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Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5030, 25 February 1885, Page 2

A xelegeam from Mr Callis has been re. ceived by Mr Dean, secretary of the local' Exhibition Committee, asking whether any uilicate of zinc, or other mineral suitable for the manufacture of white zinc painfe hns been found in the mines here. Mr Debn made enquiries to-day, and was finformed by Mr Adams, of the High School, that only one small specimen 1 of the silicate had been found here—in the Tararu Creek, but that zinc blend (commonly known as . stratamata). waa freely found-in many of the reefs. This can be used for j making paint after tke sulphur has been extracted from it.

This Smile of Fortune mine, battery, &c. ( at, Owharoa, is to.be told on Tuesday next by Gellion «ij>l C"., unless - the claims of the Bank of Ntv; J'are touuer satisfied.

The local Hospital is now sheltering es many patienl-a as there is accomociation for, all available beds being occupied. The new ward would now be of great service were it furnished, .btit the necessary bedding, &c, has not been received from Government, and we understand it is Mr Buckley's intention not to allocate the >qte for Hospital purposes till he has finished bis inspection of, all the charitable institutions of the'colony, and- personally" become acquainted with the needs of each.

Da Gbajham, Inspector • General of 1 Aajlutns and Hoßpitals, arrived here yesterday afternoon, and at one* made a minute inspection of the Hospital, Old Men's Refuge, and the c se aud diet books connected therewith. Dr Grabham expressed himself much pleased with the efficient condition «of the Hospital and the methodical manner in which the books are kept, and paid a deserved compliment to the Besident Surgeon, and Mr Chaloncr, 'the Disppnaer. He, however, expressed regret that the new surgical ward was not yet furnished and equipped. This moreing Dr Grabham, accompanied by Warden Kenrick and Mr Brodie, County Chairman, visited the Fever Hospital and the Orphanage, and especially examined one of the children suffering from mental aberration, whom the authorities thought should be sent eleewhere. The doctor, however, thought the child might still be kept hero for some time to come. Dr Grabham left for Auckland this afternoon by the Botomahana. ■

The election for a member of the Borough Council to represent the South Ward is progreasing as we go to press. Very little interest is apparently taken in the proceedings, although a close contest was anticipated. At 3 o'clock not quite a third of the available votes on the roll had been polled. The friends of both candidates were assiduous in their exertions. r ■' , Ky&B'J. Cbaig (D; R. Gellion and Co.) held a sale of Kopu land, the property of Sir F. Whi^akeri at the Academy of Mlusio this afternoon. There was not a large attendance of buyers, the number of sections sold being 13, for a total of £170. The following are the particulars :—-Block 6, lot 5, £!8, J. C. Williams; do., lots 1 and 2, £30 each, C. W. Curtis j block 1, lots 22 and 23, £8 each, WV Earl; block 10,* lots 9, 10, and .'.II? £8 each, W. Earl; block 1, lots 20 and 21, £6 each, W. McOowatt; block 8, lotß 1 and 2, £15 each, W. Burton; block 7, lot 23,.'£10, Fisher, ;

L/.61 night's Auckland Star says:—ln an interview with the Colonial Treasurer to-day, Colonel Frasor, of the Thames, laid before tbe v hon. gentleman the wishes of the original' holders of Block 27 at Thames.

PERSONS whointend to exhibit articles at the coining New Zealand Exhibition at Wellington should remember that applications for space should be left at the office of Mr F. C> Dean (from whom forms can be obtained) before 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon.

Ik consequence of the increasing scarcity of water in- the County race, the County surveyor this morning notified the Queen of Beauty and Thames Golden Crown O.M. Cos. that they must not use a greater quantity of water than that specified, viz.: 3 and 2? sluice heads respectively. The New Prince Iro perial battery is again at a standstill, the Kuranui Hill mill taking alltbe available water for tables, &c, after the Crown has been supplied. It is to be hoped that Capt. Edwin's prophecy of coming rain will be Bpeedily verified.

The manager of tho Kuranui Hill G.M. Co. notifies that the public cun now crush quartz at the company's battery.

A TELEGBAPH office will, be open at the Forbury racecourse, Dunedin, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of this week. The hours of attendance will be from 12 noon till 5 p.m.

Calis of 3d and Id are announced to have ben made of the capital of the Rocky Point and Lord Wolseley G.M.Cob.

The rainy weather, so much needed here, appears to be gradually coming northwards. On Sunday it rained hard at Port Chalmers; at Christchurch, 1*76 inch fell for the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. yesterday, and a telegram last night reports that after three weeks' fine weather at Wellington, rain has set in steadily. Capt. Edwin favored us with the foliowit-g prognostication at eig' t o'clock last evening:—" Watch barometer ; bid weather between e^st and south and south-west. Glass full soon, and rain."

In another part of tins issue appears the programme of the, race meeting to be held at Paeroa on March 17th under the patronage of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club. There are seven events, the principal stakes being £25, £20, and £15. Nominations must be in by !Vt onday next. The officers are energetic gentlem n, and we have no doubt their arrangements will result in » very successful and pleasant meet* ing. Ax a social meeting of' St. John's Sunday School, Tararu, Jasfc night, Mr J. La Trobe, Superintendent, who intends leaving the Thames shortly, was presented, on behalf of the scholars, with a handsome scientific -volume.and an address. The Chairmn, Mr H. C. Lawlor, made the presentation. General regret was expressed at Mr La Trobe's departure by tho teachers and others, and the recipient - suitably returning thanks for the presentation and good wishes tendered him.

HlB Exccllenov the Governor, Sir W. F. D. Jervois, left Wellington' in the. Te Kupo, for Sydney, last night. v Among the 1 views in the New Zealand Illustrated News just to hand, is one of the battery at the foot of the Tararu Crock, [Thames. At Queenstown, Otago, on Saturday night, an experienced miner named Joseph Mitchell was killed in the Invincible mine by a set of timber canting over. A, STABCH factory' capable of turning out two tons per weok is in operation near Whangwnui. The starch is made from wheat. A tabmee in Selwyn county, Canterbury, has lost 2,303 bushels of barley this aonaon through the ravages of sparrows. A CHABCOAii establishment in New Ply- *i mouth will next month' be employing thirty men in cutting and burning wood. The propriotor h&s a contract to supply twenty tons a mouth for Sydney, to be used in refrigerating worie there. We (Northern Luminary) understand that the Bay of Islands Goal Company have applied to Government for a leasehold of 20CO acro3, which is now boing surveyed by the Dietrict Surveyor, Mr R. NowmaD, Tha land is supposed to be coal-bearing, and adjoins the present lease. In all probability eutireiy new working will be the outcome of tie ufijiiigittJDi

Mb Q-. W. Owen has been elecstod Chairman of tbe Auckland Harbour Board for the tneumg year;

At the adjourned meeting of the creditors of Mr Jam eg Stodart, Mining Agent, hold in Auckland yesterday, it was agreed, on themotion of Mr.Oliphunfc, that' proceedings ba taken for the repayment of the sum of £700 paid to the Deep Level Gross Gold Mining Company a few weeks before the debtor's bankruptcy ; also that the guarantor be asked to pay the amount guaranteed for the furniture.

The Otago t. Canterbury cricket nintch ended in a win for Otago, with two wickets to spare. Parker, for Otago, played the innings of the rnntch, hitting hard and showing opit'il cricket. He hit ihe ball onoe from the centre of the ground over the grandstand out of tbe ground. This i» the first time this has been done. Cunterbury's second innings closed for 132 ; firßt innings, 164—tofcul, 296. Otago in its second innings scored 129 for the lobs of eight wicket 3 j first innings, 171— total, 303.

A HOR3E walked into the New Plymouth Town Hall on Thursday iqight, (says the local Herald). - The Town Hall certainly is an unimpoaing edifice, and has been the bultof many unkind remark b, but that it Bhould be mißtaken for a stable is the unkindeat cut of all.

A deputation from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce waited upon the Colonial Treasurer yesterday, with regard to the San Francisco mail service. It w»s pointed out that the fastest steamers left England on Saturdays, and there would be a considerable gain in titno if the mails were despatched by them instead of by the Thursday boats, as at present. Sir' Julius replied that one great difficulty was the invincible objections which per* sons at Home had to mails closing on Saturday evening. Besides, the. saving of time would not amount to much, and he saw no reason why, in the regular course of competition, Thursday bouts should not very soon outrival the Saturday ones in point of speed. The deputation suggested it would be advisable to shorten the length of the Pacific voyage by leaving out Honolulu as v point of call. Sir J. Yogel expressed his opinion that if the steamers did 'not call at Honolulu, New Zealaud would require to give an additional £20,000 towards a subsidy to make up for loss of traffic entailed upon the company. He was favorable to steamers callit g at Sajnoa and Tonga as well. The whole'subject was under the' consideration of the Government. ■

A COBBEsrONDENT, writing to the Tuapeka Times on the rabbit peat, says s In spite of the combined efforts of the farmers of this district during this season, rabbits, instead of decreasing, have increased amazingly. When stile crops are cut ie will be found that tho rabbits have increased cent, per cent. Last summer rabbiters were kept employed upon the Government reserves, and an enormous quantity of young ones were Destroyed ; but this season no one has been rabbiting on the reserves,. and the result is that they have become; regular breeding-groauda for the rabbits. It certainly does seem hard on the farmers who live in the vicinity of these reserves to be. compelled, at euprmbuV cost, to keep the rabbits in chock, or elae be heavily fined., The introduction of ferrets, •toate, and weasels is a great mistake, and it will be found that the harm they do will more than counterbalance the good. They will soon tire of rabbits, and attack the sheep; and where homesteads are near they will deatr jj fowls. If young children »re about, their flesh will not* come amiss. Thoße useful birds, the Maori hen, will be all destroyed, and they kill more youn; rabbits,; rats, and mice than the ferrets, stoats, and weasels will.

Mabvelious Bab&ains in Mi'lincry and Drapery, and a large lot of Clothing at one* third its value is now Selling at J. Mab* SHAiili's, Albert street.—The Pollen street Branch is taken over by Mr GK Boon (late Manager).