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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1902, 6 February 1875, Page 2

At the usual weekly meeting of the Shortland Contingent of the Fire Brigade, held last night, the members after practice proreeded to the choice of a captain to fill the place vacated by Mr Mucdonald, on his election to the Superintendence of the Brigade, whipn by the unanimous voice of the members iMr William McCtillough was elected, and has, we understand, expressed his acceptance of the office.

Rackets were being fired from somo place between Grahamstown and Shortland l«st nght. They looked very beautiful, and could be seen from every point reaching high, up into the air a continuous String of sparkling fire, and exploding splendidly. .

Thr horse of Mr Maaian, being driven in a spring cart, met with a peculiar accident, yesterday, ■when proceeding along Brown street. The horse fell, but by some singular maroe'ivre, succeeded ia turning a kind of somersault, and lay on the ground with his locs over the shaft, instead of'"undeV'them. From this position the horse was with difficulty extracts i; forJunately without being much the worse for the fall.

The Bay of Plenty Times pubH«h*s an on dit that Mr Floyd, Telegraph Electrician, will shortly be stationed at Taurangain charge of the Bay of Plenty District.

Thb case of Rao v. Mitchell, from which all of us expected to obtain something spicey, has ended in smoke. ".Rashly importunate," Mr Mitchell, it appears, waited not for the time when the law would calmly settle th« matter in the orthodox fashion; but Mr Rae having re-ereVted luVhouxe, Mr Mitchell set to work chopping its foundation again, and then came down the woodwork tho canvass and all. The subsequent proceedings were still more lively. Mr Mitchell -managed to clash with Mr Mackay—an unfortunate circumstance—and also to.assault Mr Bae. Mrßae '■' turned the other cheek," after the manner of Christian gentlemen, and «verj» thing was squared amicably. On the ea*e being called ihis morning, neither party put in an appearance, and it was s ruck out —no doubt to tho extreme dissatisfaction of many.

Wb have been interviewed by a Mr Woodward relative to the part which one of his patne was reported to have taken in the Sullivan scare yesterday. Mr (Greorge, vre think) Woodward says he did not point out th<> man as Su livan. We make t his explanation as we do not wish to be the means of fixing upon anybody, the reputation of having a personal acquaintance with Sullivan. At the tame time we may state that our informant disiinc ly faid it was Woodward who r. cognised in a,forlorn stranger the hero of Maung tapu and a huudred other places, and our informant is one who from the nature of hi* occupation is supposed to know everybody, hear and see everything, and to know when to speak and when to hold his tongue.

Thb Tha 7 es Borough Fir© Brigade certainly deserve Credit for the promptitd|le with which they respond to the alarm bell on all occasions. At noon today in an incredibly abort apace of tima eig^t or ten of the Graham a town contingent were in the street tilth, hose reel and appliances. In Shortland, three minutes after the alarm tounried, there were preient at the engine shed twelve men in full war paint, but as the bell ceased they did not proceed to the fire. Mr J. Bull, ex-superintendent, who happened to be nea-, assumed his old position for the occasion, but happily, the services of the brigade were not required.

We notics that the National Bank have ceased to conform to the rule which has obtained here for some years of closing the banfcs at 12 o'clock on Saturday. The coalition formed for regulatirg the price of gold has been diasolved, and now the early closing movement haa .been aba doned. A few more splits amonst, the money change s and we 6hall sco banking corporations competing for business like other people, and behaving with a little more liberality towards customers.

Befereing to the Chief Justiceship of Fiji ard Mr Gau>r, the Ba'larat Star sns :— '* We understand that Mr W. H. Gaunt, P.M., has applied to the Imperial Government for appointment as chief judge of the new Crowft colony of Fiji. Tie application was sent last mail through His Excellency the Governor of Victoria. Our reaJera will remember that Mr Gauut haa been admitted to the Victorian bar." The information we (Australasian) have received on the subject is distinctly that the appointment has b*ea offered to Mr Gauut, not that it has been applied for by him.