TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3, 3 January 1903, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

'Frisco mail due next Wednesday. ; English cricketers playing at Waoganui to-day. . * The iTench warship Protet leave 3 here for Sydney next week. Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India, made an impressive speech at the Delhi Coronation Durbar. A sharp skirmish has occurred, between Bulgarians md a detachment of Turkish soldiers. During the four days of the A.B.C. races at Ellerslie the sum of £70,497 was passed through the tqtalisator. G. Pitcher, of Gisborne, won the second prize of £1350 in Tattersall's Summer Cup sweep. Terrible heat was experienced in New South Wales yesterday. The mercury at Bourke stood at 116 deg-. News from China states that a strong army under the leaders of the antiforeign movement is about to march on Pekin. Sir Frederick Sargood, K.C.M.G., of Melbourne, di«?d suddenly yesterday at Taihape, south of Lake Taupo, while on a holiday trip through New Zealand. Commander Connor died suddenly at Sydney yesterday, it is supposed from heat apoplexy. Deceased commanded the Australian Contingent in China. "Thanks, I can do it on my head," was the reply of a woman at the Police Court this, morning, on being sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment for using obscene language: At a meeting of colonists of 1853, held in Brisbane the other night, Mr. John Byrne apologised for non-at-tendance on the ground that he was "too feeble to be out after dark, hay- • ing been born in the year 1795." A vast swarm of locusts visited Gillits, Natal, recently. They formed a solid mass three miles long , and one mile wide. To see them in flight was a magnificent sight, and the sound was like that of rushing-water. Mr. D. Miller, assistant inspector in connection with the Postal Department in the Auckland district, and formerly of Napier, has been appointed Chief Postmaster .at Wanganui, vice Mr. J. F. Mcßeth, promoted to Christahurch. A Waiotahi settler, on a recent visit to Opotiki, purchased a box of tooth powder, but lost it out of his pocket on the road home. A few days afterwards, when passing through the adjacent Maori village, he was somewhat surprised to find that it was being administered to the native children for internal complaints. The settler is awaiting results. A ] curiosity in the shape of a fish was picked up on the beach at Cape Saunders, Otago, lately. It is described as about two feet long in tne body, and its shape somewhat resembles a sting-, ray, with a bony tail six inches in length, and having a mouth like a dog, but with the teeth of a shark. It has a pair -of jointed legs eight inches long, webbed feet,..and a. proboscis: akin to that of an elephant fi=»h. A Palmerstbn North man named Cumminjis. who was spending a few days health-recruiting on the Waikanae (near Otaki) Beach, espied what at first sight appeared to be a large tree on the beach. The object proved to be a stranded whale. Gummings at once carved his initial? in its flesh, and proceeded with haste to register it as his property. The whale was about 57ft long by about 12ft to 14ft in breadth, and it is estimated the lucky finder will profit to the extent of £300 by his discovery* ■ The sale of liquor on the Wanganui river steamers after passing Parikino is prohibited. Lately a tourist who'was "in the know" purchased a bottle of beer before reaching the prohibited area. When lunch :was announced h.e produced his beverage, and poured out a foaming glass. One of the other passengers called out, "Steward, a bottle of beer for me." -The steward .replied, "No, sir, you can't have it; we are. past Parikino, and are prohibited fr,om selling." "Then how is it," asked the now irate passenger, "this gentleman has one?" "Oh, he bought it while we were in the license area!" , %"■•.-.-. - --' " ~