TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 162, 9 July 1903, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Taviiuii arrived from the Islands.. . "A French Spy" at His Majesty's. Mahuta has signed a pledge of abstinence. ■ The German press makes little of Anglo-French goodwill. The Pope was operated upon ana,llia, condition afterwards improved.. Auckland merchants are clearly divided on the question of preferential trade. Hongkong advises, that communication with Canton'on both lines-is interrupted. The Suez mail., which, left here on 2ot':i May, arrived at London on. the morning of the (ith inst.. The Premier lias replied to .Sir "Robert Stout in the matter of social precedence, and the Chief Justice has again rejoined. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday decided that the time had arrived to discuss the question of preferential trade. '

Dr. McCarthy's rain-making offer lias come clown from £5000 to £500.'. That's the only tiling that has come down , so far.— Australian Star."

The box plan for the Mark Hambourg concerts was opened this morning. The booking- is-already very heavy and every indication of a .bumper house at. the opening concert. • '..'

A Sydney girl charged with attempting to commit, suicide by-drinking an infusion of. matchheads gave as ;-hcr reason that the neighbours- put- their cows in her paddock.

Auckland members have proposed to the Government that the old Brigade Oilice in O'Rorkp-street should be converted into a residence for the Inspector, of Police at Auckland. .

Twenty-two Queensland Customs officers over the.statutory age have, been, dismissed witli four days' notice. Several have been in the service for 40 yearg. Great indignation is expressed. The most important subject treated by Mr Baume in his speech in the debate on the Addreas-in-Reply was educational reform. Particularly lie dwelt upon, kia ideal of free education right up to the university. • . • . Mr Sidey, speaking in the. debate on the Address-iii-Reply, thought that we. ought to. take the initiative and let the Mother Country know that we are ready. to enter into an agreement for preferential trade.

The Government poultry expert, speaking at the annual .dinner "of the Wellington Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society, said that'legislation would' probably ba .shortly introduced for the '■■prohibition of the export of ungraded poultry! • Agnes Campbell, aged twenty-one. Va3 found dead Opposite the University Buildings at Dunedin on Wednesday morning. John Osmond, a yomig .manAyho -"kept opmpany' , with I l ev, is missing. -Later on Jiis hat was found on the foreshore.

.Ah urgent..telegram Received atßroken Hill from Qiieenstowii (Tasmania) asks "iif-the name of all that is lioJy or otherwise" that Dr. McCarthy s'hoiikl discontmjjc; Mg e&pf.vhmrttfc or-re-fbcii.V ]ils"j£B.£ threatened;.\vitH ';a aijljige.; '}■ .•■•.;•• ;'.''?.*; i, A certain gfc'rtrtema'iVvTivJTti:' w. .■• vo' : ; distant colony tells, how he, 'found iliafr' his stajblejinen. Were /not in.,tTie^lialrlf : ~"BK' attehdmg'.clmrch,'.aficr"' spoke to the coachman about it.' "they ought to go," he said. "That's'.just what T say myself," was the' rejoinder. {, T says to' them—look at nie,'l-go, and what harm doei, it do me?" .

M. Maurice Bernhardt sent seconds to M- F. Juven, editor of the comic illustrated paper, "Le Rire," in consequence of a caricature .appearing in that journal which' lie, deemed insulting to his mother. Madame Sarah Bernhardt. But M. .Juven' wrote an apology to M. Maurice Bernhardt, which the latter accepted. Accordingly'no duel took place. Tq-day the. Vatican co.mprises 50 separate buildings, containing some 1200 rooms. There are 14 courtyards, and an average population of some 3000. Two out of its three storeys are packed from end to end with - treasures of art and literature, 'the' Pontifical apartment, on the first storey, not excepted. In cxtensiv.en.ess, at any rate, the collection is -unique.