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Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4965, 8 December 1884, Page 2

Wjj learn by a communication received from Wellington that the Government has decided to take into consideration the desirableness of purchasing the property lying between the Hospital and Old Men's Refuge in Baillie street, which should—when the limited Bpace the main building stands on, and the inconvenient separation of the Refuge from it, is looked at--have been acquired long ago.

An intellectual treat is promised to the Thames people by the announcement that the Rev. W. E. Rice will deliver a lecture on the " City of the Seven Hills," in the Academy of Music, on Wednesday evening next, in aid of the Building Fund of tbe Auckland Baptist Tabernacle. Not long ago the Rev. gentleman gave the lecture in Auckland, and it was commented upon in very complementary terms. A small charge will be made for admission.

Speoiali serrices in connection with the anniversary of the Shortland Wesleyan Sunday School -were held yesterday, there being large attendances on all three occasions. The Rev. R. Laishley conducted the morning service, deliveriDg an cirnest address. In the afternoon the Rev. H. Bull conducted the servire t which was specially devoted to children, several infants being also baptized, and Mr Bull also preached in the evening. The children sang specially selected hymns, and the collections (in aid of the Sunday school fund) amounted to over £11. The usual soiree and public meeting will take plate to-morrow evening.

The trout deposited by Messrs Allom and Marshall in the Matatoke stream, which runs through the farm of the former gentleman, are thriving well. Some of the fish, seen range from 8 to 12 inches in length, and are very lively.

Pbopessob Tuckeb, who will arrive from Auckland this eveniDg, in connection with High School duties, will deliver his interesting lecture on " Ancient Egypt" on Thursday evening next, under the auspices of the Mutual Improvement Association. The usual weekly meeting of the Association will not be held this evening.

By the Enterprise on Saturday evening the Bank of New Zealand shipped for Auckland eight boxes containing 72410zs of bar gold, valued at about £20,0C0.

The New Years Day Athletic Sports meet, ing to be held at Tararu promises to be a great success. A meeting of its promoters was held at the Royal Hotel Tararu on Saturday night when a programme was decided upon, and all preliminaries entered into and agreed upon. A Handicap Sweepstake Race to be run in three distances will form the most attractive portion of the programme, which is a very liberal one.

Ws have interviewed a very old New Zealand colonist named William Anderson, residing at Kirikiri, who states that he saw a vessel called the Osprey in Auckland harbor about the years 1814-45. He describes her as an American built three-masted schooner, painted green, and of about 200 tons. Although our infermant is very nearly eighty years of age, and hes been fifty-five years in the colony, he is hale and strong, and appears to possess a good memory. He believes that this vessel traded to the other colonies, but the trip she was about to take when he s piw her was to California, with passengers and a cargo of potatoes and small portable houses for the gold fields there. These statements would agree with many others made, and tend to show that the Oaprey has been no myth, and may help the Tiohborne claimant by giving him a key to obtain other links in the chain of evidence necessary to satisfactorily complete his case.

In the Police Court this morning the B-nch w>s occupied by Messrs L. J. Bagnall and N. Kenny, J.'sP., when a boy about fourteen years old, named Thomas Thornton, was oharged with deserting from his apprenticeship in Auckland. He was remanded to Auckland to appear there on Wednesday next, bail beiag allowed in the sum of £10.

Ths competition for the District Belt on Saturday resulted in it being won by Gunner Brownlee, of the Naval Artillery, with a score of 73 points. The game score was made by Lieut. Lucas, of the Rangers, in the morning, but Brownlee having Bhot better at the lone; range, is entitled to the coveted trophy f jr the next three months.

In answer to an enquiry made by the Secretary of the Waikato Lodge of Oddfellows, Mr 0. Ahier, of Te Aroha, wires that the imputation of forgery resting on the inferences produced at the inquest oh the late Walter Adair have ro foundation. Mr Ahier has interviewed Mr H. H. Adams who slates that he has no reason to doubt but that his signature to the cheque mentioned is hona file-

PboeeSSOß Tuckeb and Brown are expected to arrive by the Rotossaahana this evening, Tisiting Thames for the purpose of examining the pupils of the High School prior to their Christmas vacation.

The whole of the men arrested in connection with the illicit distillation of whisky at Porirua (gays a Wellington telegram) have now been released, the claims of th^ Crown, amounting to about £600, having been satisfied.

The Australasian Btates that at St. Patrick's Cathedral, on Sunday, the Very Rev. Dr Fit a patriot, vicar-general, acknowledged the receipt of £356 for the building fund of the cathedral and £50 for the Roman Catholic Orphanages, two bequests of the late Mr William Rigg (of MoLean Bros, and Kigg, the well known Melbourne ironmongers).

Skinn? Men.—"Wells' " Health Renewer" restores health and vigor, cures Dyspspgia, Impotence, Debility. At drugoists.—semp? fchorne, Frpsser apcl Co., Agent,* A.wkland.

PRIVATE letters received last mail by several gentlemen in Auckland convey the information that great difficulty has been caused to the cheesemakers of the Cheddar districts through the excessive heat of the past summer, which was almost unprecedented in its intensity. Some letters dated at the end of October state tbafc many of the dairies had not been able to dispose of a single cheese, and the quality generally wes such as to make the cheese practically unsaleable. Indeed, many of the principal dealers declared they were afraid to touch it at any price. Of course, this entails a fearful lose on the large number of dairy farmers in the extewsive Cheddar Talley, who are largely dependent upon cheese for the makitig up of their rent, and it is accordingly a mutter of deep regret. At the same time it may prove benefical to Now Zealand, as Bhe may, by the production of a god article bo able profitably to supply the demand for good cheese, which will be occasioned by the misfortunes of the Cheddar farmers.—Herald.

They were two gay young reporters for a Melbourne paper. They had to interview Sir W. Robinson and a few more swells afcGovernment House, In order to " live up " to the occasion, they took a hansom. " Where to?' 1 asked cabby, through the trap door. " Government House," drawled the cleanest of the pair, in as aristocratic a tone as he could manage. Cab don't move. "Drive on, can't you ?" said reporter number two. Cabby again put his head down, " Now, gents, whore d'you want to go ?" " Government House, I told you," exclaimed the clean reporter indignantly. " Now, come, gents, none of yer larks, where d'you really want to go ?" demanded Jehu, getting impatient. It took time and bad language to convince the knight of the whipcord that the gentlemen with inky caffs really wanted to go to Government House. Landed there at last, they were shown into the yellow drawingroom. " Say," said the clean one, " this a rum sort of drawmgrooin—no racknafks about." "I suppose," said the other gloomily, " they knew we were comiag." He had been depressed by cabby's behaviour. — Bulletin.

Tbuth says:—We hear so much of the action of the Lord 3of the time of King John in connection with the present struggle for the existence of the House of Lords that it is just worth noting that there is no descendant in the present House of Lords of the twenty-five Barons who signed Magna Cburta.

A iWEtva hours' waiting match took place at Wellington on Saturday between Crofts and Pettingel, and was won by the former by nine miles. The distance covered by the winner was 67 miles.

The Government are taking into consideration eve;/ precaution with a view to obviate the introduction of small-pox into the jcolony. The question of quarantining all vessels arriving from New South Wales was discussed, but the Union Steamship Company have reported that a most minute examination was made of all passengers leaving Australia by the steamers and also that medical officers were carried on board by the steamers, ifc is understood that the present regulations will not be disturbed. Government are advised by the health authorities in Sjduey that every endeavour is being made there to stamp out the disease, and that the localities where any new cases are reported are at once quarantined.

Dfbing the progress of the WariDg Taylor case in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, Mr Jellicoe, the prosecuting counsel, complained tbat'the accused, who was sitting by the side of his lawyer, had been smiling at him. Mr Shaw objected that his learned friend had no right whatever to make such a remark, and Mr Jellicoe retorted that he was justified in calling the attention of the Court to what he considered the misbehaviour of the prisoner. His Worship said he did not think that anything the prisoner had done had been intended as a slight upon anyone. The examination of the witness in the box was then resumed.