TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 259, 9 November 1901, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

■... ♦ King's Birthday. A.R.C. races at Ellerslie. Hector Macdonald ovated. Excursions and picnics to-day. Outward San Francisco mail to-day Strong Southerly wind blowing to day. Cadet parade in tlie Domain for tht General. Eoyal salute of artillery for the King to-day. Scotchmen banquet General Macdonald to-night. 'Frisco mail is due here on Monday by the s.a. Sonoma. Auckland annual Agricultural Show next Friday and Saturday. A matinee performance of "Florodora" was given by the Pollards thi* j afternoon. i Sir Hector Macdonald will probably ! visit the Auckland forts on Monday i afternoon. I The Highland settlers of Waipn 1 met Sir Hector Macdonald at Government House this morning. The Governor has gone to Christchurch for a short stay. He holds a Birthday levee there to-day. An English mail of London date October 4 ■will arrive here from Sydney by the s.s. ElLngamite next Monday. The Government steamer Hinemoa leaves here for Wellington to-night, taking down Captain Seddon and Mrs and Miss Seddon. Over £500 has been subscribed by the people of Auckland towards the purchase of the Mair collection of Maori curios for the Auckland Museum. '"Lloyd's Weekly" contains an enquiry by James Vicary, who seeks his brother John (who has lost a leg);1 last heard of in Featherston, New Zealand. The crowd took the horses out from General Macdonald's carriage at the railway station last night and drew the vehicle and its occupants up Queen-street themselves. It is understood that General Macdonald's visit to New Zealand is something- more than a pleasure trip. H« is noting the military material in the colonies, gauging the armed strength of New Zealand and Australia in the event of war, and is having a look at the defences of these Southern lands generally, and will most probably report to the Imperial Government. During the last voyage of the s.s, Waipori from Newcastle to Lytteltoifc the vessel was boarded by an unexpected visitor in the shape of a bird, evidently a land bird, a wader, as its feet are not webbed. Its body it about the size of a quail, which it also somewhat resembles in . its markings. Captain Abram has handed it over to the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. It had evidently been blown out to sea, as it came on board +be steamer about 200 miles distant from the nearest land, Lord Howe Island, and some 600 miles from the Australian mainland.