Untitled

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1911, 17 February 1875, Page 2

We understand that acting under the authority of the Hon. Dr. Pollen and Warden Fraser, Mr Alloni has made rapid progress with the New <3oldfields' Eegulations under the Act 1866. He is ably assisted by Mr J. E. Macdonald, solicitor, and the whole will be in type within the next few daya. Subject to the approval of higher authority these regulations will be ready for the opening of the Ohinemuri Gtoldfield. , , We understand that Mr Warden Fraser ] has written to Sir Docald McLean backing up the communication of Mr John Sheenhati, Provincial Secretary, urging Sir Donald to j allow the use ot the Luna to convey to .-An ok' ,j land persons who wish to attend the funeral of the late John Williamson Esq., Superin^ tendenfr. As the funeral will not take place' until Saturday it is possible Sir Donald j McLean will accede to the request preferred, j

Fbom the letter of our " Spscial" at Ohiwemuri it will be seen that the nftwar; of the death of the Supeiinfendent (tlie first intimation of which reaclaed there in the form of a " Star Extra") caused a general feeling of regret. Captain Eraser at once made up his mind to return, in order to be present at the funeral, as it was not'then known that it would be deferred until Saturday. He took passage on the Alert, acpmpanied by Mr A. J. Allona, Mining Registrar, and Mr J. 35. Macdonald, solicitor; arriving Jate last night. It is understood that Sir Donald McLean and the Hon Dr Polllen would have come down but for thet^fact that arrangements had been made to hold a meeting with the Native Chiefs to-day. As it is, however, it is more than probable that both Ministers will get their business over and come down in the Luna in time to proceed.to Auckland to pay the last tribute to their old friend, the late Superintendent., , ..:,;. The Otago Guardian, in an article based upon the interview which recently took place between Sir Donald McLean and Tawhi&q, discourses upon, the condition of the Maories in the North Island, and the following passage occurs:—" The 43,000 Maories in the North Island urgently want spiritual instruction j and, J were an abundant supply of ministers furnished to them, much could be done towards restraining their passion for strong drink, and saving the race from destruction before its time. The arena, indeed, is less inviting than the New Hebrides. Distance, ia this, aajin secular concerns, lends enchantment to the view. There would be little romance and poetry surrounding an attempt to evangelise the Maories; but it would be a noble work for any religious body to undertake, and one which, in the end, would reflect true lustre upon all engaged in it." The intention of the writer is no doubt commendable, but it is evident he knows very little of past missionary efforts in this, Island, or the extent of the "means" available at the present time for Christianising the Maories ; who, like some of their pakeha brethren, have arrived at a state of indifference .regarding religion — that is, a Urge number of them. ;-.:„ ; -

The Figaro states that a conjuror at Nevada having announced his intention of eating a live being during his performance, a tremendous audience assembled to witness the act. As coon as he appeared and asked if any one was ready to be eaten, three yowag pen jumped on the stage. Thereupon he said that although he had promised to eat a living person he hail not promised, to eat him with hia clothe* on. Two of the volunteers disappeared forthwith, but the third remained and proceeded to undress himself. When this operation was completed the conjuror remarked that it would be remembered if he promised to eat a man alive, he had not undertaken to eat him raw. The third volunteer now made off, but the house was indignant, and the unlucky trickster had to escape by a side door with the assistance of the police.

They are hard up for wives down Boss way, on the West Coast, particularly at Donnelly's Creek, for the local paper says :— " In matters conjugal, a splendid opportunity presents itself there for the Minister of Immigration to place a few of his female protegees in comfortable positions. Tho majority of the miners are single, and are most anxious to form themselves into committees of two, with power to add to their number."

A NEW fire-escape ladder has just been imported by the City Corporation of Melbourne at a cost of £180. The invention is an Italian one. These ladders have been in use in the chief cities of Europe and America for some years past, and have been found of great service not only for fi.-o escape purposes, but also for builders and contractors^^JJith^atr ieaning^^ssr-ift^support, it will allow otffen men to ascend it at the same time.

An ancient widow was walking the other day in tho Avenue dv Marine, Paris, with her dog, which disappeared in the Rue de la Ghite, and shortly returned carrying a piece of bacon, which it buried in some soft earth. "Your dog is clever," said a passer-by. "Peor thing! " said the widow, "she has young ones, and this developea her instinct. 1' So spying the wid«w uncovered the bacon and placed it in a capacious pocket. Presently the dog reappeared with a pair of locks. This seeming to be a sign of over-anxiety for the welfare of her. young, the paatsr-by pointed out the widow to the police, who found in her pocket a cake, a pair of small boots, a knife, the piece of bacon, a sausage, a book, and some other matters. The poor dog was sent to ho slaughtered, and the widow taken to the police-station. .

A han named Claffey has died of typhus fever at Kensington, Dunedia. Claffey being an Irishman, it was the intention of his friends to ." wake " the body, but we are happy to lay that this proceeding, which would hare been very dangerous to the community at large, was, stopped by Father Golem an, who had the man interred.

The Lake Waikatip Mail, from a bi-weekly has become a weekly newspaper. It says the necessity ■ for this retrograde movement has arisen out of the depressed state of the district, in. consequence of- an oxodus of the miners to the goldfields in the north of Queensland. S

We are glad to inform our readers that a New Gentlemen's Olqibiog Establishment has opened in Pollen street, two doors from Mary street;, named the Thames Borough Clothing Mart.—Adyt.

We havo not yet heard the last of tho Ghre« ville correspondence (sajs tho London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian). The 1 iisue of these memoirs has caused annoyance in the highest quarters by revelations they contain of the social condition of the^ upper classes of the last generation, and it is now anticipated in well-'ormed circles that Mr Beeve, the editor of th« memoirs, will be called upon to resign his post as Registrar of the Privy Council. The grounds upon which this expectation is based are that Mr Greville wai sworn to secrecy as an officer of that Council, and tbat in transmitting to Mr Beeve tho information contained in these volumes about inoidorits that occurred at the meetings of the Council, at? d other official matter of a like nature which he discovered by virtue of his office, he was guilty of a breach.of privilege ; and Mr Reeve is also guilty of a similar breach by the part he has taken ia editing and publishing these memoirs.