engine, multitubular boiler and winding gear lias been"purchased bj the Association for £700, and its erection, whioh is estimated to cost about £450, will bring the total co-t up to about £1200, which will be defrayed equally by the Southern 1 'roes, Queen of England, Mariner, and London Companies. It" is to be hoped that operations will be pushed on as speedily as possible, as there can be no doubt that when once the shaft is in working order good results »ill be obtained from the several mines which intend to begin operations at this point.

The Lytt lton Times says that Mr A. Postle, of Pupanui, must have been born under a very lucky star. He sent £i over to Melbourne for investment in one of the numerous sweeps on the Cup. With his two chances he drew two horses, and those were The Assyrian and Stockwell! Henceforward the storekeeper of Papanui will surely be the Apostle of sweeps.

Gbave charges of oruelty are made against the head mnster of the District school, Tauranga. The Times, referring to the matter, snys:— ' From ocular demonstration we are in a position to affirm unhesitatingly that corporal punishment of a very cruel na'ure was inflicted on at least one lad, and we hear of five more, attending the district school laat Friday. This lad we have examined. His flesh is terribly laoerated, and his father has, we believe, written to Captain Tunkß, Chairman of the District School Committee, demanding an investigation into the whole matter. Pending this inquiry, we do not imtend to make pablic.all the information io. our possession, but we: consider ourselves warranted in co mending the immediate suspension of the master. The parents of children injured were with difficulty dissuided from taUing out summonses against the teacher." ■

MINING in Victoria (writes the Southland News M-lbiume correspondent) is prosperous beyond prM O , do >t. During the piet few months £66 000 was declared for dividends. On one Saturday the Sandhurst, quartz companies alone declared £16000 in dividends. The famous Garden .Gully United declared its 200 th dividend (£6,631), making the mag nificflnt. iot,:il to 'd>te..-of £780,000, all paid Binoe 1870, birely twelve years. Alluvial mining under the basaltic plains north of Bilarat is producing as g-eat a result as famous Ballarat its-If did in its palmy days. In fa-t mining is as great hs ever aud more permanent.