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Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2403, 1 December 1877, Page 3

M T KeanG ' °f the Thistle Hotel, yesterday opened a new billiard saloon at his commodious hostelry. The hotel will now have two of the finest billiard rooms in the city. The table, which has been fitted up in the new room, is one of Alcock's best, and from the appearance of it, we should take it to be a very expensive one. Mr Keane has adopted a novel method of advertising his additional attraction. All the afternoon a man was to be seen parading Queen-street with a bright-coloured umbrella, on which was inscribed: "Handsome Exhibition Billiard Table at the Thistle Hotel. Go and see it." Very few passers-by omitted to read the words.

A Practical Joker Cured. —" The Tattler" ia the " Pictorial World" gives the following:—l am sure everybody must be grieved to hear of the death of Mr. Ward Hunt ; he was such a manly, honest English gentleman, and the species is very rare indeed nowadays. Did you ever hear the story of thedittle " mid" and the First Lord? Once upon a time,|a midshipman on H.M.S. , at Plymouth, discovered a stout gentleman making his way from the dock side on to the deck. Excepting the officer of the watch, there was hardly anyone else on board but tbe youthful officer, for the ship had. only just come in from abroad. The visitor desired to be shown over the ironclad, and the knowing " mid" immediately went in for a lark. He informed the gentleman how the capstan was used to grind the ship's coffee : he also told him how the ward-room officers always used the 18-ton guns for wine coolers to ice their champagne in, and he likewise made him acquanted with the fact that it was only the admiral in command who was allowed to dry his Sunday shirts on the mainyards. The visitor listened to this with a bland and simple smile ; but, on taking his leave, he said, "Young gentleman, you are a very smart youth indeed, and full of very curious information, and I hope that you will see that there is no mistake in this card of mine finding its way to your captain." The youth took the small bit of pasteboard, and, reading the name " Ward Hunt, " suddenly discovered the awfulness of his situation. However, the First Lord only treated him to another pleasant smile and then departed. ' That young gentlemen has never played practical jokes since that time.