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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1987, 18 May 1875, Page 2

A coebespondent, writing from Ohinexnuri, says that some of the residents are erecting platforms in front of their residences. They must either do this or provide dingies for persons to get to their habitations. There is to be a ball in, the new large billiard-room erected by Mr Hayman. There are a few swagmen seen occasionally, and Limber for building purposes is still arriving. The country is said to be safe yet.

A sotjthben telegram to the Auckland Star last week stated that Mr John Moore Perrier (the Intelligent Vagrant) had resigned the editorship of the Bruce Herald for the position of sub-editor on the New Zealand Times. .

It is notified in the Provinial Government Gazette that Monday next will be a public holiday at the Provincial Government Offices, being Her Majesty's birthday. Up to the present date 195 licenses to kill game Jiave been issued for the Province of Auckland. The barquentine Prince Alfred is lying in the stream waiting for a favorable wind and tide to clear . for Lyttelton. She has 00,000 feet of white pine timber, from Gibbons' mills, the loading being completed in less than a week. The next quarterly licensing meeting for the districts of Thames and Hauraki will be held on Tuesday, Ist June. For the Thames district there are 54 applications for renewal of licenses, and 15 applications by new licensees for old houses. In the Hauraki district there are applications for 8 renewals, 3 new licenses for old houses, and 2 for new houses; The lists and particulars are posted at the Court House; Grahamstown.

"We have seen a curious bird found by Mr William Logan on the top of the dividing range towards Tairua. It is black in plumage, with the long beak and wings of a sea bird, and web-footed. The finder says that when discovered by his dog the bird was close to a " dwelling " sccoped out under the roots of a tree, and it showed no disposition for flight. Since it has been caught it moves about only by night, retiring to the darkest hole it can find by day. Having seen the bird we can say it has many of the peculiarities of a sea bird but we do not profess to offer an opinion as to its species. It has a strong—a very strong smell. Dr Buller might be able to tell us something about it. -. . .

; The Otago Evangelist (Presbyterian organ)' enumerates the* following recent deeds of kindness to. ministers: Sir Dillon Bell gave Mr Flamanck, Wesleyan Home Missionary in the Hamilton, Hyde, and M'Crae's, 100 ewes in lamb to stock his snug farm at Hyde. A member of our church in Wellington gave the wife of one of the Northern ministers sixteen fully paid-up shares in a prosperous colonial banking institution. A member of Taieri Church left one of our ministers, as a mark of his love and respect, a legacy of £150; while a Dunedin merchant has handed over to a minister of the city sufficient shares in a daily paper to constitute a qualification for a seat in the directorate, and give a handsome sum yearly. The congregation of the Key. James Clark presented him with a buggy and harness; and the Dunedin friends of the Eev. William Bannernian made him a similar gift.

At the last quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, England, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was elected Grand Master. It was reported to the Grand Lodge that His Royal Highness had granted, among others, for the following lodges since the last meeting :—Wellington Lodge, Wellington, New Zealand; Eden Lodge, Auckland, New Zealand.

The following story is told by;the Ballarat correspondent of the Pleasant Creek News :—" A few days ago a Ballarat gentleman who has not quite as much of this world's riches as perhaps he deserves, received from New Zealand, a letter containing something representing between £40 and £50. Enclosed with the welcome document was a short note, which I have been permitted to copy. It ran thus :—Dear —-,—Enclosed find what I hope will prove welcome. In 1867 we met for the last time in the train from Kyneton to Melbourne, and you lent me £2. You tore up my I. O. U., and said, ' Never mind that: pay me when you can afford the money better than I can.' You will recollect the circumstance, of course. Your loan made ,my capital up to £10 on my arrival in Sylney. Tliat £10 has turned me in £500, or nearly, and, as I am closing accounts with A., I may as well settle up accounts with you. You found one tenth" of the,, capital, and are entitled to an equal participation in the profits. Please find same herewith."

Father Tayioe once prayed for all the musicians and opera-singers, and especially for the beautiful young woman (Jenny Lind) who had just landed on our shores to gladden American ears with her songs. As he closed, a long, lanky fellow rose from the pulpit steps, and asked whether the preacher supposed a person who died in an opera-house could go to heaven. Father Taylor replied, " All good people will go to heaven, but a fool will not, even if he dies on the steps of a pulpit."