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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2098, 24 September 1875, Page 2

We notice that amongst the cargp of the barque Columbus which arrived in Auckland from London on Tuesday, were 11 cases of drapery for Mr James Marshall, Albert street.

Out of the proceeds of the late splendid crushing of tbe r tributers the Inverness Company have been able to declare a dividend Is 9d per share. :

A cOBitEsrosDENT writing from Ohinemuri says the Native difficulty reported to have arisen at the Katikati settlement has been greatly exagerated; that it arose out of a difference between some natives arid the contractors for building the whares, and that only a few panes of glass were broken, although from the accounts published some people might be inclined to think that a serious difficulty had sprung up which was going to complicate matters for the Stewart settlers. A late arrival from Katikati says it's all humbug.

Feeemasonky. (says a Paris paper) at the present day is spread over the whole world. It counts up as many as 8258 lodges directed by 79 grand, with 119 provincial, and 12 supreme councils. It is freely practised everywhere, except in Russia, Poland, Austria and Spain. The number of active members may be estimated at 500,000, and that of retired Masons at two or three millions.

Fsrty good men and true, residing at the Lyell, have signed and published a Bound Bobin to this effect:—-"To publicans, sinners, store-keepers, and all whom it may concern. We, the undersigned, do. hereby pledge ourselves to abstain from all malt and spirituous liquors, wines, cordials, and unknown compounds of all and every description sold under the head of drinks, until the price thereof shall be reduced to sixpence per glass as in other civilised districts." —Westport Times.

The following sketch of married life in Victoria is going* the rounds of the Australian press :—Just nine days ago (writes the Ballarat correspondent^ the Pleasant Creek News,) a young couple hailing from the country side hereabouts left Church with the parson's blessing ringing in their ears. They " honeymooned," as a matter of course, and so gat through two days of wedded bliss. On the third day a coolness sprang up, and on the fourth there was what is vulgarly termed a jolly roa\ The fifth morning witnessed separation, and the same evening a mortal combat between the. bridegraom and his riewly-gaincd father-in-law, in which the old gentleman gave the newly-married man a tremendous hammering, a pair of black eyes, and a couple of broken ribs. The " happy man " has cleared out for another colony, and the bride of a week, at last accounts, was well and happy in the thought that she was well rid of that " rascally husband of mine."

The Southland Times of Friday last says:—" An ingenious contrivance for the prevention of fire in chimneys, or for its arrest after it has started,, has been devised by Mr D. Heidi?, blacksmith, of this town. Fire-valve is, perhaps the name for this invention, which consists of a thin iron plate, which is fastened* by means of hinges in the chimney a few feet above the grate. There is a small iron rod attached to the fire-valve, -and by taking this rod in the hand the valve can be made to block up the chimney so completely that not a breath of air can passil either one way or the other. Thus it will be seen that fire in a chimney can be easily allayed by means of this simple but ingenious contrivance ; for, of course, to prevent the passage of air wherever fire exists, is to prevent the progress of the fire itself. The invention has been tested, and is as effective as'it is simple and ingenious ; and, in short, it is a device which householders will, when it becomes generally known, learn to regard as being necessary to the safety of their premises."

The "National Bank of New Zealand has again had a successful half-year. At a meeting of the shareholders in London on the 19th of August, a dividend at the rate of six per cent per annum was declared. Considering the heavy expense of establishing a banking business, fitting up suitable buildings in various cities, and defraying other preliminary expenses out of a young business however vigorous, the power to pay a lsgitimate dividend at all must be regarded as a proof of exceptional success. Prosperous banking institutions are a blessing to the community and no doubt reflect the general state of the trade which supports them. We have much pleasure therefore, in noticing the establishment of this bank on a sound, basis ; and in notifying to the local shareholders that the warrants for the payment of the dividends alluded to in Auckland, are expected by the first steamer from the South.