A terrible massacre has taken place at Berber. The inhabitants, driven to despair bv starvation, rose en misse, and seized the Treasury. In turn they were attaoked by the garrison. The result was fearful loss of life. A thousand dervishes are reported to have assembled at Dongola. Great excitement continues to prevail in Spain over the action of Germany in attempting to annex the Caroline Islands. At a mass meeting in Madrid, a resolution condemnatory of the proceedings ot Germany was passed. The report that Russia has abandoned her olaim to the Zultikar Pass is now fully confirmed. We are informed that the statement that Mr. Albin Martin has had a paralytic seizure is not correct. It seems that he fell over a lump of sooria near the weighbridge at the Auckland station, and injured hiß hip severely. JN either Dr. Philson nor Dr. Scott can discover as yet the exact nature of the injury from which Mr. Martin is suffering. The report of Mr. J. L. Kelly, the delegate of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, on the situation, climate, products, population, Government, and commerce, of the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Barotonga, and Tahiti, has been printed in pamphlet form, and copies may be obtained from the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce at Is each. The ship Ncrbudda, from London, came into harbour early yesterday morning after a somewhat lengthy passage of 112 days. Particulars of her passage and cargo will be found in our shipping columns. Our readers are reminded of the miscellaneous concert in St. James's Hall this evening at eight o'clock, when the Band of Hope. Union choir will step out of the usual run of cantata, service of song, etc., though the programme contains' some choice items, in the snape of choruses from the programme of the Crystal Palace Temperance Festival, when large choirs of 3000 voices each pro* duces great effect. Altogether the programme is so varied that it cannot fail to please, and we hope the piano fond will 1 be greatly assisted by the choir's exertions.

In to-day's issue will be found the principal portion of the speech made by the Chairman of the National Bank Board of Directors at the meeting of the shareholders held last month. The speech is distinguished by great frankness and ability, and will be perused with much interest by alldesirious of knowing the true position of this institution, and the prospect of increased usefulness in the colony which the wise decision of the Board and the shareholders have opened up for it. ■ The unanimity with which the shareholders endorsed the Board's action shows the confidence they have in their .direction of the bank's, affairs, and- this feel\ng will certainly be strengthened by the judicious appointment the Board has made of looal directors. A very peculiar case was heard before the Resident Magistrate yesterday. It was that of Bailey v. Bell, a claim for £50, arising out of ,the following circumstances It appears that in March last Mr. Ball seized the tools, etc. of Mr. Birley, of Customs-street, under a bill of sale. Amongst the effects was a gas engine, which, notwithstanding a protest lodged by the solicitor of Mr. Fordyce, who claimed to be the owner of the machine, was sold to Mr. Charles Bailey at auction by Messrs. Cochrane and Son. Mr. Fordyoe's claim against the engine was that he had rented it to Mr. Birley at £4 a week, and that when be had paid £80 the engine would become his own, but that the property in the engine had never passed from Mr. Fordyce, and that it was Improperly included in the bill of sale. Suit was brought in the District Court by Mr. Fordyce against Mr. Bailey for the recovery of the engine, and he won the case with costs, and Mr. Bailey now brought his action against Mr. Bell to recover the price of the engine, the cost of its removal and re-erection, and the costs of the District Court suit. The evidence for the plaintiff was taken yesterday, and the case was then adjourned to a date to be fixed by the Resident Magistrate. A more detailed report of thß case will be found in another column. William Henry Wakeham was brought up at the Police Court yesterday before Messrs. R. W. Moody and C. D. Whitcombe, Justices, upon the charge of committing a murderous assault upon his wife, Mary Wakeham, on July 25, and was fully committed to stand his trial at the Supreme Court upon the charge. An application for bail was refused. The Mount Albert Wesleyan Sundayschool celebrates its 16th anniversary by a soir6e, this (Tuesday) evening, to be followed by a public meeting in the church, at half-past seven o'clock, when interesting addresses will be delivered by ministers and laymen, interspersed with singing by the choir. Crowded congregations assembled on Sunday last, to attend the services, which were conducted in the morning by the Rev. A. Reid, who preached from the I. Corinthians, vii., 14, especially enforcing the duties of parents to their children in spiritual matters, showing that most parents believed their children would attain temporal success, yet lacked faith when they asked themselves, Will they grew up Christians in the highest sense of the v. jrd ? If all Christian parents did their duty, the Church would increase its membership mora than twice as fast as at present. In the afternoon, the Rev. R. Bavin preached from I. Kings, iii., 9, making his discourse deeply interesting to youog people, by expatiating on Solomon's choice in asking for an understanding heart rather than worldly riches, the possession of which is no guarantee of happiness. In the evening, the Rev. ti. Bull preached from Genesis xviii., 19, showing the importance of family worship, and exhorting all to follow Abraham's example, in acknowledging God in all their ways. The singing by the scholars was a pleasing feature in the services. The collections amounted to £8. A complimentary concert to Bandmaster Sibley was given in the Public Hall, Te Awnmutu, on Thursday evening. There was a very enthusiastio gathering; in fact, more people were present than at any previous concert since the hall waa built. The result will be about £50. In another column will be found the prospectus of the Great Western Tin Mining Company. This company is being formed with a capital of' £30,000, in shares of 20s each. Fifteen thousand shares are offered to the public, 5s to be paid upon application and 58 upon allotment of shares. The head office is to be in Auckland. The objeot of the company, as its name implies, is mining for tin. On several occasions this has been reported as existing in the colony, but up to the present no systematic effort has been made for the purpose of turning the deposits of this metal to commercial acconnt. The ground to be worked is situated at Westland, and is held by lease from the Government. It is 350 acres in extent, and is situated on the sea beaoh, and is about 23 miles north of the borough of Westport. The report of Mr. Lockbart, who is an old experienced miner, is favourable. He shows that the property is well situated, and that coal for smelting purposes is obtainable within four miles of the company's mine.

The Newton committee of the Gospel Temperance Mission held their usual evangelistic service in the Protestant Hall, Karangahape-road, on Sunday evening: Mr. Brame gave an excellent address from "Behold the Lamb oi God which taketh away the sins of the world." Mr. R. French presided. The arrival of the Marist Brothers, the new teachers for the Catholic Boys' Schools, is to be marked on Thursday evening next by ft promenade concert, with refreshments, in the Sacred Heart Schoolroom, at the corner of Pitt and Wellington Streets. His Lordship Bishop Luck will preside, and addresses will be delivered on the occasion. The Hon. Secretary to the local committee of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition has received a letter from Mr. Julius Von Haast, Commissioner, in which he desires that official •' to impress upon the chairman and members of the committee the fact that, although the latest advertised date for receiving application for space is Ist October, >et it is highly desirable, in order that no time may be lost, that as many applications as possible should be received before that day. I shall be obliged, therefore, if yoa will use your best endeavours to colleot and send me as many applications as you can, without delay." We understand that the Mayor will let the matter rest for a week or two, till the Wellington Exhibition matters are done with. The Mayor states that the impression spread abroad at the opening of the. Wellington Exhibition, that it was going to turn out a fiasco was wholly erroneous. The fact was that through the dilatory conduct of exhibitors, the Exhibition was opened a fortnight too soon, but the building was a good one, fully stored with exhibits, and the display was a credit to the colony, A case of typhoid fever was reported to the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. Goldie) as having occured at Surrey Hills, which the informant believed owed its existence to bad drainage. Mr. Goldi* was obliged to reply that he had no jurisdiction, and referred the man to the Secretary or Chairman of the Highway Board. It is Mr. Goldie's opinion that unless some steps are taken to provide drainage on the Surrey Hill Estate, the constant soakage of the sewage into the clay soil will end in its becoming a perfeot fever bed. A mother, daughter, and son were sent to gaol yesterday under 'the Vagrant Aot. The lad is said to be sickly, and not quite right in the head, but tha police were puzzled what to do with him, when the mother and daughter were imprisoned. Yesterday » boy named John Jones was sentenced to twelve strokes of a birch, by the Bench, for larceny, the sentence to be carried out by the police. In the afternoon the sentence was carried out in the police guard-room, under the supervision of Sergeants Donnelly and Kiely. The modus operandi was as follows :—Constable Christie got the boy's head in chancery, and then Constable McConnell holding the youthful sinner across his knee, struck home on the old,' old spot, as the Roman matrons did two thousa nd years ago. The Buffalo Minstrels arrive from the South to-day, and appear at the Thames tomorrow evening, prior to commencing a season in Auckland. Marshal Booth addressed a crowded meeting of the Salvation Army laßt night, a report of which will be found in another column. It is intended to send home a cablegram to General Booth expressive of the feelings of shame and indignation experienced. by the 156,000' members of the Salvation Army in the colonies, at the iniquitous traffic in young girls in England, to which the Herald alluded yesterday, and praying the Queen and Parliament to abolish it. The 27th anniversary ball of the A Battery will be held at the Choral Hall on lUn, aday evening, the 7th prox.

An amusing incident took place last night »t the Parliamentary Union at the dsvUfon on the Abolition of Oaths Bill (which w*» introduced by Mr. W. Cooper, Franklin South), and the second reading lost by one vote, that vote being cast by Mr. Ah Kew (Thorridon). When the division took pl» Mr. Ah Kew, to the consternation of the Ministerialists, in whose ranks he has hither, to remained, noticed him moving over to th« Opposition side of the House. The hon member for Caversham. endeavoured to detain the recusant, but vainly, as the hon. member for Thorndon had his pigtail carefully coil** up, and the "Whip" only succeeded in striking the place where it once was. Mr Cooper expressed the opinion that th hon. member for Thorndon did not kno 9 what he. was voting for, but was it once peremptorily called to order hi the Speaker. Mr. Ah Rew, who i. « regular attender at the Union, and take an intelligent interest in the questions di« cussed, promptly informed the hon. memK«l for Franklin South that he knew perfect? well what he was about, as he would soon see when he cast his vote against his measure On the division being taken, and the fab. It the Bill sealed by Mr. Ah Kew's vote Mr Cooper could only gasp out that while willing to face all earthly foes, the fact that his Bill was kicked out through Celestial influence revealed a very Kew-rious state of affairs. On the stock and share market yesterday there was a fair demand for Cambria/ Manukaus, Caledonians, and Crowna, Kara! ngahake, at prices quoted in our commercial columns. Mr. W. Norton and his " Merrymakers" appear at the Opera House to-morrow evening in a variety entertainment. The vacancy caused by the death of MrArthur, Chief Surveyor of Otago, is to bs supplied by the promotion of Mr. C. W Adams, Geodesical Sarveyor, to the Chief Surveyorship of Otago. Messrs. Levin and Co., agents for the Shaw, SavilT, and Albion Company at Weilington, have received a cable message from Admiral Tryon, stating that the s.«. Coptic had now been ordered to England, and that any communications for persons on board should be sent home. It has now transpired that the Coptic, when she left Wellington was under orders for some place on the coast of South America, where she was to report herself to the Admiral in command of the Pacific station. The precise locality is not yet announced. From the detailed reports which have come to hatid of the burning down of the police-station at Rotorua it appears that it took fire while Constable Abrams was attending at night to the man Whiteman (now in the Auckland Hospital) in an adjoining building. The constable had broken up an old packing-case in the station to make some hot tea for the sick man, and while absent from the apartment for a few minutes the wood had rolled out of the fireplace and set fire to some furniture. When Constable Abrams returned to the house the fire had got too much headway to be suppressed. He got the ohildrea out and a few articles, but that was aIL The constable's furniture was uninsured, and he loses about £50 in consequence. He and his family are now occupying the stable in which Whiteman lay until steps can. be taken to rebuild the police station, aii no other premises are obtainable. Yesterday His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W. R. Waddel) took the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. Halbert) out for a drive to Bee the various places of interest. Among other places visited was the pumping station at the Western Springs. Mr. Hulbert was greatly pleased with his visit and inspection of the machinery. The Christchurch Corporation intand to improve their water supply by further developing the artesian system which supplies the city. At present they have gone through strata for 80 feet, and it it proposed now to go down for 150 feet, in the hope of obtaining a supply which will command the highest buildings in the oity. The Band of Hope Union choir will give a miscellaneous concert this evening, in St. James' Hall,'on behalf of the piano fund. An excellent programme has been arranged. The anniversary soiree of the Ponsonby Baptist Church will take place this evening in the Ponsonby Hall, at half-past six, when addresses will be given by several minister* and friends. Superintendent Thomson may be expected to arrive to-day from the Thames, having concluded his tour of inspection of the stations of his district. Thompson's Diorama of the Soudan War and .Nile expedition was repeated last evening at the Theatre Royal before another capital house. The usual distribution of gifts also took place. To-night a handsome bedroom suite and a silver goblet are to be given to the author of the conundrum on the bondan war. 160 other gifts are announced to be given away. There were in the lock-up last evening three persons on charges of drunkenness, and Samuel Davis for being drunk and disorderly. A man named . Alfred Burgoyne, residing in Brown-street, Ponsonby, met with a painful accident yesterday while landing wood from a cutter at the reclamation. He was lifting a puriri log when he lost his balance and fell between the breastwork and tbe cutter, lacerating three of his fingers in going down and also on some oyster shells on the beach. He had his injuries attended to at Dr. Tennenf 8 surgery. Professor Baldwin's entertainment At the Devonport Hall last evening drew a crowded house, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. At the close of the entertainment the committee and many prominent oitizens requested Professor Baldwin to give another seance to-night, to which he consented. 'J he committee consisted of Messrs. Duder, Phipps, Fenton, Norris, Stark, Roberts, and Philcox. Professor Baldwin was challenged to give the number on Mr. Stark'* watch. He stated that he would give it to-night. The Third Homely Talk on Common Things " will be delivered by the Rev. J. S. Hill this evening, at half-past seven o'clock, in the roomß of the Young Men's Christian Association. Young men are specially invited.

In a notice of the lecture delivered by Mr. Gerald Massey at the Opera House on Sunday night, it was inadvertently stated that it was the dosing lecture. Such is not the case, as Mr. Massey will again lecture at the same place next Sunday night, on the subject of "The Coming Religion." A bushman named Aggerby was admitted to the Hospital, .yesterday, from Mercury Bay, who had been injured by a log rolling on his foot. It is stated that the Rev. A. C. Gillies, of North Dunedin, is desirous of coming Aucklandwards, and may possibly become a successor to the late Rev. McKenzie Fraser. The Wellington Post notices that Mr. R. E. N. Twopeny, formerly of the firm of Joubert and Twopeny, and now editor of the Otago Daily Times, is at present in Wellington. It suggests that the Executive Committee of the Exhibition would do well to ask this gentleman to join that body during his stay here, and give it the benefit of his practical experience in the management of exhibit tions. The speeches delivered by the Hon. Mr. Stout and the Hon. Mr. Ballanoe in the House of Representatives on the Native Lands Disposition Bill have been printed in pamphlet form, and copies may be obtained at the office of Mr. Grant, Queen-street. A movement is afoot at Paparoa to revive the Agricultural Society, which everybody thought was dead, particularly that phase which delights in shows. It is more than six years since the last show. One principal reason that it fall through was that the shows were migratory instead of being stationary. It is intended to obviate this. A public meeting is convened for next Saturday, by Messrs. Skelton and Symonds, to consider what steps can be taken to secure a site, and make arrangements. — [Own Correspondent, August 17. J