The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4995, 15 January 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1885.

Vaeious colonial works are being undertaken, and public expenditure is continuing, yet we see no signs of tenders being advertised for, for tbe continuation of tbe line of railway between here and Te Aroha. A promise was make by Government that tenders for the work would be called during the recess, and we are care fully awaiting the notice requesting con* tractors to respond to a Government invitation to put in a price for the construction of, at least, a portion of the work. We hear rumors to tbe effect that only a very small sum—in comparison with that required—is available for the work, and hence the delay ; we are also told that arrangements have not yet been made with landholders along the route, for a passage through their properties of the iron horse. This looks as though no eager* ness existed on the part of the Government to fulfil its promise. This has ever been a much neglected district, and although we were buoyed up with the hope that the new Ministerial broom would—in our casesweep clean, we fear that the doom of disappointment still awaits us. The district has done nothing extremely irrational, its past behaviour has not been of a very scandalous character, and nought can be urged against it with anything like a force sufficiently strong to oner even a mild excuse for the shameful treatment it has suffered under. A certain amount of evanescence has generally attended tbe promises and trifling encouragements given to the district in the paßt, by various Governments, but we are inclined to place more faith in the pledges received from the present administration than we did even, in the freshness of our guileless simplicity, when promises were made by past Ministers. Expenditure is not stopped in connection with Southern works, and there is a possibility, perhaps remote, that all the funds available may be spent in such a direction. It will bo a poor consolation to the people in our part of the colony to know that the Government would be only too glad to make a railway for them, if- funds were available; therefore, before all the money is spent, a strong effort should be made to have the work begun. Where are the members of the Railway Committee, and what are they about P

Thb manager of the Saxon telegraphed this morning as follows :—" Twenty pounds apeci* mens, Tfo. 3 reef, bottom level.—Jameb COUTTS."

A MBEI'IKO of the coramitleo appointed to arrange the race meeting at Kiri»kiii ou Anniversary day (290h Jan.) wai held lest evening when a programme, appearing in our advertising columns, was resolved upon. Several horses locally owned are being put in training for the various events.

Tiihbtj will probably bo a sitting of the Native Lands Court held at Thames in March next, when there is a likelihood of a long sitting owiug (0 the auiouul of busiuese to be transacted.

An almost Utopian stilts of things, from « pacific point of view, continues to exist on the Thames. The local Hall of Justice was closed all to-day. Not even a " drunk " disturbed the gerenity of the scene.

At the usual monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee, bold at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, there were present:—Messrs Mo Gowan (President), Renshaw, Clark, Ebrenfried, Farrell, Hall, Kilgour, Radford, Stone, Mulligan, and Here. Barley and Evans. The House Comu.ittee'a report, which recommended payment of accounts to the amount of £130 8s 4d, was adopted. Mr Benshaw having explained a mistake in regard to the tenders for meat, that of R. Bateman was accepted instead of W. Dimes'. The usual monthly report was received from the Surgeon, with a six months' report on the Old Men's Home. The later recommended the readmission of Mark Fitton, Geo-ge Jeanes ) Thorogood Lovell, Win. Kirk, Edward Bey nolds, George Huntley, John Floyd, Samuel Williams, and Joseph Vuile ; and classed William Hamilton, John Conway, aad Harry Herbert as fit subjects for discharge, It was decided that the first mentioned six be re. admitted, and the circumstances of the remaining three be inquired into. A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Payae for her efforts in obtaining a Christmas dinner for the old men and Hospital patients ; the lUv. C. E. Barley and Messrs Fraser, Greenville, and Mulligan were appointed a.House Committee, and the meeting adjourned.

Thr County Council has applied to Government for a vote of £600 for goldfield roads, which, if granted, will be spent as follows: —£500 in widening the road to the Otunui mines, and £100 in metalling the road up the Tapu Creek.

The County Council, at; its meeting yester day afternoon, decided to hold its meetings in future at 6.30 in the evening inatead of 2.30 in the afternoon as hitherto.

At the civil sittings of the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday, the case preferred by the Rev. Thomas James Mace Humphreys (clergyman of the Reformed Episcopal Church of England) against Capt. Roberts, of the ship Hermione, claiming £1250 for alleged libel and Blander on the voyage from Bogland, was heard. After evidence had been given Mr Justice Gillies nonsuited the plaintiff.

our last issue we published tho amounts of the tenders for County work in the formation of the main road near Rotokohu, in theOhinemuri district. We gave the lowest tender as that of J. Quinlivan (£398 3s 6d), but we are informed that upon an investigation being made by the County Engineer of the schedule rates stated by the tenderer in accordance with the specification, iH. was discovered that the apparently next lowest tenderer was entitled to the contract. Thus the work will be cxc» cuted by P. Treanor, whose contract price, after calculating the schedule put in by him, amounts to £536 10s, while the next lowest, that of J. Quinlivan, is, after calculating schedule rates, £558 3a.

Patents are applied for as follows in the Gazette of the Bth inst :—T. Hood, of Te Aroha, an invention for manufacturing pigments, paints, and oil and water colors ; J. D. Arnaboldi, Waikato, a watch dial ; R. Cockerell, Invercargill, an improvement in land harrows and cultivators, and a flexible adjustable scarifier; S. Btcon, Masterton, an improved school desk j J. Crnij?, Oamaru, an invention for makicg boxes for packing cheese for shipment; C. Lawrence and T. F. Wintour, Southampton, England, improved venlilating apparatus; and S. J. V. Day, of Glasgow, Scotland, improvements in the manufacture of wool packs or bags.

A Pi-IVATB teli gram from Auckland to-day Bays that tbe new issue of shares in the Thames Golden Crown G.M. Co. has all been allotted. Nearly, if not quite, all the extra 15,000 shares were applied for by the original shareholders, which shows'the faith they have iv the scheme propsundedby MrPunlop. As Is 6d has to be paid upon each of the new issue of shares, tbe company's exchequer has been enriched Yy some £1125, which will en* able the directors to proceed vigorously with the works proposed. By advertisement elsewhere, tenders are called up to Saturday afternoon for the removal and re-erection of the machinery now standing at the Seymour shaft, Karaka Creek.

Wb understand t hat Mossrs Coonibes and Co. are about to leave the Thumes, previous to which they intend to clear out the whole of their extensive stock of drapery and clothing. Tbe sale commences on Saturday next, at 10 o'clock i>.m.

The meeting of teachers of schools belonging to tbe Sunday School Union will be held in the Grahamstown Wesley an Bchool this evening. Tea will be eerved at 6.30 o'clock, and f stiral ma'.ters will afterwards be arranged.

The Auckland Bible Society have been enriched by two bpquesfrs. The late Rev. William Comrie, of Pukefeohe, left the Society £:0, and the late Mr James Sheppard £375,

The Presbyterian Synod is at present h Iding its annual jeseion in Dunedin, the Rev. D. Boss, of Wakatipu, being Moderator. The reports on the st&te of religion and temperance were considered to-day, and in connection with the latter jibe Synod expressed its emphatic disapproval of allowing church property to be used for the existenoe of licensed houses for the sale of drink, and strongly recommended tbe Church Property Bonrd to prevent, lessees from carrying on hotel business.

A Matazana correspondent writing to the Herald, reports the discovery of the almost complete skeleton of a mo* which, when aliye, must have stood at least 7ft. high.

TnE Herald says a gold discovery of a promising; character is reported to ha»e been recently made in the Waikato district. The gold found, Boz3, was water worn, and was obtained from some washings taken out of a a creek. One of the pieceß weighed one psnnywfijjht. It is bel'eved that Hgfore long 11 splendid gold field will bo opened up in the Waikato district.

Thb rules of the American navy prohibiting the acceptance of the Auckland Timber Go.'c cheque by the men of the D.S corvette Iroquois, for services rendered at the late fi-e. the money has, afc Capt in S'eriiug's suggestion, been donated to t' c Auckland Sailors' Horn", The Iroquois left for Chili and Valparaiso yoßterdßy.

'J-he naked body found ia Auckland Harbor has been identified as.that of John Foreman, formerly gardener to the Oily Council.

With the exception of Sir Julius Vogel, the movements of the various Ministers will be altered for the next week. Mr Buckley, who has completed his inspection of the Northern charities, and Mr Tole will, it is expected, letura to Wellington by the steamer Hinemoa in a few days. The Hon. Mr Richardson, the Minister of PuUic Works, leaves for Christchureh on E\iday next, and will probably meet Mr Stout there during the next week. Mr Larnach is already making arrangements for a visit to the west coast of the Middle Island, and the Premier will accompany him. The Minister of Public Works will probably, before his return, make a tour of the South Islaiid.

Sib John Hail returns to England by the Tongariro on the 17th inst. .

Mb Labnach received a deputation of fruit importers in Wellington yesterday on the subject of removing the restrictions on the importation of grapes. In reply he said he was personally opposed to removing the rest riclione, as he thought disease inig' t thereby be introduced, but he would confer with h a colleagues on the subject.

Wilkbs, the Shortland jeweller, is selling his choice and large stock of jewellery at reduced prices. New goo's, chaste and beautiful in design. Must be sold. Gall early.— [Adtt.]