NEWS OF THE MONTH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 68, 22 March 1890, Page 6

NEWS OF THE MONTH.

SUMMARY FOR HOME READERS. AUCKLAND. N.Z.. March 22, IS9O. The Boundary Commissioners who are arranging the new electorates under the Act which reduces the number of members of the House of Representatives from 91 to 70 have completed their labours, and a brief summary of the more important changes is to hand by wire from Wellington. It is apparent that the abolition of 21 seats will necessitate radical changes in the boundaries, and there is no question from the facts to hand that these have been made. In the Auckland Provincial District alone, five seats have been blotted out, but it is not clear whether that number of seat s is lost to this part of the colony. If they are, the proportion of five out of the total for the whole of the North Island Is not likely to give very great satisfaction. The North Island has lost nine members, and the South Island twelve, and these figures are very important in so far as they still further assist to restore tho equilibrium of the voting power between North and South, which mi til the last re-distribution was very strongly in favour of the South, but is now gradually recovering itself. Tho appointment of Mr W. R. Edwards, commissioner of the uncompleted native land purchases inquiry, carried with it an appointment to a Judgeship of the Supreme Court. There is no necessity to wait for a vacancy on the bench, the Government having full power to make the appointment. It is generally known that Mr Justice Richmond has for a considerable period been so greatly overworked that his health has suffered from trie continuous strain on his physical energy. It is arranged that he is to have leave of absence for a year, and Mr Edwards will help the Chief Justice to fill the gap caused by Judge Richmond during his term of leave. Sir James Prendergast will take most of the work, and Mr Edwards will take Blenheim and Nelson circuits. With respect to the reversion of the judgeship, it is understood that if a vacancy occurs before the nativo work is finished, it will j be fiiled by some one else. The other Native Commissioner will be Mr John Ormsby, of Waikato. If the railway receipts for March keep up as they promise the Commissioners expect to be able to show a. net profit of £30,000 more than their estimate. This will give a total return of just on 3 percent., as against 2*12 per cent, last year. A Gazette has been issued further proroguing Parliament till the Ist May, and at the expiration of that term it is expected that, as all the Ministers will be in Wellington the date of the calling Parliament together for the despatch of business will be decided. Ministers were in Cabinet at Wellington on February 24th, discussing the preliminaries of the coming session. They do not at present see any necessity for holding another session immediately after the elections, unless a political crisis happens which may cause a change of Government. The idea is to hold a session as already stated, somewhere about the end of May or the beginning of June, and it will run its ordinary course. The general elections take place in the ordinary course of events towards the close of the present year. The influenza epidemic, which has of late become almost a universal malady, and resulted in a large number of fatalities, appears to at la3t have laid its fearful grip on New Zealand. A telegram from Dunedin states that some four hundred cases have already been reported at Dunedin, and now we have a similar announcement at Wellington, where a great number of cases are said to have occurred. The Minister of Public Works has been confined to his house through indisposition, Inspector Thomson has been laid up for some days, and Mr D. M. Luckie is also reported on the sick list. Tho first two cases are stated to be influenza, but whether akin to the epidemic influenza has not yet been ascertained. The malady is apparently travelling northwards. Tho village settlements in the Northern part of the province appear to have been anything but profitable investments to many of those who have been trying their fortune in thi3 direction. At a meeting of the Crown Lands Board on March 13th the Chief Commissioner stated that a large number of village settlements in the North had been forfeited. At Takahue, 25 sections had been forfeited, and 16 still remained unoccupied. At Herekino, 106 sections had been forfeited, and 44 remained unoccupied. It was explained that, up to a certain date, the Minister for Lands allowed the forfeited sections to be re-offered with the advances made upon them as a charge against the sections, The forfeited sections were not taken up under these conditions, and the Minister had now decided to fix tho price of the land ab the actual present value, _ including improvements. Mir Humphries stated that he had been all ever the settlement with the two rangers, and he had decided upon the sections to be forfeited. All improvements had been valued, and he now brought the valuations, as revised, before the Board with the view of having passed a resolution recommending the Government to put the sections up under tho Act of 1387. The Board accordingly passed a resolution to this effect. Theimmigrationandemigrationrctnrnsfor January show the arrivals to be 2,109, and departures 1,806, leaving a balance in favour of the colony of 203. The principal arrivals were from Victoria, 1093 ; New South Wales, 741; United Kingdom, 148. The departures to Victoria were 781; New 7 South Wales, 769 ; United Kingdom, 111. By the steamer Mararoa on Feb. 26 His Excellency the Earl of Kin tore, Governor ef South Australia, with the Countess of Kintore, left for Sydney en route for Adelaide, after a stay of a few months in New Zealand. During the stay here the Earl and Countess have been the guests of Hi 3 Excellency Lord Onslow. Mr J. Duncan has been elected President of the. Wellington Chamber of Commerce for the ensuing year, and Mr T, G-. Gale Vice-President. The Hons. Mitchelson and fiichardson are on a visit to the East) Coast in connection with the affairs of the East Coast Settlement Company, which are, it is said, in a most involved condition. The natives who are interested in land which was ceded to the Comtjany view'with dismay, it is reported, the prospect of total loss which would leave some 2,000 of them landless, and are anxious to find a modus vivendi. They urge that the land is worth sufficient, if taken over by the Government, to pay off all the claims upon it and leave them considerable reserves and yield a profit to the Government. Mr Richardson will look into the matter from the Minister of Lands' point of view, and Mr Mitchelson will inquire into the Maori aspect of this somewhat intricate affair. A meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board was held on February 25 to elect a a chairman for the ensuing year, and M r Malcolm Niccol was reappointed. Mr Niccol thanked the Board for his election for a third term.

Replying to the inquiry as to what could have given rise to the report that he was a candidate for a Home constituency, Mr Shepherd Allen, of Xc Aroha, said: "The cablegram to the effect that I was the Unionist candidate for the borough, of Stoke-upon-Trenb was a complete surprise to me. Some months ago a deputation waited upon me and earnestly requested me to content the borough, in case a vacancy should occur ; but, after taking some time to consider the matter, I sent them a letter declining to contest the seat. About three weeks ago I received an urgent cablegram asking me to reconsider my decision, and inviting me to stand, to which I at once cabled back declining to do so. A few days ago I received another urgent cablegram to the same purport as the previous one, to which I also cabled back a reply, declining to be a candidate unless in the meantime I had actually been nominated ; as of course in that case it would have been too late for the party to get another candidate. I therefore hope there is no foundation for the cablegram ; as I have no desire to reenter the House of Commons; as, after having had a seat in it for twenty-one years," I found tho late hours and increasing length of the sessions too great a tax J on my time and strength/ In reply to tho inquiry would he be willing to enter the ; New Zealand House of Representatives if invited to do so, Mr Allen replied, " I like New Zealand very Kiaeh indeed, and I should be very pleased to enter your House of Representatives if an opportunity occurred ; as I should be glad—both on my own account, and also on account of my family—to spend the greater portion of my time in New Zealand." When M. Lacascade, Governor of Tahiti, was in Auckland, he expressed his intention to establish if possible a steam service connecting as a mail-line with the San Francisco steamers ab Samoa, and also opening up a trade with New Caledonia and Auckland. Intelligence now reaches us from Tahiti via Sydney thab the Council-General of Papeete has approved of and will subsidise a regular line of mail steamers between Tahiti, the Samoan Islands, New Caledonia and Auckland, connecting at the latter port with the service to San Francisco, thus binding together the French establishments in Oceania. The project had previously received tho support of the Council-General of New Caledonia and the Chamber of Commerce in Noumea. Mr G. F. Martin, President of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, in his address at the meeting held on February 27th, stated that he had personally very little hope of intercolonial free trade attaining greater length than perhaps a certain amount of rue procity with some of our sister colonies, and that we shall only see absolute free trade with Australia when some of the leading colonies have exhausted their present rather selfish policy of protection, of which there are signs. The Government has thrown Puhipuhi open under the Mining Act. Their action has caused great surprise at Whangarei, as people had been told by Ministers that special regulations were to be framed with the view of granting leases. Quite twenty companies had keen formed, and had prospectors in the forest, and many have discovered good reefs. The change was intended to secure under thirty acre leases. The fact of trie forest being opened under the Mining Act, will, the VVhangnrei people think, give every holder of a miner's right power to pee oil one man's ground and thus split the loud n\) into uselessly small areas. A quarter share in the prospectors' ch.im changed hands at £150, and i'AbO has been refused for a half share. __ The shares in the Tamatahinau syndicate, who hold 1,200 acres of freehold on tho boundary of Puhipuhi, are quoted ab the same value as the prospectors. A company is being formed in Melbourne with a capital of £100,000 to operate on this block. 10,000 snares have been taken up locally. Another silver lode has been found in the prospectors' working as rich as No. 3 reef. This lode is at the opposite end of tho claim. William O'Connor, the sturdy young earsman, of Toronto, who lately made such a gallant fight on the Thames with the now deceased champion, Searle, was one of the through passengers for Sydney by the mailsteamer Mariposa, wdiich arrived from San Francisco on March Ist. This is his first visit to the colonies, and it is mainly on sculling work intent that he is here. His object in this visit to Australia is to endeavour to ssttle the uncertainty now existing as to the championship of the world. Since the death of the champion, Searle, a large number of American papers claim, with a good deal of justice, that as O'Connor was the last man who rowed Searle and as he gave him such a hard race, he (the Canadian) had the best right to be considered champion. However, O'Connor has come down hero to settle the question of championship finally. For some time past a number of carters in the employ of several Auckland carting firms have been endeavouring to devise some means whereby they could obtain a higher rate of weekly wages than those paid them. In several firms the men sent in a request for higher pay, and intimated their intention of standing out for more wages, and a fortnight ago the carters in the employ Messrs W. & C. Winsbone and J. Craig struck work. The men gave notice that they wished their wages increased from 36s to £2 2s. A movement was set on foot amongst the local carters, having for its object the formation in Auckland of a branch of New Zealand Federation Carters' Union. This Association was duly formed. After the men had been on strike for a week, the employers conceded tho rate of wages asked, and the men having apologised for leaving their work without giving notice, the strike ended. From the meteorological return published in tho " Gazatte '' the greatest rainfall during January appears to have been 8 - 7 inches at Puysegur Point, and 6 - 48 inches at bhe summit of Rimutaka. Everywhere else, with tho exception of three or four places, the fall was under four inches. In Wellington itself the fall was only 325 inches us against 3"506 in the same month in 1889, and more than half of this was on one clay. In December tho fall was 2-73 inches, as against 393, and when the February returns come to be published it will be found that the contrast is still stronger. In December it blew from the north-west 21 days, and in January 15. In the two months only three days are returned as calm, but notwithstanding this, | the wind has nob been so severe this summer as usual. The "Gazette" contains a notification of the permanent appointment of Dr. De Bachone as French consul, and an announcement respecting the withdrawal of light gold coins. These will be received by the Bank of New Zealand ab any branch up to April 10, except in Westland and kelson, where the aate is a week earlier. Only coins lightened by wear and tear will be received, and not any that have been defaced or are more than four grains below standard weight. This proclamation only applies to sovereigns and half-sovereigns issued previous to Her Majesty's accession. The Mercantile Marine Officers' Association has been registered under the Trades Unions Act of New Zealand, and now includes all the captains and officers sailing in New Zealand. The following are the officers : — President, Sir Robert Stout; vice-presidents, Rev. J. Still and Dr. Newman ; tiustees, Captain C. J. Johnston and Messrs J. Duthie and A. H. Miles ; treasurer, Mr H. G. Claridge ; and secretary, Mr Jas. H. W. Highraan.

The drafb annual report of the Board of Education for the year 3 BS9, which will be forwarded to Wellington for publication, was submitted at the Board meeting on March the 14th, and was approved. The following is an abstract of the matters dealt with :—The number of schools in work were 255, including 48 half-time. Several schools were closed, owing to diminished attendance, average failing be low 10. The number of teachers employed by the Board is 636, 240 males and 396 female?. This Board has gradually reduced the number of surplus and highly paid assistants by removing them to the charge of small country schools. The number of pupils on the rolls during the year was 11,255 males and 10,449 females, being a total increase of 171 on the previous year. The average attendance was 9,300 males and 8,479 females, an increase of 139. A circular forwarded to School Committees in September last, reminding them of the disadvantages of irregular attendance, had good effect in raising the average attendance from 79 to 82 percent, of the roll number. Though the total population of the province has not increased much, bho Board has been ab considerable expense for new building-; owing to the transfer of population from the town to the country, especially in connection with village settlements. The building grant of £4,568 lis is all but exhausted, arid a further sum of £3,500 is estimated as being necessary to meet existing wants. The receipts from all sources are £79,834 2s 4d and expenditure £70,267 19s Bd. The grant of £3 15s per head for children has been expended approximately as follows :—On teachers' salaries, £3 5s 6d ; on grants to committees, 6s Id ; on inspection and examiner, Is 8d ; on office management, Is 9d. The following tenders have been received for the Makarau contract of the Helensville northwards railway :—Accepted : J. McLean and Sons, Auckland, £26,016. Declined : J. Cheyno and Co., Auckland, £■29,78,'!; Jones and Peters, Palmersfcon North, £30.284; M. Danahor, Auckland, £31,870 ; J. Saunders, Wellington,£32,s2o ; J. and A. Anderson, Ghristchurch, £33,227 ; Coates and Metcalf, Hamilton, £33.244. The annual accounts of the WellingtonManawatu Railway Company show a credit of £5,079, bub the directors do not propose to declare a dividend. During the year 172,300 passengers were carried over the line, which is 72,000 more than tho previous year. The total revenue was £67,167, being an increase of £11,990 over that collected in 1888. This line, which connects with the Government one at Palmerston, compares very favourably with it in the matter of management. Mr Stannus Jones was amongst the passengers who arrived by the s.s. Tarawera last week. Formerly Mr Jones was a large property-owner in the Ponsonby district, • and was one of the lirsb to cub his holding | into allotments. Mr Jones has now resided |at Homo for some years, bub being posjsesscd of city property, ho has returned ' here to look after his interests. ! By the Arawata, from Fiji, wo have learned the'resulc of the appeal entered in the .Supreme Court ab Fiji by Messrs lieArthur and Co. against the finding of the Deputy Commissioner's Court ab Samoa, ill tho suit brought by Mr Cornwall, for damages arising out of their pos.-e ,! .-.ion of certain lands ab Samoa. The appeal had been taken on the ground i that tho damages awarded (£41,2,76) were I excessive, and "'so on a number of tcchni- [ cal ground-, li i 1; Honor':: judgment w.-s of ; a very lengthy and elaborate character. iln effect it upheld the jurisdiction of the I High Commit-loner's C:mrt,ovor-nslrd most lof the technical grounds advanced by the I appellants, declared the order in bankiruptcy iiiu''c in Samoa against Mr Corwall to have been invalid, and gave him an | order fur possession of the disputed I lauds. Hi- 1 . Honor, .however, upheld the appeal as against Maimcnia, ' and ordered a new trial on the question 'of damages, the respondent having declined to accept the sum of £15,000, for which ihe Court intimated its willingness to enter up judgment. Tho early closing movement is steadily growing in strength and papular favour. Night after night, the various trade societies are meeting and passing resolutions of sympathy with the movement, the members ab the same time pledging themselves thab neither they nor their wives will buy at shops which keep open after seven o'clock in the evening. By-and-bye, the assistance of othorbodiesoutiide the labour organisations will be invoiced, and in the meantime a list of those shops which will nob conform to tho movement is being prepared for circulation amongst the societies. At a meeting of the Federated Seamen's Union on the 12th of March, the following resolution was carried unanimously :—"That the members of this branch with their wives and families discontinue to do any shopping with any shops that keep open alter 7 p.m. on the first five days of the week, and on Saturday after 10 p.m." The Bakers' Union and other societies have passed similar resolutions. Mr Henry George, the famous social and political reformer, made a brief stay in Auckland on his way to Sydney by the Mariposa on March Ist. Representatives of , the various public associations met at the Star Hotel, Albertstreet, that morning, for the purpose of presenting an address of welcome. After the deputation had been introduced by Mr Hoiild, the Rev. E. H. Gulliver, president of the Auckland Anti-Poverty Society, read an address subscribed to by the Anti-Poverty Society, Knights of Labour, and Progressive League of Auckland. Tho University Senate opened at Dunedin on 26th February, Dr. Hector presiding. The accounts showed that the income had boen £4,771 Is Bd, the statutory grant being £5,000, and fees £1,342 9s. At the December examinations 298 went up for matriculation, 23 medical preliminary commencement, 8 do. completion, and 76 for junior scholarships. The Waikato Farmers' Club are considering an offer from Messrs Nelson Brothers to provide a freezing hulk if a guarantee is given thab 12,900 sheep per annum will be supplied from the Waikato, the Tauranga county also guaranteeing 12,000 sheep. The directors of some large companies who are interested are to be interviewed upon the subject. On the morning of March 4 the drawing classes in the lately established Elam School of Art and Design were opened in tho Free Library Buildings, under the tuition of Mr E. W. Payton, the art teacher selected by the trustees under the will of the late Dr. Elam. Eighty puTiils have been accepted for the school, and a large number of these attended at the commencement of tho classes that morning. Fifty-five of the pupils are girls, the rest being boys; and nearly all are beginners in art and design work. TeWhiti, the Parihaka chief, who has been in gaol for three months on a judgment summons, was released on March Bth and taken to Mangaone pa, where he was going to stop for a few days. There was a large gathering of natives, and great feasting. The Timaru Harbour Board estimates for the current year show a deficit of £4,250 on the ordinary account, plus £2,000, part of law costs in the ship Lybtelton suit: total, £6,250. A rate of id in tho £ has been struck on the Harbour district, to be collected by the local bodies. These are to be asked to approve of a Bill to authorise a levy being made upon them in future years to save the cost of a separate rate.

At the last meeting of the Grammar School Board of Governors, ib was decided that the Rev. J. 'K. Davis must make his choice between the two positions he then held, viz., the headmastership of the Grammar School and incumbent of Epiphany Church. The Rev, Mr Davis has decided to retain the Grammar school appointment, and has informed the Board of his decision. Epiphany Church is now without a clergyman. The half-yearly report of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand states that the net profit on the half-year, after duly providing for everything, was £15,533 17s, to which has to be added £4,361 9d balance from last year. Deducting note tax and property tax, £2,031 10s 2d, there is available £17,363, out of which the directors propose to pay 7 per cent, dividend, absorbing £14,000, and carrying forward £3,863 7s 6d.. At the Westport Coal Company's annual meeting the Chairman, in his address, snid the expenses were the same as last year, whilst Ui6 profits had considerably increased, the net profit for the year being £21,528. They had depreciated the works by £8,302, and paid an interim dividend of 2\, and now proposed to pay 3rV and carry forward £7,290. The" output at Westpovb for the year was 160,000 tons, being an increase of 30,000. This would be further increased during tho current year, as they were nob likely to be subject to keen competition from Newcastle. They had supplied a cargo to the Admiralty for use on .the China station, and expected a large trade there as soon as the Government provided sufficient accommodation for loading large steamer*. The Company's wages account now amounted to £1,300 weekly, while they paid the Government £700 weekly for royalties and haulage, besides paying £1,000 weekly for freight. Charles Stephenson, champion sculler of New Zealand, was entertained on March 10 ab a smoke concert in the Imperial Hotel, as a kind of "send-off" from Auckland prior to his departure for Australia. He was the guest of the Auckland Rowing Association for the evening, and Mr Malcolm Niccol, Patron of tho Association, occupied the Mr Stephenson replying to the toast of his health, and he bad been told that not much credit was due to him for winning the championship from an eld man like Hearn ; but all ho could say was thab tho old man appeared to be the best in New Zealand, and lie was quite willing to meet any oi the younger men when they wished. If Il«arn had thought there was a younger man in Wellington better than himself ho would have handed the championship to him to defend ib against ■ him (the speaker). And as regards 11 earn, lie had rowed a very good race, and one in which ho had done better time than he ever did in trials. Probably his liivt match when ho went back to Australia would be against McLean. l\y regard to O'Connor's visit to Australia ho could not say much about the man himself, as he had never seen him row, but he would meet a number of real good men in Australia. There were live or six men all pretty nearly on an equality, and it would bo hard if they could not retain the Championship for Australia. During the discussion at the Mining Conference at Dunedin on the Kaitangata, Relief Fund, Mr G. L. Giilies said it would' l>e about two years before the children were j ot)'the fund. The amount which had been rai-f.d way .£15,379, of which £819 had been j paid I'm funeral e.vpenscs, debts of families, J alimony, etc. Till liie executive were ap- j pointed the balance had been invested, and j since then there had been expended in \ direct relief £14,631. Of tho capital there j remained over £11.000. j News comes from the island of Rarotonga, ! in the Hervey Group, by the island steamer j LihtleAgneSjOf the shipwreck at an adjacent | island of th .< Cassie Hayward, an American j schooner of fairs'r/.e, which was under charter ] to Captain I'iltz, a well-known Auckland I trader and shipmaster, who also commanded j the vessel. Tho wreck took place on \ February 4th at the island of Mangaia, in I the Hervey Group. The captain and crew got ashore safely, so thab no lives were lost, j All the cargo and all moveables of value were saved. The hull, which was insured in America for £2,000, was sold by auction to Mr H. YY. Pearse, a trader on Mangaia, for >-05. The cargo, which was worth over $5,000, was sold to a native chief for si3o and re-purchased by Captain Pilt/. for ?150. The annual meeting of members of th© Acclimatisation Society was held on March 12th in tho Museum Buildings, Princesstreet, when there was a fair attendance. The Secretary, Mr Cheeseman, read the annual report, showing that the total income of the Society, excluding tho balance in hand at the commencement ot the year, had been £286 14s lOd, and the total expenditure £241 12s ;">d, leaving a present balance in hand of £174 18s. The following officers were elected: —Mr Burt, President; Mr Shakespeare, Vice - president; Council : Messrs R. C. Barstow, A. Bull, Chabfield, J. M. Clark, C. S. George, T. B. Hill, Dr. Lewis, F. M. Burb, J. A. Pond, James Russell, Captain Whitney, E. Harrow, Cliuyce, Muir, Douglas, and Rev Mr Beattie. Messrs Waymouth and Son were re-elected auditors. Definite orders have at last been received by tho British warship Opal to proceed Home from here, and leave the Australian naval station for good. On the 20th insbanb she left here for Sydney, without going South, and thence proceeds Home by way of the Sue/. Canal. The departure of the Opal from these waters has occasioned a great deal of regret amongst residents of Auckland and other Australasian ports. She has been on the Australian station for several years past, having spent several consecutive commissions in these waters. She has done a great deal of useful work, especially in the Islands, supervising the labour traffic and punishing native outrages in the New Hebrides and elsewhere. She lias visited Auckland very frequently, and her sojourns here have been a not inconsiderable source of profit to the port in various ways. The officers and men have become very well known in their frequent intercourse with local residents, and the officers especially made themselves very popular and formed many friendships with Aucklanders. Captain Bosanquet, too, is very well known and well liked here. On March 13 a foreign war-vessel entered the harbour under easy steam and came to an anchorage below the Railway Wharf. She was soon found to be the German cruiser Alexandrine, from Apia and Tutuila (Samoa), for a sir weeks' stay here. She has only been on the station 9 months, havingcomeoub to replace the wrecked ship Adler at Samoa. She is a vessel of 2,370 tons, and belongs to what is termed the "corvette cruiser" type. She has a crew of 210 men in command of Captains Yon Fritwitz and Gaffron, and has an armament of 14 heavy Krupp guns, and 6 machine Hotehkis3 guns. She is a new barque-rigged vessel, composite-built, and her engines propel her at the rate of 15 miles per hour. The ship is expected to make only a short stay here and then return to Samoa. News from Sydney states that the British surveying vessel Egeria, Captain Oldham, which left Sydney a short time ago for, it was thought, the scene of the Quebta disaster oh the Queensland coast, was instead bound for Auckland, for a short stay in these waters before again leaving on her island surveying duties. The Egeria has just been re-commissioned for work on the Australian naval stations, and has been, supplied with a new crew from Home, I

The R.M.s. Tainui, from London, immediately on berthing at the Railway wharf on March the 14th, started the discharge of the Auckland portion of her London cargo, and worked all night, getting her 325 tons of goods for this port out on the wharf by one o'clock next morning. She started at once to take in the Auckland portion of her cargo for Home. Her cargo from here consists of 4,000 carcases of mutton and beef from the Frozen Meat Company's works, about 100 bales of wool, 50 cases kauri gum, and some sundries, besides a space of ten tons in the cool chambers reserved for & large quantity of cheese and fruit, chiefly apples. Mr Lance addressed the electors at Kaikoura on the evening of February 25. He expressed surprise at Mr Ballance being proposed for the leadership of the Opposition, andalsoab Mr Ballance's acceptance thereof, as the member for Wanganui previously stated that he would not take office. Mr Lanco advocated selling the railways as the only means he saw of getting rid of the property tax, which, however, he preferred to the land and income tax. Lately very destructive fires in the bush and elsewhere have been raging at Raglan, on the West Coast. Ab Te Mata the fire is said to be still active. It swept through some miles of bush and through several farms. Bree's farm was swept, and the large orchard destroyed, while the house caught tiro and was only saved by great exertions. The fire passed through two miles of bush in the Kauroa valley, and Mr W. Gibbison's house here had a very narrow . escape. At Takapanui damage was also done by the flames. Mir Picken's orchard near the Hot Springs was burnt, and Mr i Clulson's house had a very narrow escape. I Several other farms and residences were in ' great jeopardy. In addition to the bush [ fires several narrow escapes from burning lof houses are reported from Raglan on the I 6th inst. A large shed, containing some flax, on Messrs Wilson Bros.', property at Wairata, was burnt, the damage amounting to nearly £100. At a meeting of the Railway Employees' Conference ab Christchurch on the 10th of March it was decided to leave the question of federating with the Trades and Labour Council and Maritime Council to the Executive Council. The following committee and officers of the Executive Council wefe elected :—President, William Hoban ; Vice-President, William Oliver ; General Secretary, W. G. Edwards ; Treasurer C. Rae ; Committee : MessrsHandiside, Winter, Newton, Archer, Gibbons, Patrick, Elvino Haden, and Stewart. It was resolved to hold a Conference at Auckland. .Mr E. Waymouth, of Auckland, who has been away in England on a visit for some considerable time past, returned from Sydney on March 11th in the steamer Mararoa, having come out to Australia from Homo by tho P. and O. line. He is accompanied by his daughter, Miss Waymouth. As a result of the success of their running in the Bay of Plenty trade on the East Coast, the Northern Steamship Company, of Auckland, are contemplating procuring an additional steamer for the service, of first-class build and speed. The vessel which it is desired to build is a new steel steamer, the exact tonnage of which haa not yet been settled, constructed on the latest principles, as largo as can be got to cross the East Coast bars. The half-yearly meeting of tho Thames Gas Company was held at the office of Mr F. A. Whito (Secretary) on February 28. Mr C. B. Stone occupied the chair. The balance-sheet for the half-year was road by Mr F. A. White and adopted. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the balance-sheet, said the turnout of gas had been almost the same as last year. The balance would pay the ordinary dividend of 7 per cent., and this was adopted. Coincident with the treatment of 28 tons of quartz from the Kuaotunn mine at the Moiinataiari Battery, Thames, a parcel was sent to Karangahake to be treated by the Cassell'sGokl Extracting Company. Mr J. M. Cameron (Secretary) has supplied U3 with results of tests as follows : — Moanataiari Battery : Cold per ton, soz lodwt, at 48:s 6d per oz, £13 18s lOd ; percentage of tailings per ton, lis Id : total value per ton, £14 9s lid. The total sum obtained from the 6 tons tailings was £15 10s, or about 50s per ton. Cassell's Process : Bulk assays after pulverising—Gold per ton, soz lOdwt 15gr; silver per ton, 2oz 19dwt. This represents a bullion value of £14 6s per ton. The parcel sent to Karangahake was taken indiscriminately from the shipment sent to the Thames. Dr. J. Honey man, prior to'leaving this city for Sydney, was entertained at the Auckland Club on Feb. 28 by a number of friends. There were about twenty present. Mr A. E. Devore occupied the chair, and Mr J. H. B. Coates the vice-chair. The New Sonth Wales cricketers, who have been touring the colony, returned to Sydney by the Tarawera on March 4th. They arrived in the colony on the 29th of January last in the midst of our Jubilee festivities, and played their first match in Auckland on the two following days. The game ended in a draw, owing to the fixture being only a two days' one; bub ever since, their career has been one of victory. They have beaten Canterbury, Otago, Wellington, South Canterbury, Oamaru, and finished up by beating Auckland in the return match by eight wickets. There can be little doubt that their visit will be productive of great good to cricket in the colony. They are the first beam of crickebers from New Soubh Wales that has visited New Zealand, but now that they have opened the road they are not likely to bo the last. In the new edition of the Crown Lands Guide, published on Feb., it is stated that the bulk of the land is now selected under the perpetual lease. The deferred payment system is next in favour, and after thab cash purchases. Some of the obher tenures have fallen almost into disuse. The following are the areas of land now open for selection in each of the land distriebs :— Auckland, 201,000 acres, wibh 20,000 more ab the end of March ; Hawke's Bay, 17,000 acres, 11.000 more shortly, and 27,000 more by the end of March ; Taranaki, 48,000, with 23,000 by the end of March ; Wellington, 173,000, and 67,000 by the end of March ; Marlborough, 2,000, and 14,500 in preparation for selection ; Nelson, 38,000 by the end of March. There will also be, 50,000 acres of unsurveyed land open. Canterbury, including the Education Reserves, 112,000, with 87,000 more by the end of March ; Otago, 89,000 ; Southland, 95,000; Westland, 86,000, mostly heavy forest. In the descriptive portion of the ; work ib is mentioned that the extent of land in cultivation, including sown grasses, has increased from 997,477 acres in 1869 to 4,506,889 in 1879, to 7,670,167 in 1889. , Another item of interest is that there are 128 working coal mines in the colony. The balance sheet of the New Zealand ■Rifle Association for last meeting, shows a credit of £418, bub oubstand- ' ing liabilities of £170 reduce it to £248. The prize-money paid at the last meeting was £1,819 ; medals, shields, and bracelet, £140 10s; making a total of £1,959 10s. which is £959 10s above the amount voted by Parliament. Mr Hudson, who has for so many years filled the position of traffic manager upon the Auckland railways, has left for the South to direct the traffic on the lines in the Invercargill district for six months, in accordance with the scheme of exchanges which has been resolved upon by the Commissioners. Mr ! Grant, from Dunedin, has taken over con- j trol of the Auckland lines. I

Shortly after noon on Feb. 26 a large number of the Auckland shipwrights met in the dock-shed at the Auckland Graving Dock, the immediate business of the gathering being to take steps to resuscitate the Shipwrights' Protection Union of Auckland, which had a short existence some time ago. A considerable amount of desultory conversation took place regarding the formation of the Union, bub eventually every man present signed a paper expressing his willingness to join a Union. The signatures obtained comprise those of over two-thirds of the Auckland shipwrights. A Dunedin newspaper says :— " Dr. Blunden. of Temuka, by tho death of his father, Sir John Blunden, of Kilkenny, succeeds to the baronetcy and Blunden castle. Sir John Blunden died on January 17th, at the ripe age of 75 years." The Dr. Blunden referred to here is wellknowninthe Waikato, where he practised until two or three years ago, residing at Te Awamutu for five or six years. Since leaving there he was at the Waitara (Taranaki) for some time. Louisa Pearson obtanied a divorce from her husband, F. G. Pearson, on the ground of adultery and desertion, at the Supreme Court on the 19th. The petitioner and her husband were married on the 30th March, 1880, at Liverpool, England, and came to Auckland about three months after. They had two children, daughters, born in 1881 and. ISB2 respectively. The grounds for the petition werethatthehusbandhad neglected his wife, and had refused to discharge the duties of a husband in any way. In 1885 he committed adultery with an unknown woman at Auckland, in 1887 at Brisbane, and in 1888 at The petition was for dissolution of marriage and custody of the surviving child. His Honor said there was abundant evidence of adultery in 1885 and 1888 and of desertion. He would grant a decree nisi with costs against the respondent, and also that the petitioner have the custody of the child until the further order of the Court. Mr Hesketh asked that the time for the decree to become absolute should be shortened to three months, and this was granted. The annual meeting of the New Zealand District Board of H.A.B. Society opened on Feb. 26 in the Catholic Institute, Wel-lington-street, when delegates from all parts of the colony were present. The President, Bro. J. Patterson, delivered a brief address of welcome to the delegates, and expressed the opinion that the future promised prosperity for the Society. Bro. T. H. White submitted the balance-sheet, showing that the funds were in a satisfactory condition. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows :—President, Bro. S. Fairweather ; vice - president, Bro. C. Little ; treasurer, Bro. J. Flynn ; secretary, Bro. P. Kearney ; auditors, Bros. W. Kane and D. Flynn. Tho bush fires in the North have been playing havoc with some of bhe property of the Kauri Timber Company. Ab North Oruawharo, ab the back of Penman's Mill, a eousiderableamountof damagehas been done bub it is hoped that the rain will now prevenb the further spread of the flames. Ab Mangawai what used to be Trounson's bush has been on lire, and it is stated that two of the largest dams have been desbroyed. Messrs Coates and Kendall's and Mr Smythe's camp have both been burned. The dams were, however, saved after great labour. Mr Coates men lost about £100 worth of effects. On tho 13th inrbant Mr Curby's outbuildings were all destroyed by fire. They were insured for £50, the policy having been renewed the day before. The origin of the fire has not transpired. About three o'clock on the 17bh insb. a fire occurred in the Newton Borough,which resulted in the destruction of a six-roomed residence in Surrey Hills. The house be- j longed to the Auckland Permanent Building ; Society, and was insured with the other' property of that body. Mr Green, a carter in the employ of Mr M. Casey, was the tenant, but as he was away holiday-making at the time the fire occurred, he cannot throw any light upon its origin. The house was totally destroyed, together with all Mr Green's furniture and household effects. The labber were insured for £100 in the Liverpool, London, and Globe office. The matter of the decision of His Honor Mr Justice Conolly in the Te Kooti case, in which the conviction of the latter by Mr Bush, R.M. at Opotiki, was quashed, has, occupied the consideration of the Government for the past few weeks, and it has ultimately been decided by the Ministers, on the advice of Sir Frederick Whitaker, to appeal against the judgment of the Supreme Court to the Court of Appeal. The appeal will be heard at the next sittings of the Court of Appeal, which sits in Wellington about the 20th April next. The case for the Government will be stated by Mr_ Bell, Crown Prosecutor in Wellington, while Mr Napier will again represent Te Kooti. A destructive bush fire has been raging in the Pukekaroro district for some days past, and many of the bushmen and others have sustained serious loss. The fire is said to have originated in the burning of a whare some weeks ago. The fire was then checked, and the adjoining property was supposed to be safe, but within the past few days there was a fresh outbreak ab the same spot, and the flames speedily getting hold of the bush, travelled over the ground at a terrible pace. Huts and whares were destroyed in all directions, and many persons both married and single have been left homeless, amongst the number being Mr and Mrs Hurley, and Mr and Mrs Allen. A. fire broke out on the night of the 17th instant in the premises of _Mr Allen, soft goods merchant, which are situated in Elliott-street. The damage done to the stock was but trifling, as blankets and calicoes do nob burn readily. The block is owned by Mr Rae, aDd is insured in the Colonial office for £1,000. Mr Rae's stock is also covered by another policy for a similar amount. Mr Allen's stock is ininsured. As usual, the origin of the fire is unexplained. AsadaccidenthappenedatWaverley Beach on March 2. A party went to the sea for a bathe, when a boy named Kirk got out_ of his depth. A brother went to his assistance, but was carried by the under current on to the rocks, and it was presumed he got entangled in the seaweed. __ A youth named Robinson went to his assistance and also got entangled. Both of the latter were drowned. Only one body has yet been recovered. William Marsh, about twenty years of age, a sailor who was discharged from the brigantine Prosperity about four weeks ago, has been drowned in the harbour. Deceased shipped on the barque Vivid, which was bound for Howland Island, a day or two before his death. It is supposed that he must have accidentally fallen over the wharf, while going down towards his vessel. Julius Petersea, a young able seaman on board the hrigantine Camille, lying at the Kaipara loading timber, met his death by drowning on March 9th at Helensville. The deceased sailor left the brigantine in a boat for a pull with William Fitzpatrick, a boy on the s.s. Kina. While Peterson was pulling against the tide the oar broke and he was precipitated into the water and sank. Fitzpatrick called out for assistance to some men on the wharf, and two of them pulled out in a boat. They pulled around the spot for some time, but could not discover the sailor. A man named YVhitaker found the body about half an hour afterwards in twelve feet of water on the opposite side of the river. Life was extinct..

Mr William Lang, farmer, of Waipu w his life accidentally on his farm a few day 8 ago. He was working at grubbing u n ti-tree ab the edge of a steep bank, when ho accidentally fell over, striking his head agamsb a sharp rock. The skull waß fractured and death was an almost im. mediate result. He was found lying dead by his son shortly afterwards. Mr Lane was a native of Dundee, Scotland, and was a New Zealand settler of nearly forty years' standing. J On the morning of March the 11th a* Napier, Mr John Garry dropped dead. ' Hq had placed a piece of iron on his anvil, and without any premonitory warning except two slight gasps, fell down. Mr Garry was a very old resident, having settled in Napier some thirty-five years ago. He first established himself as a blacksmith at Havelock, but later on removed to Napier where he established the Vulcan foundry a few years ago. Latterly, the business passed out of his hands. Mr William Earl died at his residence at Parawai on February 25, at the age of 61 years. Deceased, who was an old colonist, having arrived in New Zealand 30 years ago, was a large mining speculator, and was director of some of our mosb celebrated mines in the early days, notably the Kuranui Hill, Long Drive and Moanataiari. He leaves a widow and two sons to mourn their loss. On the night of March 14th Mr Harry Triphook was walking down Wellesley-street East, when he noticed a man slip and fall to the pavement, just in front of the Public Library. Mr Triphook states that the man was walking quickly at the time, and fell as he turned to look round. Seeing that he did not rise again, several persons went to the man's assistance. Dr. Collins attendedto the injuries and stated that an artery had been severed at the back of the man's head. The skull was also fractured, and these injuries resulted in the death of the patient during the night. Subsequent inquiries made by the police show that the man's name was William Hunter. He was 30 years of age and received money from Home. Very greab surprise and regret was expressed in shipping circles when it became known that Captain W. Somerville, bhe well-known master of the coasting steamer Rose Casey, had died very suddenly on February 25th. The deceased man was hardly in his prime, not being more than 37 years of age. His death was the result of heart disease, and was shockingly sudden. He had come here from Matakana in the Rose Casey that evening—on his last trip as it proved—and went home to his house in Wellesley-street West in his usual health. Ab -nine o'clock he was " as well as anyone," as his friends say; but less than two hours later he was dead, being taken suddenly ill with an attack of heart disease. \ News was received in town on March the 11th of the sudden death of an old colonist, Mr Saul Wallington, who for many years resided in Wellingtonsbreet. Aboub a month ago Mr Wallingtoii went on a visit to some friends at Warkworth. Deceased came out to this colony about 1848, being then in the 58th regiment. When the troops went home, he, wibh many of his comrades, settled in New Zealand. At first Mr Wallington was at the Bay of Islands, but subsequently he came en to this city, where he has spent the greater part of his life. Mrs Cowan, widow of the late Dr. Cowan, died at Epsom on March 2 of heart disease and Bright's disease of the kidneys. She was atbended by Drs. Bayntun and Mackellar. After her husband's death, Mrs Cowan lived for many years with Dr. andj. Mrs Stockwell. She was esteemed by a wide circle of friends. Another old resident passed away onr Feb. 23, in the person of Mrs Margaret Ana Scott, of Ponsonby, relict of the late Mr Andrew Scott and sister to Mr.. VL..J. Rees, of Ponsonby. Mrs Scott arrived at Auckland in the "forties," and reared a family, the members of which are all grown to manhoed. She had been ailing for some considerable time, and her death, though lamented by a large circle of friends, was not altogether unexpected. j Mr George F. Ireland, partner in the firm of Messrs Ireland Bros., tanners and curriers, died on February 24th at his residence at Panmure. Mr Ireland was a well-known business man, of over 27 years' standing in Auckland, although he took but little part in public life. He wag not very old at the time of his decease, being several years on the sunny side of sixty. The cause of death was obscure, the deceased gentleman having been ailing for several months past. Mr Ireland came to the colony somewhere aboub the year 1862 from his native, Lincolnshire, landing in Auckland with his brothers. For some years in the sixties he andhis brother Barton andanother carried on the business as tanners and leather-workers in Mechanics' Bay, afterwards removing their works oub to Panmure Basin. For the last fifteen years or so he resided quietly at Panmure, superintending in person the operations of the tannery. A fewyears ago he and Mrs Ireland paid a visit to England, principally for the benefit of his health. Mr Ireland leaves a widow, bub no children. The death of Mr William Innes Taylor, took place on March 7 at his residence, Glen Innes, West Tamaki. Deceased was one of our earliest settlers, having arrived here about 46 years ago. He was a son of the late General Taylor, of West Tamaki, and brother of Mr A. K. Taylor, of Avondale. On March 2nd he was seized with a stroke, from which he never rallied. Deceased, who was 68 years of age,, leaves four sons and five daughters to mourn their loss. The eldest sons are Mr William Taylor, of Te Awamutu, and Mr James Taylor, of Cambridge, and bwosonsare. at the homestead, West Tamaki. Mr Taylor: was for many years a director of the Bank of New Zealand, and also took great mterest in the Acclimatization Society and in other local movements. j, Mr G. D. Valentine, the well-known photographer, died on 26th February,* after an illness extending ever several weeks, leaving a widow and a young family. Mr Valentine had nob been many. years in the colony. He was late of the firm of Valentine and Sons, of Dundee, and came out to Nelson a few years ago for his health. For some time past he had resided j in Parnell. | Captain John Anderson, a master of Auckland coasting vessels, and c latterly in charge of the cutter Leo, died | rather suddenly at the Sailors' Home in ; Quay-street on the 16th instant- He had j been suffering from chronic bronchitis, j and the ailment becoming very serious, | he had for several weeks past been i in the District Hospital for treatment). \ Last Tuesday he was discharged from the j Hospital in an apparenbly improved condi- . tion of health, and since then he had j stayed at the Sailors' Home. Captain ■ Anderson had been running in the j Whangarei coastal trade for the last 26 i years, his last vessel having been the cutter Leo, in the coal trade. He was a member of both the Masonic and Oddfellows frater- ■ nities. The death of Captain Williams, formerly owner of the Black Diamond line of colliers, is reported from Wellington. He had been ailing for some time past. Bush fires caused by the gale have been more destructive to property ab New Plymouth than on any previous occasion. Several settlers have been ruined, everything belonging to them being destroyed. A meeting was held to devise means for relief and to raise money, and subscriptions are now being raised throughout th« colony.

Mr James Mills, M.H.R., addressed his constituents at Port Chalmers en March 13. jje announced his intention of going to the old country on a visit. He expressed himself as opposed to a progressive land tax, or a progressive tax of any sort, as tending to frighten people out of the country. He thought ib would be a good bhing bo join Australia in Federation on certain conditions, bub local selt-governmenb must be preserved. He was opposed to the policy of the Railway Commissioners, and had been with what they had done. A vote of thanks and confidence, coupled with a request that Mr Mills should nob resign his seat, was carried unanimously. The Christchurch Chamber of Commerce Da 6 passed the following resolutions consequent on Mr Stead's resolution at the | last meeting in favour of immigration :— i •'That the Crown lands of the colony] should be surveyed without delay, and: made available for settlement upon such ' term6,even to the extent of leasing them at J nominal rentals, as would be likely to attract desirablo immigrants ; that in such case a limitabion should be pub upon the area of land available for lease by each Crown tenant, and regulations framed for making such holdings non-transfer-able, in order to prevent the land being acquired for speculative purposes; that bureaus should be established in Great Britain for disseminating information with respect to the capabilities of New Zealand, in order to show farmers and others the advantages offered for settlement, and for supplying general advice to intending settlers, as wed as aiding in making arrangements with shipping agents for their economical conveyance to their destination." Mr W. Adams, junior, acting managerfor tbeTe Aroha Silver and Gold Mining Company at Waiorongomai since Mr John Howell left, has gone to Australia to take the position of manager to the Junction Broken Bill Mine, for which position he recently made application. The salary attached is a high one, and the move an excellent one for Mr Adams, Mr Napier, the Company's analyst, has been left in charge of the Company's property ab present. St. Patrick's Day was observed as a close holiday by the Roman Catholic portion of the community, and pretty generally the afternoon was recognised as a half-holiday. The chief fete of the day was the school treat in connection with the Roman Catholic Schools of the city and suburbs, which took place in the Domain, where the Hibernian Society sports were also held, and was very numerously attended. The members of the Hibernian Society and also the school children assembled at St. Patrick's Cathedral and marched to the Domain, headed by brass bands, and on arrival ab their favourite holiday resort the orthodox amusements were entered into heartily. Bro. T. H. White officiated as secretary for the sports, and Bro. M. Tuberty acted as marshal and bugler, calling tho brethren together and announcing the various results. About 4.30 o'clock His Excellency Lord Onslow arrived on the ground, accompanied by his A.D.C., Captain Savile, and Mr Meysey-Thompsam. The Governor congratulated the officers upon the large assemblage present, and the monifest success of the demonstration. The officers at the H.A.C.B. Society were introduced by Bro. White, and as His Excellency rode away the crowd cheered vigorously, while Impey's Band played the National Anthem, The annual meeting of the Ciyil Service Supply Association of New Zealand was held at the offices of the Association, Queen-street, on March the 7th. The directors' leport stated that the past six months' trading had been extremely unsatisfactory, and that owing to heavy inroads made into their originally boo small capital they did not feel justified in recommending the shareholders to carry on the business any further. It has since been decided to wind up the concern, and liquidators and supervisors have been appointed. A meeting of gentlemen interested in the mission to he held by Mr Henry Varley Was hold at Robson's Rooms on March 14. A committee consisting of Sir W. Fox, C. B. Stone, W.H. Smith, J. Bigelow, H. J. Ross, Coates, Johns, J. E. Baker, Hill, Adams, Brown, Garlick, Owen and Runciman, with power to add to their number, was appointed. A guarantee fund for preliminary expenses was formed and subscribed to; the selection of hall was left over. Arrangements for choir were made, and Messrs C. B. Stone, H. J. Ross, and Garlick were appointed treasurer, secretary, and chairman, respectively. Mr Varley arrives to-morrow. On March 11 the anniversary soiree of th e Pitt and Edwin streets Primitive Methodist Sunday-school, Newton, was held in the church building. The Secretary's report showed that the school was in a very satisfactory condition, the average attendance of the scholars being very good. The receipts for the year had been £49 Bs, while the expenditure has been £50 17s 6d. leaving a balance due to treasurer of £1 9s 6d, against which, however, there were Sunday's collections of £11 ss. The annual mesting of the Council of the New Zealand Alliance was held on March 10 in the V.M.C.A. Buildings, when there was a fair attendance. Sir W. Fox presided. The following officers were elected: — President : Sir William Fox, M.A., K.C.M.G. Vice-Presidents : Hon. Sir H. Atkinson, K.C.M.G., Premier, Hon. Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G., Yen. Archdeaeou Dudley, F. H. Eraser, 0.P., D. Coldie, M.H.R., J. Harding, Hori Rohipa (Chief), R. C. Hughes, Rev. F. W. Isitb, J. W. Jago, J. Lennie, J. Newman, J. P., Rev. W. C. Oliver, Rev. A. Reid, J. A. 1). Adams, Hon. Thos. Dick, Thos. Field, J. Fulton, M.H.R., R. Hobbs, M.H.R., Rev. L. M. Isitt, W. Kerr, Dr. Knight, M.R.C.S. (Rng.), L.S.A., E. Okey, Neal, R. Monk, M.H.R., T. M. Lane, J, P.. Walter Seth-Smith, Rev. R. Waddell, M.A., E. Withy, M.H.R., J. Joyce, M.H.R., Rev. E. Best, R. Clephane, A" C. Broad, T. ( M. Macdonald. Executive Committee :S. J. Anibury, J. W. Carr, A- Cox, C. C. Fleming, Geo. Gregory, J. Waymonth, E. C. Carr, Councillor W. H. Smibh, W. J. Speight, J. W. Shackelford. Officers: Chairman of Executive, Sir William Fox ; Treasurer, J. Elkin ; Hon, Sec, J. Newman, J. P." The Congregational Union commenced its sittings ab Dunedin on February the 26th. The business of this sitting was mainly formal. Revs. Walker, Forster, Austin and Cecil were ejected to seats. In the annual report it was stated that Mr Milne had not been successful in ttoabing a loan to liquidate the church debts. The Committee had much anxigty from lack of funds to carry on the work of the_ Union, and some churches bad pgain neglected to forward collections. The balance-sheet showed the year's income from all sources to be £802 10s 3d, and the expenditure £704. The treasurer's report showed that there was a balance to credit of £97 lis 8d on the general account, of £19 14s 7d to the sites fund, and £15 8s Sd to form a nucleus of a pastors' retiring fund. The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Auckland "-Scripture Gift Association was held on February 28th. The report and balance-sheet for the past year were received and adopted. The report stated that the work of the Society was progressing well, sixty small loan libraries being established over the province, and being well patronised, while twelve day schools are established in which Scripture tenons are given. Attention was drawn to the exclusion of the Bible from public *caools.

On March 10th about 10 o'clock H.M.s. Opal, in charge of Capt. Bosanquet, steamed out of port on a cruise in the outer gulf extending over two or three days. Her first port of call was Waiwera, where she took on board the Governor and party. Thence bhe ship with bhe ViceRegal party went on to the Kawau island, where a short stay was made. Lord Onslow and parby and the officers of the Opal had some shooting on Mrs Thompson's island, at the invitation et the proprietor, and also on the neighbouring islands. A trip was also made to bhe Great Barrier, where some good sport in the shape of shooting was found. Mrs Hill, wife of the Rev. J. S. Hill, who is aboub to leave Auckland for England, has been presented by the members of her Bible-class, which meets at Mrs A. Stewart's residence, Ponsonby, with a handsome cabinet of New Zealand woods, obtained from Mr Norrie. The cabinet contains nearly all of the finest of New Zealand woods, beautifully arranged and highly polished. Ib should prove a very appropriate souvenir to Mrs Hill of her stay in 'this city and of the useful work in which she has been engaged here.