TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 247, 20 October 1886, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Dull times ; no amusements.

A Grand "Stand."—Glasses round. Weather Report.—A peal of thunder.

English Consols stand at 100 J. European war is likely to be averted. Wellington-Auckland telegraph wires down again.

A telegraph wire is like a moustache. It is of no uee when it is down.

There are 137 male and 14 femala prisoners in Mount Eden Gnol. In London, shares are being allotted in the Queensland Quicksilver Company.

Tenders are receivable till 29th inst. for New Zealand militia uniforms.

The Alameda's mails, September 14th, have been delivered in London.

Caffrey and Perm are expected to nrriv* in Auckland next week.

It is proposed to hold a regatta at To Aroha on the Princo of Walos's Birthday.

Macmahon and Leitch have scored a success at Dunedin with "His Natural Life."

They will arrive in Auckland -with this thrilling play for the Christmas season. The s.s. Hawea, with the English mails for the South, was detained by southeasterly gales, and reached Wellington late on Sunday night.

Rev. C. M. Nelson will, at the meeting of Auckland Athenreum, on Friday night, open a debate on "It is not the duty of the Government to undertake Education."

" One bumper at parting," as the merrymaker said when he ran his head against a post. There have been severe gales and heavy rainfall at Te Aroha ; the river if flooded, and considerable damage has been done. General the Hon. A. B. Hardinge, C.B , has been appointed Governor Commander-in-chief at Gibraltar, vice General Sir J. M. Ad eve.

Miss Flora Power, late of Thames, a lady of 16 years, has just taken First Class Honours in music at Trinity College, London.

Captain Little, of the Prison Gate Brigade Home, has several men seeking employment, including a saddler and an engineer —" wages no object."

The Prince of Wales will meet the Executive Commissioners of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition at an early date, for the purpose of discussing the establishment of the Imperial Institute.

Samuel Howard, the veteran comedian, died recently in Sydney, and bis funeral was attended by about a hundred friends and fellow-actors.

Quid pro quo ! Certain English towns are applying to have portions of the exhibits at Colonial Exhibition presented to their museums.

Slade, the "Maori" pugilist, is still in America, and has sustained another defeat. At Salt Lake City, on 19th September, he fought Due McDonald, champion of Utah, in the Opera House. Slade undertook to knock out "Mac" in four rounds, but after fighting nine rounds, Slade was •knocked down unconscious, in which condition be remained till after time waa called.

" You're a etuck-up thing ! " remarked the bill-poster to a circus-bill. "I've a right to be," replied the bill, "because I'm well posted and thoroughly red."

Mr B. E. Recce's store and dwellinghouse at Dayleston, Canterbury, was burnt down yesterday morning. The insurances on the building were £150 in the Colonial, and on the stock £100 in the Standard Office.

" Hopes and regreta are the sweetest links of existence," said a sentimental wife to her husband, "Yes, dear," he replied, " I had hopes of letting you have threo guineas for a new bonnet, but I regret to say T can't do it ju«t at present."

Miss Bainbridge, sister of the young Englishman who was killed at Wairoa by the Tarawera eruption, was so affected on hearing of her brother's end that she took suddenly ill and died.

The Australian colonies and New Zealand drink far more tea per head of population than the British Islands. Tko Australian colonies come first, with 7'661b per bead ; New Zealand is next with 7.631b per head ; whi'.e the people of Great Britain, though appearing third in the list, consume only 4'901b each.

JFor the Criminal sessions, which'open at Blenheim on the 27th mat., there are already six criminal and eight civil cases sot down for trial, besides a quantity of bankruptcy business.

The average large Atlantic steamer ia manned by about 150 mon, distributed as follows :—32 deck hands under i officers and 9 petty officers, 32 firemen, CJalheavers, and machinists, under 8 engineere; and 65 stewards. - ,

Tenders are called for steam engines shafting and gear for the Auckland Woollen Mills at Onehvmga. The machinery from England will arrive next month, and the millejwill probably start in January next.

At the entrance of a restaurant in Pe&th, where young ladies are employed, is posted a notice reading: "Gentlemen are requested to abstain from kissing the waitresses on the stairs, as this is a fruitful source of breakage and impedes the service."