TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 245, 18 October 1886, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Civil Sessions opened to-day. Signs of summer at last.

Boating, bowling, cricket, and tennis going.

Matthew Burnett's farewell meeting tonight. Commissioner Howard also " farewells at the Barracks.

The cricket and the grasshopper sing in, the dew wet. " Slack times," as the piece of lime said to the water. _ Spain is tranquil once more, and Madrid ifl freed from the state of siege proclaimed recently. The steamship Wendoureo, which was four days on the voyage from Melbourne to Sydney, has arrived all right. The Quebec provincial elections resulted in a victory for the French party. The whaling barque Petrel was lately at Norfolk Island. Captain Reid has made no "catch whatever since leaving Kuasell. Hib Excellency the Governor wituessed the boating procession at Wellington on Saturday. There were over 40 boatß engaged, the Star Club sending 26. The barque Helen Denny, just arrived, brings 11,550 gallons of spirits. What shall we do with such a lot Of poison ? Says the temperance reformer, Burn-it!

Tenders for the extension of the Helensville Railway will be called for very shortly. English Consols remain unaltered, but New Zealand inscribed stock has fallen one per cent. The impecunious man who married an heiress always spoke of her as a capital wife. . .

The Drapers' Early Closing Association have handed over 5 guineas to the V.M.C.A. Building Fund. London wheat market ia steady at former prices, but the demand is limited. Wainharinga goliifielde, in South Australia, are said to be turning out lots of the preciouß dirt. They are quite safe—there cannot be a " rush" to a place with such an unpronounceable name ! It is considered piob'able that 124,000 bales of wool will be available for the November series of wool sales in London.

The London " Times" says that Colonial tweeds are as good as the best English made. No colonial " blow" this time I The Scottish Australian Investment Co. have declared a dividend of 12J per cent.

A company with a capital of £120,000 is being formed in London to purchase Bucknail Gold Estate, Victoria.

Mrs Pauline Mittelataedt, of Milwaukie, U.S., has confessed to the murder of an iufiint by stabbing it with a darning needle. A labourer named Hosking, employed at Christchurch defence works, haa died from injuries received on Thursday last by a fall of earth.

The " Sportsman " states that Beach has resolved to retire from aquatic contests either at home or abroad.

By the end of the present week the stone work at the new Ponsonby reservoir is expected to be finished. The reservoir will hold ten days' supply for the city. Wagner composed only eleven operas, It is believed he would have composed more, but he had used up all the noises.

Messrs Joseph Bosisto and Jas Thomson, of Victoria, are to be banquetted in London before returning to the colony. We question whether any newspaper ever published in the Southern Pacific can boast of having in one issue such a wilderness of matrimonial advertisements as will be found in lsst Saturday night's Personal Column of the Stab. Advance ! Hannaford I

A prelimenary notice rtates that Mr J. H. Edmonds' juvenile pupils will occupy the stage of the City Hall on the 6th, Bth and 9th of November, in,. "The Picnic," and "Red Biding Hood." There were ten bankruptcies in Wellington last month, being a larger number than in any other month of this year, but there have been none so far this month.

A lecture on an interesting subject, viz., "The Catacombs of Rome," was delivered by Mr H. Exley in the Avondale Hall on Thursday night. Although the weather was anything but inviting, the desire of the people for information on bucU an important theme was manifested by the large number present. The lecturewaslistenedto throughout with rapt attention The choir from the Christians' Meeting - Houee, Cook-street, Auckland, gave several well-rendered selections, which were greatly appreciated. A collection was taken up at the close, the proceeds going to the Public School Library Fund.

The programme of Mr Swallow's organ recital on Thursday evening next in St. Patrick's Cathedral is published. As this is the last time Mr Swallow will perform in public in New Zealand, every lover of music should take advantage of tha treat offered.