TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 289, 13 December 1897, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

_ __»,, ■ Skies clouded. •'- '■-'■■ Fatal fire at Wanganui. ■- s Westralia left'for Sydney. I Spell of nor'-eastweather. * . j -Anglian from Sydney to-day. First test cricket match commenced today. There were thirty yachts in Drunken. Bay, Motutapu, "yesterday. English mail of London date November Sth from Sydney by the Anglian. A Wellington excursion train was partly derailed at Pahiatua on Saturday. ; To-day is the' anniversary of Abel Tasman's discovery, of New Zealand in 1642. Parnell, United - and Auckland XV. scored wins at cricket on Saturday after--noon. '• ■ • '■■"•■ The yacht Meteor won the sailing race in the harbour on' Saturday afternoon, by twe~T seconds. The passengers on the wrecked steamer Fitzroy, on the N.S.W. coast, had a peri- ' lons experience. * ....-,. The funeral of the late Mr J. C. Firth took- place at St. Stephen's cemetery ' (Tararua), Parnell, this afternoon. The coal produce exported from Greymouth during the week was 3,764 tons, and the timber export 254,389 feet. Sir James PrendergaSt, Chief Justice of New Zealand, left here for Rarotonga on Saturday afternoon in H.M.s. Torch. ' The inquest on the deceased Maori woman Moananui, • alleged to have been murdered, was held at Taupo to-day. Steps are being taken at Christchurch to form a cycling, volunteer corps in connection with the North Canterbury Infantry . battalion. Considerable damage is being done to the. strawberry crops at Northcote and Birkenhead this season by blackbirds, thrushes, and starlings. The coal export from Westport fer the week ended 11th December was 6,623 tons scwt — Westport Coal Company 5,682 tons Bcwts; Cardiff Company, 940 tons 17cwts. . News from the Thames states that Mr C. C. Otway has just finished, surveying the Waitakaruru block of 25,000 acres at the Miranda, opposite the Thames. Most of the land is owned by natives. A big tangi is now going on. at Whataroa, near, Otorohanga, in the King Country, over the late Ngatimaniapot© chief, Wahanui. The deceased rangatira leaves a widow and several brothers and half-brothers. A lad named Charles Brensell, "who resides at Newmarket, was knocked down! by a kick from a racehorse at the Lake Takapuna Hack Race Meeting on Saturday, and was severely bruised, but no bones werebroken. The case of Sleiw* v. McKerrow,tn Which £1,500 was claimed for malicious prosecution, occupied the Supreme Court at Dunedin on Saturday. The jury, found _ in favour of the defendant, for whom, judgment was given with costs on the. highest scale. A daylight parade of the Ponsonby and Devonport Naval Volunteers and the Col-, lege Rifles was held on Saturday afternoon. The companies mustered at the Drill Shed, and marched to the outer Domain, wherethey were inspected by Lieut.-Col. Banks,. and wefe put through infantry, drill. • The : Garrison Band was in attendtihce'., , The first pigeon flying race for buys; under 18, members of the Auckland, Suburban Flying Club, took jilace on Saturday, the course being from Tauranga to Auckland. Mr Roy Crawford's birds were the only ones to arrive on Saturday afternoon. They flew the distance from Tauranga to Auckland, 105. miles, in 3 hours 4£ minutes. An eight-year-old boy, son of Mr Tapp, of Onehunga had a narrow escape from, being killed on Saturday,.. A dray-load of , potatoes on which he was riding capsized,' aud the boy fell underneath. The way in which the sacks fell, however, protected him, and he escaped with only a few bruises. Dr. Erson was sent for, but found that no bones were broken. Mrs Smith, residing in Summer-street, Mount Eden, received a severe cut on the. right eye through slipping and falling while . walking in Queen-street on Saturday afternoon. Constable Skinner got a cab and conveyed the injured woman to Dr. Hooper's residence* The doctor examined the wound and recommended her removal to the Hospital x where the nurses attended to her. Anniversary services were held yesterday in the Franklin Road and Mount Roskill Primitive Methodist Churches, and also in the Beresford-street Congregational and Parnell Wesleyan Churches. There were large attendances at all the services. At j the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Kyber! Pass Road, Gaul's sacred cantata " The■•*• Holy City "•■ was performed yesterday, by the choir, Mr V. E- Rice at the organ. A collection amounting to £9 5s 3d was made in aid of the Trimnell memorial fund. Wool and silk and wool dress materials. in latest novelties and newest colourings, and marked at our low cash prices.— Smith and Caughey, dress merchants and - family drapers.—(Advt.) Picanniuy biscuits are specially made for children and invalids by J. Bycroft and Co. Limited, sold in air tight tins. "Ask for them*"-(A<H.