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Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5079, 25 April 1885, Page 2

At the usual meeting of the Mutual Improvement Association on Monday eremng, what, should prove a paper of a most interest.ing nature will be read by Mrs R. Q. Stewart. The eubj9ct is, " Modei?n Egypt, or notes talten during personal visits to the country in 1867 and 1872.

Yestebday evening an extraordinary gene* ral; meeting of shareholders of the Thames Sepcultural Association, Limited, was held at the office of the Asiociation, Albert street, Thames (Mr Thomas Spencer in the chair),,at which a re«olution was unanimously passed that the Associatbn^be wound up voluntarily, and that Mr Albert James Allom, the honorary secretary of the Association, be appointed liquidator for the purpose of such winding up. It will be observed that iq our advertising columns a further meeting is called for the 18th May next, for the purpose of confirming the above resolution. After tbe conclusion of the extraordinary general meeting, the third annual meeting was held, Mr Spencer presiding. The only business transacted was tha adoption of the report and balance ihset, and the re-election of the three retiring directors, Messrs Spencer, Allom, and Dean. The directors point out in their report that the operations of the Association bare practically ceased for more than two yean. The accounts presented show a loss of about £200. The subscribed capital amounts to £510, out of thp nominal capital of £1000. The directors have therefore no alternative but to recommend tb« > voluntary winding up of tut Association.

Tiib County Oourcil yesterday received a telegram from the Colonial Secretary stating that the special order of the Council defining the bouudaries of (ha High Level Water Race has been glzatted.

Thjj demands of the gentler sex in the matter of luxuries as well as necessaries are b^ing met by Mr B. G. Boon, Pollen street, who is opening up his new winter stock, and displaying several novelties from it iahid windows. .

Thkßot.F. Gh Evans is endeavoring to form a society, having for its joint objftct imparting general knowledge and providing recreation for the young men of the Thames —this principally with the view of enabling them to profitably employ their evenings. Should he receive sufficient support, we believe it is his intention to secure a suitable building, which will be fitted up with a" gymnasium and reading-room. We trust that the young men of the Thames will afford the promoter every assistance in their power, arid that the project may be brought to a successful issue. .■-■.":

A JPHOPO9AL is now on foot to form the Smile of Fortune battery and claim, the Radical claim, and some other ground into a company, and float the lot as one concern. It is said th*t the tributers in the Smile, Sims, Farmer, and Co, whose tribute has yet 18 months to run, have received £500 for their interest, so that the way is clear for the company. The mere fact that a prospecting party are now working a surface patch in the neighborhood of the proposed amalgamation, and tha steady yield of gold in Owharoa for so many years past, fully warrants a more thorough and systematic exploration of this country than it has yet had for gold.— Tribune.

The schooner Seabird left Sydney for Auckland onlhe let of April with a cargo chiefly composed of dynamite, powder, and other warlike material. Although 24 days have elapsed eince the schooner sailed, nothing has been reported of it. Unless exceptionally bad weather las prevailed, there is a reasonable cause for anxiety t9 exist as to the fate of this rcssel. Mb Vidae has for a time postponed the re-delivery of his lecture on "Will Russia Conquer India ?" Miss J. Osbohne who for tome considerable time before the decease of Mrs J. H.Jefferson acted as her manager, has decided (p commence business here on her own account, and to-day opened in the shop lately occupied by Mr Clarke, watchmaker. To-moebow'o services at the Pollen Street Lecture Hall, and the Temperance Hall, Mary Street are announced elsewhere. In the former place Mr E. H. Taylor will continue his discourses on Nioeveb, and at the latter Mr Exley will preach from the text " The Spirit and the Bride say, Come." ', At a meeting of a oimtnitte of the Thamns Harbour Board held yaaterday, it was decided to recommend the Board to hare a bill introdnced during the approaching session of Parliament, to enable them to borrow £200,000 for harbour improvements.

Much has been kea-d of the destructive powers of dynamite, which, however; are of a more limited nitture than is generally supposed. It is, however, satisfactory to know that it has a wide and useful sir.itary effect. In the days of gunpowder blasting in mines, and the old ventilation, we are told that there was an exreseive mortality among miners, due to a disease of the lungs known as miner's decline. It was not the ordinary tubercular consumption, but a form developed in many other callings among workers in dusty places, and variously known as grinder's rot in Sheffield, stone-mason's decline, rag-picker's disease, and wool-sorter's asthma. Since the introduction of dynamite, and the common use of nitre-glycerine compounds, there has been a marked improvement in the miner's health, for though tie nitrous fumes of burnt dynamite are dangerous, wi h dynamite properly exploded nothing of the kind is experienced.

Eobebt Pbekdeboast, the Pokeno murderer, was sent yesterday afternoon from'the Mount Eden gaol to the lunatic asylum at the Whau by order of the Colonial Secretary. It would therefore appear* that he has bsen reprieved. Prendergast was examined as to his sanity by Drs doom and MaoMultar, under instructions from the Government, and they pronounced him insane.

Thr Wellington Patent Slip Co..hare recommended a dividend of five per cent., and the Public Hall Co. seven per cent, <?

The yield of gold from the To Aroha dk» trict for the year endiDg the 31st March last waß 98070zs 12dwts.

At a meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labor Counci 1, held last night, the following resolution was passed :—"That t!'is Council sympathises with the seamen's strike in Sjdney, and wiil give every support for the furtherance of the objects desired by the New South Wales Union." The Auckland branch of the Seamen's Union will, on arrival of the Zeaiandia, if the dispute is not arranged, sustain ihe action of the Sydney Union. 4«.l.«*«i»ij-j'eßteraaj',""aTnan named Tiios. McCreedy attempted suicide bycuEiTng rbis throat. He wounded himeelf severely, and was brought to Cbristcburch Hospital where he lies in a precarious state. McCrtedy had previously been in custody as a lunatic?, but was discharged on Tuesday last. A mfetifg was held in Wanganui yesterday to diecues the advisability of forming a Chamber of Commerce. Tho attendance was large, all the trades being represented, and it was unanimously decided to form a Chamber. While proceeding to a fire in Dunedin yesterday one of the hose reels capsized, falling on four of the firemen, who were rather severely irjured. The rumor current in legal circles some time ago as to the probable retirement of one or more of the Judges of the Supreme Court has recently been revived, and it is stated ithat the vacancies will arise very soon. Mb Larvach returned to Dunedin last night, aud is expected to remain here ten dajs.

Falion'S'tender for the Rofcorua Bailway contract has virtually been accepted.

The Postm&ster.G-eheral has just issued an official instruction upon;gambling and betting, in which he says:—"A case having recently occurred in which belting on horses and playing with cards for stakes far beyond what the players could afford to lose were proved to bave taken place, not only on the official premises, but in some instances during the official bours, the Postmaster-General has felt constrained to direct that the superior officer who has taken a part in, and encouraged these malpractices, should be dismissed, and (hat of eil subordinates ene should be required to resign, and five be reduced to third class, the reduction ranging from four to 44 steps. A postman also, who acted as housekeeper, has b?en deprivfd of the housekeeper, as veil as his good conduct etripe. Ihe Foslmast i>(Jerieral deems it his duty to m*ke these puniahmenls known by way of warning, eg in the ciee of poet office servants he regards gambling in a^y form as an tffonoe, and one which it is incutubeut on him to put down."

A VECVLikU case was tried recently at the Grafton (New South Wulea) District; Court. The plainiiff, a mnunaTied BUckney, auedthe defendant—Mrs Tegus, telegraph mistress at YatncU, Clarence Heads —for damages BU3* tsined through the wrongful delivery to him of a tplpgram frojn ihe Tweed River, whic'i,' if properly addrfsped belonged if) a Mr Black. Tlie purport pf the message yas : James ill; wishes see you immediately.'' Plaintiff, who bad tons at the Tweed, concluded that this was one of them, and rna-'e ttrpangements for stating there. MrsPegus, on dUcoverin* the mistake, sent wo;d over shortly aftee, explainine the error. Plaintiff alleged that the shock given to hia wife made her seriously ill» necessitating ber goiDg to Sydney. Tho jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff, d»moges £50. .