THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3130, 28 February 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1879.

The position of the Harbor Board is one that requires instant attention, and one that ought to be a warning to other local governing bodies on the Thames not to trade too much upon their credit. That its affairs have been mismanaged is the universal opinion, and that the present dilemma is the result, in a great measure, of depending too much upon great expectations. That the Government * are altogether free from blame we do not assert, but from the experience the Thames local governing bodies have had in the past of the value of Ministerial promises, a little less reliance should have been placed in the promise, that the foreshore would be handed over at an early date, and a little more attention should been paid to the advice given in the old adage, which says " Cut your coat according to your cloth." The greatest fault committed by the Board has been that of attempting and entering upon works without first having made provision for the payment of the cost when the work was done, other than depending* upon the good nature of their bankers. The refusal of the Bank to advance any further sums of money, and the necessity that the work done by the dredge should be at once paid for, has been the immediate cause of bringing about the present crisis. The Chairman has telegraphed to the Government asking them to fulfil their promises, and place the foreshore at the disposal of the Board, and in the meantime to give the Bank a guarantee for £5000, until such time as the Board can take advantage of the powers granted to it under the Act of last session to borrow to the extent of £12,000. Beyond a telegram to the effect that the request is before the Cabinet, no reply has been received. As the Government can reply in the first instance that all despatch is being made according to the Act of last session to have the foreshore handed over, and may say in reference to the guarantee, that no provision has been made for such a purpose, the prospects of the Board are anything but encouraging. What the result may be it is hard to say ; but that the Government will be called upon to assume the management of the Harbour again is not unlikely. Should such a course be determined on, it would be a lasting disgrace to this community, and an argument in the hands of those who oppose the system of local selfgovernment. It may also be said by those persons—and their number was not small—who questioned the wisdom of the" oourse carried; out by *a late Board, in

taking control of the Harbor, that the result is fully up to expectations. Be that as it may, the question of the future management, and the course to be taken at the present time, is one that wants the best attention at the hands of the present Board, and will give an opportunity to the members to prove themselves capable of managing such an important interest as that placed in their hands. Should failure follow their exertions, before any application be made to the Government to take over the harbor, would it not be wise for the Board to ask the Borough Council or some other local body to accept the trust which they have been unable to administer satisfactorily ?

The Maori meeting at Orakei, dignified by the name of " a Parliament," has commenced, and, as a natural consequence, there has been a general talk. " Korero " appears 1o be as necessary to the Maori as " Eai," and, no matter what the quality, they are generally able to get through a considerable quantity of both. We never properly understood the object of this conclave of Maori rank and wisdom, but, from perusing the newspaper reports of what has occurred, it would appear that so far the talk has been a somewhat grotesque mixture of moral maxims, laudation of the Premier and Native Minister, and a few growls at the non-fulfilmentof the Treaty of Waitangi, in respect to the manz of the fishing grounds. During the first portion of the Parliament hon. members appear to have gone very heavily in for giving good advice to each other, and one of the speakers advised them to abandon the Maori canoe for the Pakeha ship. But Paul, the chief of the Orakei kainga, who has, doubtless, had to provide the greater portion of the food to be consumed^at the meeting, at the end of Wednesday's siting complained that there had been too much about the Gospel in the speeches, and thought that the prayer at the commencement was enough religion for each day; and at yesterday's meeting, when he found them drifting into moral aphorisms instead of sticking to business, he repeated the caution of the previous day. . Several speakers aired their tribal grievances, and after it had been suggested that Paul should be elected to the House of Representatives, the meeting adjourned till to«day.

It will be remembered that Mr D, G. MacDonnell was requested at the meeting of the promoters ot the Taiaru and Karaka Tunnel scheme held last Saturday evening to take the plan and reports to Auckland, and, if possible, gain an idea as to the probable support that might be expected from the Auckland public. The following letter from Mr MacDotnell upon the subject was received this morning, which is in some measure satisfactory:—"l 7 Exchange Buildings, Auckland, 27th February, 1879.—Sir,—Ee Tararu and Karaka Tunnel scheme, I have, as requested, consulted with several influential persons in Auckland re above-named scheme, and am glad to inform, you that it has been highly approved of, and that little doubt exists in the mind of those to whom I have spoken on the subject, but that the company could easily be floated, provided drainage operations for working present low levels on the Thames were being proceeded with. Until drainage operations be resumed I am advised —and I fully coincide with the advice —not to attempt tbe floating of the Company, as in all probability the attempt would prove a failure, but feel assured the Company would be very quickly floated on drainage operations being resumed. The people of Auckland are so thoroughly disheartened at the suspension of work in the low levels, that no new mining scheme, however favorable its prospects, will induce them to invest capital in it until those works in which so much capital is already invested be more fully developed. 1 would therefore recommend that every effort be made for the resuming of drainage operations, and that the -Government be requested to grant an extension of time for the carrying out of the Tunnel scheme.—l have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, D. G. MaoDonnell.—Wm. McCullough, Esq., J.P., Mayor Borough of Thames.

We must congratulate the members of the Borough Council upon the liberal spirit shown by them in the matter of the Kaitangata Relief Fund. It remains now for the.public, and the miners especially, to follow up the good beginning made, and, if only by a subscription of a few shillings each, show that sympathy and consideration is being felt for the sufferers by the disaster. The following amounts were subscribed by the Councillors last evening :—The Mayor, £2 2a ; Cr Graham, £1 Is ; Cr Price, £1 Is ; Cr Ehrenfried, £1 Is ; Mr Dean, £1 Is ; Cr Wilson, 10s ; Cr McGowan, 10s; Cr Speight, 10s 6d ; and Cr Mennie, 10s.

Pbofessob and Madame Alexander, the great Indian actors, are announced to give a performance at the Theatrd Eoyal to-morrow evening. They have with them a clever pig, and give away prizes every evening.

Theee was a clean sheet at the R.M., Court to-day.

As is usual in most big races, the result ot the Dunedin Cup was—"The favorites was nowhar,'' and even the great tipster " Pepjasus'' was miles out in his reckoning. The latest betting made Chancellor, Titania, and Templeton first favorites, and Mata was said to be completely " under a cloud " in the betting market, while Sinking Fund was down almost at the bottom of the list. It appears that the favorites were largely backed all over the Colony. None of the big money in Abbott's sweep will come to the Thames, but several here had tickets in Tonks', the result of the drawing of which is not yet known here.

Foe the first time during the present Mayor's term a full Council met in solemn conclave last evening, and, what is much to be commended in these latter days, not an angry word was uttered, but the greatest harmony existed. Other local bodies, take a lesson !

A lady called at a sbop at the top of Grey street for the purpose of selecting a suitable pair of spectacle. A shrewed colonial boy bobbed from behind Mrs W 's counter with, "What can I do for you ma'am, pair o' specs." " I want a pair said the lady." " What's your age please ma'am, I can suit you from 50 to 100, all* sights ma'am." The inquisitor was informed that it was an impertinent question, "ladies never tell their age." The lad blushed and apologised.—Star.

The Hon. Karaitana, M.H.K., has died at Napier. A great native tangi is going on now, the body of the deceased being laid in slate in a glass coffin.

Mks Addey's pupils will be glad to learn that she has been restored to health again. Mr Addey has had recently another addition made to his neat little hall in the shape of a new music room, which also can be used as a ladies' dressing room. The hall is better suited for parties than any other on the field.

A telegeam in last night's Auckland Star states :—" The Herald says a wellknown gentleman in Dunedin has just been called on by the owner of a horse entered for the Cup, for the purpose of finding out the whereabouts of a lady namesake of his, who had drawn the visitor's horse in a popular sweep. He did not receive the information he so anxiously wanted, but notwithstanding his, he candidly avowed his intention if he could not purchase the ticket of his horse from the lady for about £40, he would not start Irs horse for the Cup, but reserve it for another race. If, however the lady would accept of £5 more than she would get for her horse as a nonstarter, then the crafty owner would run his horse. He considered that ifc would win at least third place, and thereby bring him in at least £3CD." Stories like the above have beeu very frequent in connection with our great race meetings lately and as there must be some truth in them, racing clubs throughout the colony should set their faces against this kind of work, by disqualifying the owners of horses who endeavour to levy black mail on the public.

The special correspondent of the Auckland Star at the Orakei Maori Parliament " pigeongraphs " the following tit bit to last night's issue of that paper:—" I did not know until to-day, that there had lately been an elopement in high life, the runaway in this case being no less a personage than a Queen, the youngest of the three (E. and O. E.) wives of King Tawhiao. It appears that there was a tiff in the Palace, because the old monarch wanted to cut down her pin-money, and, moreover, Queen No. 3 had been casting sheep's eyes on one of Hia Majesty's subjects. Her liberty was therefore somewhat restricted^ and the young lady resented this, and made tracks for Ohaupo with one of her maids of honor. They got into the railway carriage and came to Auckland. There was, of course, a great scandal, and the pair having been traced the wires were set to work, and the Queen was found in Queen street regaling herself on "toffey." She was restored to her disconsolate lord and master next day, but for State reasons the whole affair was kept a profound secret, and I only learned it through a whisper I heard amongst the natives here."

I have heard of various pedestrian feats, such as walking 4000 miles in 4000 quarter-hours, hut there is a clergyman in Lancashire who indulges in fast reading feats which are almost as astounding, but which, I hope, will neither become so popular nor so common. The Rev. Mr Whitehead, vicar of St. Paul's Nordon, has, however, been complained of instead of being admired by his parishioners for his performances, one of which consisted of getting through the prayers, litany, sermon, and collection at morning service in from thirty to thirty-five minutes. On the other hand, the vicar declared that he allowed time for the responses, but some members of the congregation drawled them out as long as they could, there being an "unkind feeling " towards him. Truly, a novel mode of punishing a parson. Then, it was charged against Mr Whitehead that he read the service in a " sneering " tone, but I can hardly wonder at this when I find him frankly stating that he was surprised the people " came to Church at all, as it was impossible for him to do them any good," and when he has no scruple in finishing up a sermon with the words, •• I have not kept you long this afternoon, and I would not have oome at all if I was not obliged." Mr Whitehead is evidently to be credited with saying what he thinks, however much he may be disposed to clear the prayers at a leap and make a bolt to the " Amen/%—Morning Herald.

A toting couple were secretly married in Cincinnati a year ago, and nobody suspected their * relationship until the husband was killed the other day. He was then on his way to the Justice's to get the marriage certificate, he and his wife having decided to publish their union. The notices of marriage and death appeared in the game newspaper.— Chronicle.

consignees.