TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 148, 24 June 1901, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Frosty morning. Cool and clear. Eliuguinite froja Sydney to-day. Zealandia for Sydney this evening. The Auckland Harbour Board meets, to-morrow.

General Botha is rumoured to have surrendered.

Great military review at Christchurch to-day.

A large number of Maoris are still in town to-day.

GraitUn football team is leading for the ehampionahip.

. The Hospital and Charitable Aid Board meets this afternoon.

Three members of X.Z, Seventh. Contingent are reported wounded.

A passenger died very suddenly on board the ferry steamer Britannia last evening.

One of the largest public schools in Wellington was destroyed by fire this morning1.

The Jubilee Singers make their last appearance at the Agricultural Hall to-nigl)t, Four miles of new rope were used in Wellington for roping- the streets on the occasion of the Iloyal reception. A good deal of interest is being taken in Napier in the incubation of ! three emu eggs which a turkey hen. iie endeavouring- to hatch.

The ketch Anna brought into the Bluff recently what is smpposed to be the record load of fish landed there —400 cases of cod and 150 groper. .

As the Royal carriage passed Te Aro House, Wellington, one enthusiastic son of the Emerald Isle, waving his hat frantically, shouted, "Are yes: g-oirtg- to g-ive xis Home Hule?"

Amongst those who have received autograph photographs of Their Royal Highnesses during their stay in Wellington are Mr. John Plimmer, senior, of Wellington, and Mrs. G. P. Donnelly, of Hawke's Bay; Lieut.-Col. Gudgeon, C.M.G., British Resident at RSrotdnga, returned from the douth yesterday by" the Zeklandia, accompanied by the two Cook Islands Chiefs, John and Mnretu Pa, and leaves for llarotonga next week.

A Waikato sportsman, who has been stalking for many years, and knows of persons who have shot an average of from eighteen to thirty deer per week, estimates, the total number in Piakq and Waikato at over 50,000.

Mr. W. F. Greenaway, of Dannevirke,:is poshing,the white pine trade with Australia. At present he.has tyro mills working at Mokau, West Coast, cutting white pine, and three vessels.making regular trips to Australia with the timber.

A performance of hakas and poi dances was given in the Opera House an Saturday evening by a number of the Wairarapa natives in town on their' way home t from Eotorua. ...The, building \ wie orojivtl ed .. eyer^where,, .aad^thte*"ptii3sic; were" gTeatfy nleasecl with the exciting hakas and with the skill of the pbi #bnien in their dances.

The Government now has 28 highly qualified veterinary surgeons in New Zealand (says the "Taieri Advocate"), and all of these gentlemen have very high qualifications. We hope the day is now not far distant when every opportunity will be offered to the sons of farmers and others to acquire a thorough education in veterinary matters -vyithotit having to leave New Zealand: • ; Prior to the departure of the Ophir frbiri Wellington Captain Chntfield, who is acting as pilot in New Zealand waters, was presented by Mr. Grey, R-^.K,. on behalf of the engineers •of the Monowai, Captain Chatfield'S own steamer, with a handsoihe pendant, inscribed "H.M.S. Ophir." In the centre was a fourbladed propeller, surmounted with » Royal crown. On the reverse side was a suitable inscription. The Tantanoola "tiger" is establishing a record. It was reported to the "South Eastern Star" (South Australia) on Juno 3, on reliable authority, that animal was seen a week .previously on the boundary of the flats of Benara and Hindmarsh, near Lake Bonney. The young man who saw the I>iger states he was withm 100 yards of it at 7.30 a.m., and that it was a couple of chains away from \he scrub. He describes it as being a beautitul animal —mr.ch finer than, those at the Adelaide Zoo. A number of Maoris who left Gisborne to take part in the festivities at Rotorua returned by the Waihora from Auckland the other day. One interviewed regarding Royalty said: "Oh, he (meaning the Duke) plenty fine feiipvf, but' yery small; about size of this man (pointing to a diminutive person 'standingnear by). Policeman push natives back, but the Duke he come along and push the policeman back and come and talk with us. Oh! he fine chap." A curiously addressed letter nas been received by the Bank of New South Wales, Sydney. A person in Switzerland wrote to the bank to make some enquiries .His knowledge of English was evidently limited, and he appears to have copied as address an advertisement in some country newspaper. The envelope read as follows: "Messieurs Lost Galah Parrot, Bank of New South Wales, Reward, New South Wales." This was endorsed by the postal officials, "Try Bank N.S.W., Sydney," and duly, reached its destination.

Te Rongokahira, mentioned as hay« ing been presented to the Duke and (Duchess tof Cornwall and York ait Botorua, and received by the Duchess at the Grand Hotel, is not known t» our readers by the native name. The lady Is better known as Mrs C. R. Parata, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs D. Asher, of Taurang-a, and daugrh-ter-bvlaw of Mr T. Pnrata, M.H.R. Mrs/Parata is one who can trace her ancestors from the landing1 of the Maoris in New Zealand. She being connected with Ngraiterangi and T« Arawa tribes wae selected at Botoma as one with her atint, Te Pairskau, to repiresent the Arawa on ih% Friday when Mrs Parata (Te Rongtv kahirft) presented a valuable greenstone mere to tbe Duchess, which wai carried continually by her ladyship throTjffhowt h«f Tint at Rotaru*.