LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 10195, 18 January 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

We learn that tine •-telegraph wirbs are "in 'contaot" at some point north of !P'aeroai, aoid in consequenco the des>patch of telegraanis to and from Thames to-day was delayedl

His. Worship the Mayorl (Mir rA. Burnsi) lias consented! to- rueet M.r Joseph (Devlin, MP. for Belfast West, on tlxe occasion of his visit to Thames and to welcome him to ■ tihle district.

Tlie Waikato Licensing CoinSnitte^ refused to entertain an applipation of the Ngaruawaihiai. Iteigaitta. Coaiiimjittee for a booth- on iMlaroh 17, the polio© report being, unfa.vo<urnib,le regarding the amount of drunkennessi last yeair.

■ UHamibei's -ocC the '2fo. 1 -{Rifles and Haiurfiiki ORiflesi are' requested to assemble ati their respective difill sihed's tomiorrow afternoon a.t 2.30 -o'clock for thle p'im"pose of marching to -Faraiwai for the annual cainp-of instruction.

Th.c Post Office forwards word to the .effect that the Railway Department haivo arranged a. river service between Pokeuo: and Tta.i.piri, wlii,cihi will commence to-iniorrow, -when the trains will run noTth and south from these points.

The local volunteers while in oaniip are to have a visit fromi the Paeroa corps, who intend making an attack on the 'oa'mp oni Sunday morning, while the local volunteer'si will defend. So>nio g:ood useful instruction, is anticipated, while the usual amusing incidentsl of a sham: fight are sure to be in evidence

We are informed by the secretary of the Waihi Minors'. Union. Mr ,f Ihat tlic ropoit tliaL niineis 'are wanted in Waihi is- inc-orr^ct. ITo slato-s that men are idlei at tlio present tiiue for wa.nt of work. A couple of parties? left the mano on account of the price offered for the work not htr iiig considoi-ocL payable.

At las* night's meeting of the Thames .iB-'oroaigh. .Council a special sitting was hfeld for thei purpose of fixing the day*-on whichi the weekly half-holiday shouid be heldi- It was decidad- that- Thursday be the day foi'tihie obsieiVainice of the holiday. We undea-standl that a petition asking; that the'holiday be changed to Wednesday was in coiurse oS signature, 'but it ■•was not in, evidence- at la,st night's meeting and will probably not be proceeded with-furtlhier 1. :

"It is Si sad fact that we cant-get people into our dhurches," saidi the Rev. S. Henderson at the Primitive Methodist Conference at 2\'cw Plymouth, "would to God wo could," At Thames they had instituted united open-air services after the usual Sunday service, and found they were reaching the people T'hio chief difficulty seemed to be in 'reaching the young people who had just loft Sunday school, who ought to go to churcili, bnti didn't. He was afraid there was too nruohi coldness: and formality iiibout the IGhureh to encourage the young to attend, jind. whilst no lover of sensationalism, he believed that the service would have to Ibe made to suit tS.e growing needs of the times.

It having been found that the footpathi on thlo nortlieni end of Pollen street, near the Star• office, is on private property, the Council last night decided in the interests of the public to purchase the strip of land. It was stated that'Mr James Renshaw,'lhe owner, had been approached on the matter 1 a.nd Lad been asked to put a, price v on the land. He had expressed his willingness to sell to the Council whatever land wa^ required at the rate of £2 Ins per' foot, Albert street frortage The opinion was. generally expressed that Mr RenAaw had' met "the Council very fairly amdl it was nnamimoiisly deoided to purchaae tlio land on the terms mentioned. Ht was stated that Mir Rensha.w had eaad; tha,t as the Co'imlcil hifld always treated ihimi fairly he wouildl do' the same to the Coimoil, particularly as public interests were involved.

Or. Lowe thinks '.that the Borough Council and 'not the shopkeepers should piwide the wherewittal for the watering of the streets 'by means of the new waiter 1 cart, whiich. is now available. The Council deed died to purchase ai'' waterMSairt and plaice it a,t the -disposal' of the shopikeepet's i the latter providing the liiorse andl nxan. The cairt arrived son* "time Tbaicik, but so far it jhias not made its appearance in ai public capacity. A!t last night's meeting of. 'the Council Cr. Lowe said he Would; give notice of motion that the resolution standing; in the Council; books be rescinded, and that the Council undertake thie Work of ■■Watering the streets- It was pointed out thiiiifc ai motion ..-could iio>ti be rescinded within thlree months, of -the.date of its having been passed.: Cr. Lowe: "Well, the three months must bo nearly up." ■Continuing. Cr Lowe said tint he would give notice, fa rescind the previous Resolution 'als soon as the'bylaw's of the Conin'cil ■ permitted!. '