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Thames Advertiser, Volume XI, Issue 3182, 30 November 1878, Page 2

The omission of a word in one of the Chairman's sentences in proposing the toast of Mr Bullen's health at the banquet in his honour ij|| on Thursday evening, made a material differ- ifr enee in the reading. The Chairman (Dr jH, Kilgour) was briefly referring to the faofc that '' of late years a number of false charges had been made against the police; but, through some inadvertence, the word " false" • was omitted.

Pastor Chiniquy intends to make a tour of New Zealand, to re-deliver the course of lectures he has just concluded in Sydney, He is, wo are informed, expected in Auckland by the ' Hero' on her next trip, about the 7th Dee.

The Government have invited the Wellington Benevolent Institution to take over chargo of all charitable institutions in the city, but the committee have decided not to entertain the proposal;

Mr Henry Brett, of Auckland, has been gazstted a Justice of the Peace for the colony.

At a meeting of the Christchurch Temperance League the Rev. Mr McFarlane stated th'at.the Japanese Ambassadors lately in England were so shocked at the expenditure of a hundred and fifty millions a year in strong drink that on their return to Japan country they intended to sond missionaries to Great Britain to try to abate the evil.

The JV. Z. Times says the Royal Commission to enquire into the condition of collegiate or higher and secondary education, and the relation of both to the common school education of the colony, is composed of the following gentlemen: -J. A. Tole, M.ER. j G. M„ O'fiorke, M.H.R ; Rev. Dr. Wallis, M.K.8.; Hon. Mr Gisborne, M.H.R.; Rev, J. W. Habens, In-spector-General of Education; Dr. Hector; Professors Cook, Shand and Sale, of the Otago University; Dr. Macdonald, Rector of Donedin High School; Mr W. H. Cutten, M.H.8.; Professor Uliich, Otago University.

The Director of Geological Survey, Dr Hector, who is one of Mr Sheehan's party, will, if possible, work his way through to the Waikato, in order to gather information as to the geology of a comparatively unexplored part of the colony.

The p.s, 'Hauraki' ab present is hard and fast on the north bank of the Waitara river, about a quarter of a mile from the point. Everything has been got out of hor, and at midnight she floated and moved about her own length. Captain Dale says she will be got off when tho spring tides set in, which will bo in about ten days' time.

Mr Beetham, R.M., held an inquest on Thursday at the Royal Hotel, Wsimate, on tho bush fire. Newton Uammersley Clements appeared for those who had property destroyed, and Mr White appeared for the Studholmes. The evidence went to show that the Are was lighted on the 12th, on what aro known as Hunter's rauges, and gradually spread in a southerly direction until it reached the edge of the bush on Friday morning, the 15tln Between the 12th and 13th, before the fire had reached the bush, some of the owners served the Studholmes with notices, stating that they considered it dangerous to their property. Studholmes' shepherds gavo evidence, which went to show that they, when mustering Studholmes' sheep between the Bth and the 15th, resorted to the usual practice of lighting Bignal fires, and one of them (Grierson), acknowledged that on the 12th he lighted threo fires on the south-east side of Hunter's range, which fires were those that were noticed by the people of Waimate, The verdict returned was that there was not sufficient evidence to prove how the fire originated, Much interest was taken in the result.

The Herald is still eDgagcd in the congenial work of special pleading re the commencement of the Thames railway at the Waikato end, and intends to move heaven and earth to accomplish its design, in the interest, not, as it alleges, of the speedy opening up of the country, hut of certain landed proprietors whom it ever and anon bows down and worships. The "speedy and effectual" opening up of the country is mere buncum. It may do very well as a blind to those at a distance, hut will certainly not be regarded in any other light by the Thames public. The only additional exouße urged is that at least a twelvemonth must elapse before a survey can be made from this end and a commencement made. But our contemporary is not very clear even on the point, for in another place it is stated that unless the Government begin in Waikato they may ."laytheprojectasidealtogether." Ourargument is entirely different. We fear that if com« menced in Waikato it may never reach Grahamstown; and we disagree with our contemporary a3 to the importance of the districts to be opened up by the commencement of the line, We affirm that the country between Grahamstown and Te Aroha is more important to us, and more likely to be supporting to the line, than the few large estates it would improve in value if commenced from the Waikato end, The Government are about to bring a large estate at Te Aroha into the market, and the Thames is the natural outlet for the same, but the railway from Hamilton would only make that place and Auckland the outlet, and very probably result in Grahamstowu being left out in the cold for some years longer. We do not believe that all the special pleading of the Herald will induce the Government to inflict such au injury upon the Thames people as the further delay of the survey and commencement of the line here would involve. The HertM says:—"The Thames papers are preposterously angry at what we have written about the Thames railway, If the railway were made between Shortland and Ohinemuri, a very small extent of land fit for settlement, and open for settlement, would be accommodated, while, if the other end were constructed, a large and fertile district would be brought into easy communication with the townships on the Thames and with Auckland." The Thames people, or at least the Thames papers, are absurd enough simply to shut their eyes to all the facts, and to cry out that justice demands that the lino shall be commenced at the Thames, which, it is plain, it cannot be for a twelvemonth to come, They are bringing all their politioal power to bear on the Ministry to get them to do au impossibility. The choice lie 3 between commencing at Waikato and an indefinite delay. We urge ou the Government to begin where it is possible to do so, The Government have no ohoico, They must either begin now at Waikato, or lay the project aside entirely. They have decided, and will go on, if the Thames people, by the cry, 'either at Shortland or not at all,' do not give them a pretext for postponing for a year, which means indefinitely. In saying that ' Justice' demands that the line shall commence at the Thames townships our contemporaries seem to assume that Justice must bo quite indifferent to the interests of the district lying between the Waikato and Thames lliver. Our object in writing is, that the country should be opened up in the most speedy and effective manner; the object of our contemporaries is to have a large immediate expenditure in the vicinity of the Thames townships."

To-day is St. Andrew's Day. The bank holiday has been postponed until Monday, in. order to suit tho convenience of business men who would be greatly inconvenienced here by the closing of these institutions on a Saturday. At a meeting of Court Pride of the North, A.O J l ., held last evening, it was resolved to celebrate their anniversary by a soiree and dance on Boxing-night. At a meeting of the Volunteers of the New Zealand Eifle Assertion, held in Auckland, it was determined to pay the passsges of three Auckland Volunteers from that city to Nelson to take part in the competition. The Te Kopuru saw-mills and bash, in the Kaipara, have been purchased by Mrssrs Brown, Campbell and Co., for the sum of £35,000.

Father Bcnnebery referred, on Thursday in Auckland, to the statement that Father CbinU quy was coming here, and said that Catholics were not to disturb themselves, but simply to remember that he was a liar. A meeting of the' representatives of local bodies was held :iu> the Borough Council Chambers yesterday'to discuss the railway question, Present:—The Mayor (in the chair), Messrs Davies, Deeble, Brown, and Khrenfried, The following reply to (he last message to the Tnder.Secretary was read :— "JbVjyorsbip the Mayor and others,—l will telegram as soon as I am in a so.—J. Knowles, N.B.P.W."— r AfteoSme discussion it was resolved to forward W following messages:—To the Hon. Mr Macandrew, Public Works. Minister,— " Please inform us of the date you will be in Auckland," To Sir George Grey,—"Ee the commencement of the railway at Graharoatown, Can get no satisfactory answer from the Hon. Mr Macandrew on this subject, Intense dissatisfaction prevails here in consequence. Can you do nothing to help us?"

The Thames C.C. Eleven play a match against the Coromandel C.C. on Monday on the ground of the latter,

The Goldfields Under-Secretary (Mr O. Wakefield) left on a visit to Ohinemuri yesterday, in company with the County Chairman. The latter will interview ''ukukino, in company with Cr, Porter, on the road question.

The Charitable Aid Committee of the Borough Council mean business. They huve determined to take over the control and management of the poor expenditure, and to make provision for old men and women and orphans, from the Ist of January next. For the accommodation of the orphans, k., it is expected that a home will have to be built a little way out of town, and several sites and some buildings will be visited in order to select a suitable place. A special meeting of the Council will be held on the 11th proximo, at which a report on the matter will be brought up and discussed. Mr Dean, the Town Clerk, baa been instructed to inform the Government that- the rations will be locally supplied and the control and management of our old and infirm and orphans, &0., taken over from the first of January. The appointments a relieving officer for the district will be made at that meeting, and when a ■hiding or site has been chosen a master and matron will be required for the orphan home. The old men's and women's refuge will be connected with the hospital building.

A most successful concert was given in the Academy of Music last Dight in aid of the Catholic boys' school, consisting of a sacred and a secular part, The choir of St, Francis, Miss Swan from Onehunga, and the Thames Choral Society were the executants, In the , sacred portion it would be invidious to particularise the singers in the choruses; but in the solos the bell-like sweetness of Mrs Kilgour'a voice shone in that beautiful song of Handel's from Theodora, ' Angels ever bright and fair.' 'Miss Hunter, also, in the 'Agnus Dei,' from Weber's Mas 3 in 6, showed both rich, ness and sweetness. In the second or secular portion of the concert there was such a wealth of riches in vocalization that we can only glance at them. Miss Swan sang two songs, 'Gathering shells' and 'Eillecu Al, lanah,' She possesses a rich mezzo soprano voice, and received deserved encores—one a double one—when she substituted two ladies' comic songs, very' taking with the audience; and quite new to the Thames, Mr Day sang '1 thought I must be dreaming,' a sprightly little thing, to which his rich high baritone did more than justice, Mrs Kilgour again appeared with ' I heard a Voice,' rendered as only this Thames lady amateur can render this class of aorg. Miss Hunter was again successful with 'Killarney* and received a Well-merited encore. We have seldom heard either MrPulleineor Mr Airey togreater advantage,the formerin 'The lugger,' and the latter in ' True to the last,' Mrs Payne sang,, ' Steer my Bark' in excellent style; in fact, we never recollect our old Thames favorites to have been in better voice and form. The selections from Maritana were sung in a joyous manner, carrying out to the full Vincent Wallace's ideas. There was a good house, and a dance-concluded a most successful entertainment, Mr Owen was responsible for the instrumental portion, and gave unbounded satisfaction. ■ He imported feeling and power into every note, and was indeed, a host in himself.

The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society have distributed 15,000 trout during the season. There are still 5,000 left for distribution,

The well-known paddle-steamer 'Hauraki,' which left Onehunga for Waitara under command of Captain Dale, on Wednesday last, went ashore north of the Waitara river in consequence of her rudder chain breaking. The tide left her high and dry, and little hope o£ getting her off was entertained. The passengers and cargo were landed. The 'Hauraki' is a composite paddle-steamer of 73 tons register, and was built in 1874 by Messrs J. and J. Holmes, for the Thames trade, Since her removal from that service she has been on various lines, but for some months past she has been trading between Waitara and the Manukau. She left Onehunga on the present unfortunate voyage on the afternoon of Wednesday last with three passengers—Messrs Bailey, Leadbam, and Bennington, and the following cargo:—36 casks of cement, 11 casks ale, 2 carts, 16 cases, and 98 packages sundries, 2 cases spirits, 1 case cigars, 9 pieces timber, 1 ton sand, 1 case drapery, 19 store cattle, and 2 bales. The steamer, which is the property of the Waitara Steam Navigation Company, is insured for £1,600 privately.— Auckland Star.

The s.'s. 'Tongariro' has been renovated, the masts being removed, and other improvements effected, which will have the effect of making more room for passengers, She -will start in the North Shore trade about next week on behalf of tbe Kaipara S.S. Company.

Aybe Police Court, yesterday, Henry Trove wra fflLrged with allowing a cart to remain in tfecay-street, obstructing the road. He pleaded guilty, and was fined Is and costs. There was a charge of assault preferred by Andrew McLaughlan against Michael Tuokse, but as neither patties appeared it to struck out,

There is a rare muddle in Cyprus. Sir • Garnet Wolseley does not clearly know whether ■• he servea the Queen or the Saltan, hesitates to take the State lands, and to remedy the admitted delects in the administration of justice. The Turkish judges getting no bribes, are striking for more pay, the criminal law is badly enforced, and one Cadi has calmly continued to reject Christian evidence-and has not been .punished. The Turkish Government granted, . in view of the cession, all manner of rights over forests and other public estates, and the Christians assert that the Farmers-General have received payments of taxes in advance. Moveover, it is doubtful whether goods imported from Turkey ought not to be admitted duty free, as Cyprus in theory is Turkish. All this could be remedied in an hour, by admitting that Cyprus is English; but the Government hesitates, ieating to add strength to the feeling in Constantinople that the Sultan is a traitor. As at Batoum, however, so in Cyprus, the rise in values consequent on the abolition of the direct Turkish rule has been enormous, In Batoum land and houses - were tripled in value in a week, and in Cyprus the rise haa been sevenfold. One banker, M. Zarify, of Constantinople, who had early information of the cession, bought for £40,000 real property now saleable for £800,000,