A mishap to the telegraph wires south of Napier and a consequent suspension of all communication between Auckland and the offices south of Hawke'a Bay, caused a great amount of inconvenience in busines g circles to-day. The local telegraph department received intimation this morning that a deluge in the Napier district had carried away ten telegraph poles in the vicinity of Waipukurau, cousine a total interruption of nil business. The officerin" Charge, Mr W. S. Ifurby, received no

information of an official character, but learned particulars of the accident from messages proceeding along the wires. He anticipates that communication will be restored some time during the day, but up till three o'clock this afternoon no messages had been received or despatched "to offices south of Napier. In consequence of this interruption we are entirely without our usual budgeb of cable items and Southern telegrams beyond Napier. To-day is a somewhat memorable date in the history of this part of the colony, being the 30th anniversary of the taking of Orakau Pa, in the VVaikato war of 1863— 64. The details of this famous engagement which brought the Waikato war to a close, ore familiar to most colonials. Ib is a somewhat peculiar coincidence that the Auckland members of the Naval and Military Settlers' Association should hold their meeting this evening for the purpose of adopting an address of greeting and esteem to old llewi Manga, the celebrated Ngatimaniapoti chief who defended Orakau so valiantly thirty years ago, and who is now lying on what is believed to be his deathbed at his home on the Puniu, Waikato. Many who took part in the attack on Orakau Pa, in the Upper Waikato district, are still in our midsc. Most of the Maori defenders are no longer in the land of the living, but the Ngatiruukawa Chief Hitiri te Paerata, who took a prominent parb in the defence of the pa, is still alive, and is at) present living at Taupo. In the engagement at Orukau, which lasted three days, over 120 natives were killed, while the British los« was also rather heavy, considering that the Maoris in the pa were opposed by several times their number of white soldiery.

On Saturday, Messrs Jackson Palmer and VV. F. Massey were nominated as candidates for the vacant seat in the House of Representatives for the Waitemata electorate. The nominations closed to-day, no others having been received by the Returning Officer, Mr J. M. King, and the election takes place on Monday next, 9th inst. Mr Eden George, who made a slight canrass of several portions of the district, has retired from the contest, owing to the infufficiency of time to traverse the whole of the electorate before polling day. Had the issue of the writ been postponed there would have been a triple tighb. <

Arrangements are now completed for the re-working of the Onuhunga Iron Works this day fortnight, ova new basis. Men were engaged thi3 morning altering and re-urranging machines, etc., so aa to start work in earnest.

The criminal sittings of the Supremo Court were ronumed this morning after the adjournment for the Easter holidays. His Honor adjourned the Court for five minutes, and then opened the civil sittings, in order to formally adjourn the Court until Friday next at 10 a.m. His Honor gave a lengthy charge to the Grand Jury upon the alleged long firm case, and a true bill was subsequently returned against the three accused. This caso will take some time, His Honor remarking that there wore some 20 witnesses from Trtrunaki alone. The advantages of the new Criminal Code Act were shown when the prisoners were charged at the Court to-day. Instead of the bewildering rigmarole of useless verbiage formerly used, the Registrar simply stated in plain language the substance of the charge. For instance, a man is not now asked if ho attempted to kill and murder hitmelf, but simply attempted to commit suicide.

After wo went to press a further caa c wus heard at Onehunga Magistrate'B Court on Friday last, viz., Grey v. Whito> claim for £25 9.', half\cosb of boundary fence. Mr C. J. Parr for plaintiff and Dr. Laiahloy for defendant Evidence was taken at some length by Mr Bush, S.M., and forwarded to the Hamilton Magistrate's Court, where further hearing is to take place.

Messrs Ward, Collins and Crawley, three of the visiting delegates to the Trades and Labour Conference, return home by the s.s. Takapuna this ovening. Messrs Caradus and Lyon, two other delegates, remain hero until Thursday next. The majority of tho delegates had not previously been in Auckland, and ono and all speak in flattering terms of the beauties of tho place and the kindness and hospitality extended towards bhoin.

Tho "welcome home" to the bowling representatives and friendly match which was to havo taken place on Saturday ab the Auckland Bowling Club Green had to be postponed until Saturday nexb. The following games were, however, played :- No. 1 rink : Ledingham, Patterson, Taib, Kirkwood (skip) 38, v. Ross, Mahoney, Wilkins, Winks (skip), 7. No. 2 rink: Reid, Harrop, Holland, Mennie (skip), 15 v. Pirie, Worthington, MciCallum, Rhodes (skip), 9. No. 3 rink : Culpan, Kingswell (19) v. C. F. Reid, J. Frater (20).

Mr George Brown, for many yoars a highly respected resident at Devon port, died this morning ab half-pasb fivo o'clock. For months past he has been very foeble, and daily declining, and ab tho last parsed poacefully away without a struggle. During life he was a man of great energy, and as a Christian worker was very successful in every department. He was a fully accredited lay preacher among the Wesloyans for over forty years, and possessed intelligence and influence beyond the common lot. He leaves a widow and a large family of grown-up sons and daughters.

The ordinary meeting of the Dovonpor6 Borough Council, which was to have been held this evening, stands adjourned to Wednesday next, in order to enable councillors to be present aba social gathering of parents and friends' of education to be held in the Devonporb schoolroom to-night for tho purpose of welcoming Mr Jas. Armstrong, the new head master, and Mr Casper Seroadeni, the first assistant teacher.

Some further particulars regarding the death of the Rev. J. S. Hill and Mrs Hill are contained in a letter written by Miss Leachman, sister of Mrs Hill, and sißter-in-law of the late Bishop Hill, to Mr Ewington, under date Fobruary 23. Miss Leachman says :—" You will no doubt have heard of the terrible loss we have sustained in the doath of the dear Bishop and Mrs Hill. Only four days were they really ill, although he had nob been well for some time previously, having, as the doctors said, used up all his strength while in England. It has been felt by all classes of Christians in England, and I am sure many in New Zealand will mourn their loss. My sister was only eight hours after him, he having died at five, and she ab half-past bwelve the same' night."

Miss Hearne, pupil teacher, Kuaotunu, whose illness we noticed towards the close ot the teachers 1 examination for certificates held in January last, has beon granted a partial " E " by the Education Department, Wellington, in' consideration of her having passed in all the subjects in which she was examined previous to her illness.

From the twency-n'rsb report of the School Board of Glasgow, we find that, exclusive of the High School, there are in that city 67 schools, with places for 68,334 Bcholars. Art classes are conducted, and there are also cookery rooms in connection with all important) Bchools. The Board has completed arrangements for the teaching of laundry work in nine of the schools under its supervision. The smallest school is Keppochhill, with an attendance of 606 scholars, the largest, Crookston-street, with an attendance of 1,757. Thirty-six schools contain over 1,000 pupils. One city school (John-street) has accommodation for 24 chemistry students, 24 students in practical cookery, 107 drnwing studentß, and a lecture-room for 99 students. These rooms are intended for use chiefly in th« evening.

The latesb tale of the sea comes from the Bluff. A telegram from that locality reports an unusually disastrous occurrence in connection with the voyage of the sealing ketch Gratitude, belonging to the Bluff, which has just returned to thab port from Macquarrie Island to the far south. The ketch, which is well-known in Auckland, was bound from Macqnarrie Island, where she had gone on a cruise for seals and penguin oil, when a sea of exceptional size struck her and washed overboard three men, none of whom were ever sees again. This is somewhat remarkable as being the second occasion on which disaster has overtaken the enterprise in connection with the sealing' and oil ab the Macquarries within the last few years. Ab Christmas, 1890, ib will be remembered, the unfortunate steamer Kakanui foundered with all her crew and passengers while bound on the same voyage, from Macquarrie Island to the Bluff. The Kakanui, which was in charge of Captain Best,, wenb down to relieve some men who had been left on the island by the ketch Awaiua, belonging to the same owner as the Gratitude, and ib was while reburning with them that ehe was losb with all hands. Macquarrie Island lies some 800 miles to the far South of New Zealand, within the northern limits of the ice during the Austral summer season. It is said that some of tho most tremendous waves ever seen have been experienced between the Bluff and the Macquarriee, owing to the great expanse of ocean which is in those latitudes for the sea to gather force. In the latitude of Macquarrie Island the Southern Ocean has an uninterrupted roll round tho entire globe.

Yesterday forenoon some excitemenb was occasioned in the Surrey Hills district owing to the horse attached to the milk cart of Mr James McNair bolting along: the footpath of the New North Road. The animal took fright opposite the Glasgow store where ib had been left by the owner during the delivering of rhiik to some customers in 'the' vicinity.' The horse and vehicle careered along the footpath to the corner of Oxford-street, where they met with an obstruction in the shape of a gas lamp. The conveyance was considerably damaged and the foline community of the neighbourhood obtained a more than liberal supply of lacteal Quid that morning by frequenting the footpath and gutter. The horse escaped with very slight injury and the lamp-post sustained very little damage^ by the collision.

The " King" Maoria and the dog-tax collector were again at loggerheads. News from tho Waikato gives particulars of a rather amusing phase of the dog-tax trouble amongst the natives. Ib seems that a Maori named Ateroi Kingi is threatened with a summons to the Police Court at Raglan for neglecting to pay the tax for his pet kuri. Tawhiao's native " magistrate " pbeps in, and has now issued a sum: mons in due official form to- Mr Conradi, the Clerk to the Raglan County, requesting his appearance before the Maori Court, on tho information of the same Ateroi Kingi, in connection with the dogtax question. This summons is not likely to bo obeyed, bub it is aigniticanb as showing thab Tawhiao and his adherenbs have established a s^orb of courb of their own, in opposition to the^ia/ceha tribunal. Ib is about time that Tuwhiao learnt, however, that his court is about thirty years out of date. It is stated that Tawhiao has instructed his people not to pay the obnoxious dog-tax.

The case Cook v. Sand ford was recently heard, at Sydney, before Mr Justice Stephen and a jury of four. Mr C. B. Stephen (instructed by Mr Eliot Meyer) appeared for tho plaintiff, and Mr E. Barton, Q.C., with him Mr Garland (instructed by Messrs Weaver and Hale), for the defendant. Plaintiff's case was that he had been engaged in New Zealand under a 12 months' agreement as a sheet-ironmaker by defendant, who was the proprietor of the Esbank Iron and Steel Works, situated at Lithgow, in N.S.W, But the defendant, he alleged, failed to supply him with a sufficient quantity of iron, and, as a consequence plaintiff and tho workmen whom he had brought from New Zealand with him ;.vere idle for a long time. He claimed £250 for breach of agreement. Defendant entered a general denial of plaintiff's pleas. In summing up, His Honor paid that tho casi> was an example of the manner in which difficult mntters arose out of what should be very simple contract*. It was impossible to determine what date the contract in this case was intended to start from. Tho agreement did not oxpreps what was implied under the scale of work, and he would, therefore, direct the jury to find that the contract wna what Lord Campbell termed it in tho case of the Quoen v. Steel—" Defendant is to find reasonable employment according to the stute of trade." This was a latno direction, he was aware, but he would leave ib to tho jury at that, and ib would be a matter for the Full Court. He would, therefore, ask the jury to find as a matter of fact whether it was intended that the obligation of this agreement, should be put) aside, and another otic substituted ; was there anything in the caso to show that this was the intention of the parties? He would also ask tho jury to find a verdict aa to damages, and the full Courb would find whether the plaintiff was entitled to recover them. The jury found that there was no recision of tho contract, and that plaintiff was entitled to some compensation, and fixed the sum at £24. In tho cases of Pick v. Sandford and Gettings v. Sandford, which were similar in nature, the same jury found similar verdicts by consent, except thab in Pick's case tho damages were fixed ab €6.

At St. Benedict's Church' yesterday Hadyn'B "Imperial Mass" was again successfully performed by the choir, with organ accompanimonb assisted by Herren Zimmermann and Tutschka. The soloists were Misses Lorrigan, Brannigan, Messrs Fuller and Parish. Schubert's "Offertorium " was well sung by Mr John Fuller, with violin obligato by Herr Zimmermann. The Rev. Dr. Egan conducted and preached the morning sermon/* In the evening at vespers the Very Rev. Father Downey officiated, and the Rev. Gregory preached, taking for his text " Alleluia." Miss Lorrigan and Dr. Egan sang a duet ab the offertory, and solos were rendered by Madame Tutschka, Misses Good, Brannigan, Cordon and Messrs Parish and Gatland.

As appears from an adverbisomenb in another column, the unique entertainment. "Humor Art.and Harmony," which has been attracting largo audiences in the other colonies, will bo given in the Ponsonby Hall on Monday next. The programme is a varied and high-class one, and embraces gdVna of humour, gems of arb and pictorial effect and gems of harmony from the great composers, interpreted by talented artistes, some of whom have been engaged locally, including Herr Zimmermann, who will play violin solos, Mr Walter Impetb, the pianoforte soloist, who will play the new waltz composed by himself, and Mr Leslie Dix, the popular comedian who will give several musical absurdities. Amongst the artists who will make their first appearance in Ponsonby are Miss Violet Elliott, eoprano vocalist, and Mr Harry Rayward, humorist and ventriloquist. Many of the ibem3 will be illustrated from life models with mechanical effects, and altogether the programme promises to be an attractive one.

Th«? miniversary of the Ponsonby Baptist Sunday is'iool was celebrated yesterday by special ■■■ 'ices of a bright and pleasing nature. building was nicely decorated for tli inn, and the congregations were vi j throughout the day. The Rev. A illins officiated atthe.three eervic • • iivored excellent dis^CouWelT" !•■■•■■ .-.,,'. rendered in a capital f ••,■ ■i • ■■? ithildreu. '

The Auckland Amateur Opera Club expecb to score one of their biggesb successes ia" Madame Favarb," a bright and tuneful comic opeVa by Offenbach, to be produced ab the Opera House on Tuesday, April lObh, and following nights. The production will be a costly one, bub bhe results are expected to more than repay the energy and money expended. The cast seems to be an exceptionally strong one, the chorus is strong both vocally and numerically, and, with an orchestra of a dozen professional instrumentalists, the effects promise to be really very fine. By advertisement elsewhere it is intimated that the box plan will be open at Wildman and Lyell's to-morrow (Tuesday). Tickets may also be obtained }rom Messrs Partridge and Williamson. Yesterday services returning thanks for a bountiful harvest were rendered ab St. Peter's Church, Onehunga. The Rev. Canon Mac Murray preached in the morning, and the Rev. Mr Williams conducted service in the evening. There were large congregations at both services.

Miss Amy Vaughan, having fully recovered from her recent illness, announces thab her Saturday nighb popular concerts will be resumod at the City Hall on the 14bh insfc. and will bo continued throughout the winter.

The thirty-first anniversary of St. Jamea' Presbyterian Sunday-school was successfully celebrated by special services yesterday. Tne gatherings took place in St. James' Hall, which had been tastefully decorated for the occasion. Overflowing congregations attended each of the three services, which were of a bright and hearty character. The morning and evening discourses were delivered by the Rev. J. McNeil, Presbyterian evangelist of Victoria, and the Rev. R. Ferguson gave an address to the children in the afternoon. Appropriate hymns were admirably rendered by a choir of over 150 voice.3, and the collections were in aid of Sunday-school funds.

Special collections in aid of the Home Mission Fund of the Auckland Anglican diocese were made yesterday in most of the Anglican churches in the Auckland district. Several of the town churches did not take up collections for this purpose yesterday but will do so during the present; month. Ab St. Matthew's Church yesterday the special offertory on behalf of this fund amounted to £14 11s ; dt All Saints', Pon.*onby, £10 15s lid ; ab the Church of the Holy Trinity, Devonport, £2 9a 9d. The collection of St. Mary's, Parnell, will be taken up next Sunday.

Mi W. F. Forbes, organisb of the Grafton Road Wesleyan Church for the last throe years, yesterday assumed charge as organist and choirmaster of the Pitt street Wesleyan Church, by invitation of the trupr.ee?. Upon leaving his former position, Mr Forbes was presented by the members of the choir and some ot the congregation with a valuable gold albert, an a token of the esteem felt for the able manner in which ho had attended to the duties devolving upon that position.

On Saturday evening, an instructive lecture was delivered by Mr H. E. Crofts in the lecture room of the Auckland College and Grammar School on " Deaf-Mutism and Defective Speech." There was a fair attendance, and Sir G. M. O'Rorke presided. Mr Crofts said the lecture was one of general public interest, because it unfortunately affected many members of the community. He gave statistics in reference to the number of deaf mutes in the principal countries of the world, as gathered from the last census records. The lecturer, in referring to the three systems of teaching and training deaf and dumb people, explained fully the articulation method, the sign manual system and the combined system. Tho lecture was listened to with appreciative interest, and at its conclusion several questions were asked.