TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Thames and Mauku Races to-day. .. An English mail via Suez is due on Monday. Opening of the "Picture Pops" season in the Federal Hall to-night. Delegates of local governing bodies discussed Greater Auckland scheme, last night. Czar, after praising the heroic defence of Port Arthur, condemned its "disgraceful surrender." Subscriptions in thousands were made at a Suffragist meeting' in the Albert Hall, London. President Roosevelt has announced ; that the Pacific fleet vriJl return imnie« . diately after-visiting Australia. ■■-'.' . The Rev. Clayton Turtchell, Vicar of All Hallows, East India Docks, London, is to be the first Bishop of Polynesia. The Admiralty has promised the con- : tractors a bonus if they accelerate tha completion of the Rosyth naval base. The Cook County Council decided to instruct their enginner to report on the proposed tramway from Gisborne to Pa-< tutahi. The places where the -wireless telegraph! stations are to be erected on the Australian coast have not been finally settled. Tenders are shortly to be called. The number of inmates in the Aucb- , land Sailors' Home during the month 01 February was 39.7 —a decrease of sis on the number for the previous month. The appointment of the Earl of Dudley, as Governor-General of Australia has been officially confirmed. The London, papers applaud the nomination. A large and enthusiastic public meetinglast night decided to support the Hokitika Harbour Board in the proposed legislation to raise £36,000 for harbour: improvements. Reichstag Press Gallery..laughed, afi Herr Erzberger's reference to the "immortal soul of the negro," and were referred to as "piggish louts" by the speaker. The journalists withdrew from the house. At the Sydney Methodist "conference in Melbourne a speaker declared that -while " Tattersall's" was in Tasmania the people in that State were in danger of losing their self-respect. Mr. Williamson Wallace, formerly Director of Agriculture in Victoria, ana\ now touring the world, declares the greatest need of Australia and New Zealand: is the occupation of the land. Mr. Harry A. Epstein, hon. vice-presi-dent of the Stepney Esperanto group, London, who is now in Wellington, tells a remaikable story of the spread of the language for commercial purposes. "The Manchester Guardian - " points outthat Japan could not harbour designs against Australia without rousing all the white peoples interested in the Orient. Last week a young man was commit-* ted to th& Avondale Mental Asylum froia Gisborne. He recently arrived from the South and developed typhoid fever, and though he recovered from the fever the illness affected his mind. The Hew Zealand Rugby Union's Management Committee discussed in committee the proposal to play three test' games against the British representatives, instead of one, and after a long debate it was decided to play only, one, as originally decided. During the past six months the Timam motor omnibuses have travelled oven SOOO miles at a cost of £120 in petrol alone. Other expenses have been b.eavyj but the receipts have only amounted to £250; and as the venture has proved unprofitable, the directors of the company have determined to cease running the 'buses. . Someone has been maligning New Zealand by saying that there is no culture in the Dominion, says the "Northern Advocate." Yet we hear of a back-blocks debating society in Taranaki keenly discussing the question whether the execution of King Charles was justifiable. Tha decision was that the Puritans had done their duty by King Charles. A lovely lot of chic ready-to-weaS costumes just opened in great variety of smart striped effects; also, plain, in ex« elusive style, newest colourings, and thai value great as ever, 29/6, 32/6, 35/6, ta* nine guineas.—McCuQagh and .Gow.er, costumes.—■jCAd.Jj __. .'