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Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1727, 16 July 1874, Page 2

It is notified in the New Zealand Gazette that vessels from Lyttelton aro liabla to be quarantined on arrival in Victoria. < Notice is given in the G-azefte that sections 20 to 45 of" The Public Health Ac*,. 1872 " have been brought into force in the Borough of Thames. Captain Hution makes a confession when he says, m a late report;—" With regard to quartz reefs, I am sorry to have to say that, in my opinion, science can bo of very little assistance. Up to the present time, scientific men visit quartz mines to learn, and not to teach; for no lathfactory theory has yet been established as to the origin of the metalliferous veins." The weekly meeting; of the Young: Men's Mutual Improvement Society was held last evening as usual in the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute—a strong muster of the members bers being present | there were also a few visitsrs, wbohadbeen.attractedby the subject for debate. The discussion was upon Good Templarism —whether ri»ht Jn principle and mode of working. Mr. Wm. Carpenter, M.P.0., took the affirmative side; that of the - opposition was supported by Mr. James McGowan. The debate proved very interesting, moßt of the members taking part in it.

The great Siamese and Asiatic Circus will open at the Theatre Eoyal this evening, the spacious stage of that place of amusement having been transformed into a ring for equestrian, and other exhibitions. To enumerate the different features of the promised entertainment would occupy too much space; particulars may be seen in our advertising columns. In addition to the attractions of our Asiatic friends a number of old established favorites will appear in a variety of characters. The company have just completed a successful season in Auckland in competition wiih the Opera company and other entertainments. Of their reception here we have no doubt. Thb Operative Bakers held their anniversary ball last night atthe Academy of Music. In consequence of some misunderstanding about the arrangements with the Japanese Troupe the Hall was not available for dan* cinq till nearly eleven o'clock, but after that hour the guests most heartily enjoyed- themselves. The whole of the programme was carried out, dancing being kept up till nearly six o'clock. The supper wao one of Mr. 'Curtis' triumphs as ,a caterer. The,music was provided by'Mt. Chu'rtenseny and was highly appreciated. There were about forrty couples in the room. Altogether the ball was a most successful One, reflecting the highest credit on those who arranged preliminaries and conducted the evening's proceedings. ■ ;,■ _:■ ■;; ■>.;•* f; ]>.■ :■."■•; '■■:;'-.: r] '

Some lime ago the representatives of the Evening papers of the colony requested the Hon. the Commissioner of-Telegraphs, to make some alteration in .the.'tariff for telegrams gent to their journals, and to. make further concessions during the sitting of th« Assembly. : The General Manager of New Zealand Telegraphs has replied to these representations, stating that the Hon. the Commissioner of Telegraphs " regrets that he cannot comply with the request, as the present press tariff is as .liberal as the country can afford." By the present tariff evening papers pay, after two' hundred words, four shi'lings and sixpence for every hundred words, while morning papers get as much as they like between the hours of fie ■c and eight in the evening at at the rate of one shilling and tiireopence per hundred words; from which it would appear that evening papers have to pay for the privileges enjoyed by the morning journal*.

We are in receipt from the Government Printer of Gazette 3>To. 37, published on the 9fch instant, "No. 1 of Pai'liamcntary Debates, and a number oi' pnppra presented to both Houses of Parliament. The tender of J. J. O'Brien for the erection of a Post and Telegraph office at P|ukoQrokoro lies been accepted j amount, £330175. The following were declined—W. Scott, ,£410; T. Colebrboiy £435; J. H. Flatt, £523.

Thb Wellington Tribune of the 19th ult. rentes some particulars.of a fracas which took pl&ce:, in the 1 'theatro; in; that;, city pri the previous evening, .and which, caused immense amusement "to a' crowd of onlookers; "An editor of an evening paper, not a hundred miles from Wellington, who appears to act as a aort of beadle or door keeper at the operai performances, had given just offence to a civic functionary, who was determined to have-it oufcwitb, his-quondam friend. Ac-cordingly,-selecting the interval at the per-, formance, he taok his stand in the lobby of the theatre and publicly designated the literary gentleman as 'a 1 —r and a b k———g d,'—very naughty. words certainly to use, and which cannot even be justified by the speaker adding thai the editor could take it out of him if he chose. The former, however, although of herculean proportions compared with the latter, did not take it out of him; he ' con'sider;ed discretion the better part of yalour; and asked the police to take hrt'acoiiser in charge, which was done. But on an a'ssur-,. ance that he would Dot assault the otherj he was permitted to return and enjoy the remainder of the opera, thus ending 'y§ battle of ye great ones.' " , :

'"JModebn science seems equal to all requirements^ " A lamentable Jdatus" says the Pall Mall Gazette, "in the register of births, deaths, andfmarriages in Paris, was created by the #ros kindled during the dying struggles of th c Commune. The keepers, of these public records do; not, however, put; up' with the loss as tamely as certain registrars did nearly 300 years ago, who supplied a similar gap in a parish book as follows :—r ' '■ ffic'dfsunt piulia mairimonia.' It is stated by the \ PetiS Journal! that the contents of about 70,000 deeds, burnt quite black and apparently, illegible, will be recovered. The registers found among the ruins of the Palace of justice proVejd tojhave preserved their original .-Lape, but they were burnt into apparently homogenous blocks, from which a single leaf could not be detached without instantly falling into dust. The means of making these unpromising remains deliver up their secrets are these: —Th 9 back of the register is cut off, so that it becomeß a heap of separate leaves welded together by the flames. This heap is then dipped into water, and, while damp, placed before the mouth of a etove. The water evaporating raises the sheets so that they can be .separate', though, of course, .requiriag great care in handling,; The writing now stands out in shining black upon dull black, like the silken flowers on velvet brocade. It is easily deciphered and copied, with a note stating that it is reproduced from the carborjised original."