Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2877, 18 April 1873, Page 2

An act of bravery took place from the Queen-street wharf yesterday morning, when Mr. Landers, the assistant wharfinger, rescued an unfortunate woman from drowning. Tho

woman, whose name is Anne Traynor, was standing near the edge of the wharf, opposite to the North Shore tee, when a sudden gust of wind came, and blew her over into the water. The tide was flowing at the time, and she rapidly drifted away from tho wharf, with her fuco and head under water. Mr. Landers witnessed tho accident, and at once, in a prompt and heroic manner, caught hold of a line that was lying near and leaped into the water. He then swam after the woman, who was by this time thoroughly exhausted, made the ropefast under her arms, and she was drawn to the steps, and rescued from a watery grave. Mr. Landers then swam to tho piles, and climbing up one of them, with a little assistance, soon gained tho whurf. There would have been nothing very extraordinary in this if Mr. Landers had been a young man, but he is a man of about sixty years of age, and we have no hesitation in affirming that he is fully deserving of the medal of the Royal Humane Society. This proves more than ever that Bafety-chuins are urgently required for the Queen-street wharf. After the woman was rescued she was removed to the Police-office, where proper means were used for her recovery. She was then found to be a person of unsound mind, and was afterwards sent to the Lunatic Asylum, as reported in our Police news.

Some short time a(;o an advertisment appeared in I he columns of this paper, requesting persons who were desirous of attending the Auckland College Evening Classes to communicate to the Central Board of Education their intontion of so doing; to enable the Committee, if there were sufficient applications, to arrange for tho establishment of classes for the Btudy of Mathematics, Latin, Chemistry, French, and History. We yesterday called at the office of the Board of Education, to ascertain how the list of applicants was filling up, and were informed that unless tho number is greatly augmented the classes will lupso from the fact that there are not sufficient young men in Auckland, studiously inclined, to warrant tho formation of university classes. The present number of applicants is as follows :—For the Mathematical class, eleven ; Latin, ten ; Chemistry, seven, chiefly ladies ; French, six; and History, five. It cannot fail to be clear to all that this number is totally insufficient to permit of the classes being established as wns proposed by the Board. How the young men of Auckland can bo so dead to their own interests appears quite unaccountable. The list will be kept open for some time, nnd an opportuuity thus afforded for applications to be sent in. Should these classes, which can be attended at a nominal cost, lapse for want of a sufficient number of applicants, it will be a reflection to the young men of Auckland generally ; and it will be, not because they are proficient in tho studies above enumerated, but simply because they unable to appreciate their real value.

Amongst the passengers by the Nebraska yesterday morning was Mr. W. J. Young, native interpreter, who has for the last threo months been at Napier, in connexion with the native land disputes lately before tho commissioners. The natives aro anxious to retain his services as interpreter, and those of Mr. Sheehan as legal adviser, until the questions in dispute are settled. Mr. Young, who is summonsed to Auckland as a witness in a Supreme Court case, will probably return to Napier when it is concluded. Mr. Sheehan is still there, and is said to hare made himself very popular amongst a large number of the natives, who not only desire to retain him as their lawyer, but want his services in Parliament next Bession. In tho ovent of a general election, it is said that Mr. Sheehan will very probably be asked to come forward for Hawke's Bay constituency, in the native interest.

We understand the annual meeting in connection with the Orphan Home will be held in the City Hull on the 2-lth instant, at 7.30 p.m. Tho Bishop will preside on the occasion. The Treasurer is anxious that the several collectors should send in the amounts collected to him to-day, in order that they may appear ill tho list of subscriptions for the vear. Wo do not doubt but that, if tho evening be fine, there will bo a large attendance, as the institution is ono which must be popular from tho largo amount of distress which it alleviates, and the moral training which it affords to those who would otherwise be growing up to swell our criminal population.

An action will be tried at the Supremo Court next week, before Mr. Justice Johnston and a special jery, which is likely to throw further light upon the somewhat obscure history of the right and title to certain beach claims at Qrahamstown. A large number of witnesses and interpreters have been summonsed from the Thames—including Messrs. Tookey, Priestly, W. J. Young, and Bereral other well-known residents of the locality, extensively concerned in dealings with tho natives.

Tho schools established under the now Education Act aro rapidly getting into full swing, and appear to be working very satisfactorily. The North Shore school, under the

very able management of Mr. Worthington, the principal, is making great progress, the committee having, in terms of tho warmest eulogium, expressed themselves well satisfied at tho success of his exertions. The number of scholars is now eighty. A trained lady teacher will shortly be added, to perfect tho system of Bcliool teaching.

Among the exports by the p.B. Nebraska are 1573 ounces of gold, in the hands of the Chinamen on board. Theso men tried very hard to evade the Customs authorities at Dunedin, by secreting their gold, but it was of no avail. It was for the most part discovered, and they had to hand over duty. Since their arrival in Auckland, our C'uatoma authorities have discovered an additional 110 ounces, on which unfortunate "John" has been compelled to pay duty.

In consequence of the additions and altera-

tions not having been completed, we have been requested to state that the re-opening of St. Mark's Church, Remuera, will not take place on the 25th instant, as announced in

■he last number of the Church Gazette, but that

the church and new organ will be opened on Monday, the sth day of May next, at half-past nix in the evening.

The large increase which has been lately made to the electoral rolls of the North Island includes several hundred Maoris, not previously registered. At Napier, it is said, nearly all the natives in the locality have sent in their names for registration. ff they are united, as they are said to be, and vote as one man, they may exercise a very important part in tho next general election.

According to a Government return, there are in "Victoria about 434 millions of acres of land available for pastoral and agricultural purposes.

Yesterday a young lady, the daughter of one of our oldeat and most respected citizens, gave her haad at the altar of St. Paul's Cathedral to a gentleman vrho is a leading representative of our higher commcrcial interests. Much of the youth and beauty of Auckland's city was present on this very interesting occasion, and nothing was omitted on the part of the friends of the bride and bridegroom to mark the event, and give eclat to the coremony. The bride wa3 Jemima, eldest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Colin Balneavis, Sheriff of the Province of Auckland, and the bridegroom was John McEffer, second son of John Shera, Esq. The ceremony was conducted by the Right Bev. the Bishop of Auckland, assisted by the Rev. C. M. Nelson. The bridesmaids were— the Misses Louisa Hamlin, Georgina and Mary Balneavis, Lyell, Isaacs, Thompson, and Wynyard. His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston, Colonel Lyon, T. Morrin, Esq. : A. E. Isaacs, Esq.; Miller Blunden, Esq.; Wm. Shera, Esq. ; Bennett, Esq., and — Balneavis, Esq., were the escorts of the bridesmaids. James Russell, Esq., was the bridegroom'sman. The cathedral was very tastefully ornamented with flowers, evergreen, and other forest offerings. There was a full choir. The musical portion of the servico included the 138 th Psalm. It was finely and most effectively rendered. Mendelssohn's March, " Atahulie," closed the service. The wedding cortege comprised twelve carriages. There were over 500 interested at the wedding ceremony.

There has been an immense amount of discußsion in our law courts and elsewhere as to what constitutes drunkenness. In the Juries of Eour Court, Melbourne, lately, SeniorConstable M'Grath, at present stationed at Kew, gave a definition of the bibulous state that was novel and amusing. He was a witness in the libel case of Power v. Harding, the plaintiff an es-sergeaut of the police, seeking damages because defendant had charged him with being drunk at the time of the general election on the 18th March, 1871. M'Grath, who was on duty at Brunswick on that dav, said. Power was not drunk, but he considered his state an unfit one for a sergeant of police. When questioned as to this qualification of his evidence, M'Grath said, " I never consider a civilian drunk till he is lying down." Mr. Higinbotham interjected, "Till he is holding on to the floor, in fact?" "Yes," said M'Grath, and added that he considered " a policeman to bo under the influence of drink if he Bmelt of it." The definition caused great merriments in Court. It will be presumed from this that the arrests of civilians for drunkenness in tho police district of Kew are not numerous.

Our Coromandel correspondent says :—The Presbyterian bazaar has, as I stated it would do, realised about £200; of this the committes will net about £170 for the church. Altogether the affair has been a great success throughout, and it is attributable to the excellence of the arrangements made and the manner in which they were carried out. Too much credit cannot be given to the several ladies who were, I may say. the leading epirits in the affair, and who worked long and arduously to attain the success they have done. Where all worked well, it would bo inridious to mention any by name, so I refrain from so doing. The Church Building Committee have returned thanks publicly to those ladies and gentlemen who worked for the bazaar and at it, and also to the public who so liberally came forward with the necessary funds. The church will now, I believe, be clear of debt to start with, or very nearly so, and in this respect Coromandel is far ahead of most places in the province, as the whole four places of worship hero are out of debt, which is more than can be said of the generality of churches.

Western Australia is richer thau any of the Southern colonies in the splendour, magnificence, and durability of its woods :—The sandalwood already affords an export; the tuart and kari, both Eucalypti of enormous size, are valuable timber trees ; in the southern districts I have ridden for miles amongst kari trees, some of which, lying on the eround, I have ascertained, by actual measurement, to reach 150 feet in the lower branch ; many, I estimate, when standing, to attain nearly double that height from the ground to the topmast branch, thus emulating the great California!!' Wellingtonia,' the kauri (Darnnara Australia) of liew Zealand, or the great Eucalyptus purpurea of Tasmania, a kindred tree, reported ou by Sir W. Denison ; the difference being that there instances are of rare and exceptional growth, whilst in parts of this country there are forests of these giants of the vegetable world.

A telegram in our evening contemporary states that Job Tyler has been again brought up, charged with setting fire to the Shellbuck Hotel. The evidence of a witness named Thomas Grarvoy was to the effect that Tyler wanted him to make away with lira. Sawyer, the proprietress of the hotel, and offered him gold amalgam and specimens to do so. The case being sub judice, we make no comments ; but we think we are entitled to ask this question, Presuming that G-arvey had accepted Job Tyler's offer, where was Job Tyler to obtain the amalgam and specimens, as these two articles are not in the open market either for sale or purchase ?

There was an adjourned sitting of the District Court yesterday, for the purpose of hearing the case, Mercury Bay Saw Mill Company v. C. B. Taylor, being an action to recover £56 lis sd, the price of a cargo of timber shipped from Auckland per Merlin, schooner, on account of the defendant, a merchant at Lyttelton. The defendant denied that he was indebted. Mr. Rees appeared for the plaintiff, Mr. "Whitaker for the defendant. The question at issue upon the facts deposed to was whether authority was given to plaintiff to make the shipment. There wero several technical objections taken. The plaintiff was nonsuited, and costs, £27 9s.

Captain Daldy and Q-. M. Mitford, Esq. presided at the Police Court yesterday, when tho three seamen, Etherington, G-reen and Moore, were brought up on a chargo of scuttling the ship Aleager on the high seas, on the 3rd of March last. After some discussion the caso was adjourned until to-day, and to-morrow the inquiry will bo held before the Collector of Customs, under tho Enquiry into Wrecks Act. The other business transacted was unimportant. Our Pclice report will be found elsewhere. The Resident Magistrate's Court this morning opens with forty-one eases on tho causelist. Nearly one half of these are sumtnonsei

to enforce payment of calls on non-paid-up shares in gold mining companies. The remainder comprise various claims for sums within the jurisdiction of the Court. A very large proportion of the cases will be undefended.

The Coromandel Mail, in yesterday's issue,

says its creed i 3. " Coromandel: rich stono, and plenty of it." The journal refuses to insert a letter (" I/aicus") in its present issue, which it admits "is temporately worded, and the strictures contained in it not undeserved," because such letter would interfere with an advertisement and 200 copies of the paper ordered for special distribution. '

The Bavans of Hobart Town are at sixes and sevens as to tho definition of a fish recently caught. Somo are confident it is a salmon trout, some a brown trout, others as confident that whatever its Bpecies that it is neither salmon, Balmon trout, nor brown trout, and it is to be sent to England for Dr. G-unther to solve the difficulty.

An Otago contemporary says:—Partridges appear to thrive well in this province. In a paddock in the Palmerston district no less than threo or four coveys, or about forty birds, were recently observed. A correspondent, writing about the partridges, says they manage to escape the hawks better than was expected.

We would like to know where the watercarts were yesterday. Dust was blowing about in clouds in all directions, much to the

disgust of pedestrians and shopkeepers. The men having the contract to water tho streets should be looked after a little more closely.

The Sisters of Meroy acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of a largo donation in provisions, for the orphans, from Mr. E. Perkins, Occidental Hottl,

Mr. John R. Sanderson writes to the Coromandel Mail announcing his intention of stopping the correspondence on the "Land Purchase Grog Scandal" for the present at least, as he has reason to believe that the matter will be enquired into ia higher quarters. He saya:—" Sir, —As the Editor

of the Evening Star reckons me 'no longer worthy of printer's ink,' will you oblige me by a little apace in your columns that I may, in return, bid my adieus publicly to that gentleman, and state my reasons for still refusing to produce evidence of the truth of my statements. The editorial comments on my letter, published in the Evening Star of the 10th instant, are certainly not ' worthy ' of more than a passing notice. I wonder if the editor supposes that his miserable attempt to annihilate me and my charges will satisfy the public for whom he writes. If so, he nev«r was more mistaken —his abortive effort is not only a disgraceful failure, but an unmistakeable cave in, and clearly proves to the most casual observer that the worthy editor cannot see straight before him. Such being the case, I will not trouble your readers with any further strictures, but will at once proceed, as briefly as possible, to state the reasons why I have refused, and still do refuse, for the present, to prove the truth of my charge agaiust the Government. I gratefully regard your journal, sir, as the only one of many, that has given me anything like fair play, and I, therefore, sincerely beg to thank you. Had I received the same impartial treatment at the hands of the Auckland Press, I don't hesitate to say that tlie affair would now have been satisfactorily explained ; but as all my statements were denounced (by those mercenary and unscrupulous individuals who only want to gain Government favour and pay), as fabrications, and myself as a slanderer, and as, after thus prejudicing the case against me, I was called upon to substantiate it, I decided, as every right minded man must do, to refuse to gratify such unjust and interested persons. And now, sir, I am more decided than ever, since I have reason to believe that the matter will bo enquired into in high quarters, and if so, I shall be able to vindicate myself to the proper authorities ; but if I have not this opportunity, rest assured, sir, that this matter SKAii be laid bare before the public. Ia concluding this correspondence for the present, I again reiterate my charges, and still beg to subscribe myself yours truly, Jomf R. Rasdehson. —Co romandel, 16th April, 1573." The following is an expression of opinion from the Thames Advertiser; one, we think, that will be entertained generally throughout the province :—" In the departure of Air. Thomas Russell for England this colony will lose for a time one of her most successful, enterprising, and sagacious colonists, and the Thames goklfield one of her best friends and most courageous speculators. We think there are very few who will not regret the departure of Mr. Russell from amongst us, although his absence may only be a temporary one. Probably there is no one individual in the community who possesses more general influence

and authority, whether for weal or for woe,

throughout the length and breadth of this colony than Mr. Russell. His opinion and influence have been courted by successive Ministries, and one of our public men once declared that he was the representative of a mysterious power which was characterised as ' that power behind the Treasury Bench

which is greater than the Treasury Bench itself.' Even now Mr. Vogel, the Premier, is glad to enlist the aicl of Mr. Kussell to help him out of his troubles in regard to the San Francisco mail service. But the Government might, with great advantage to the colony and to themselves, enlist the services of Mr. .Russell in another direction. The AgentGeneral appears utterly unable to get the colony out of the hands of Shaw, Saville and Co., whilst a clear-headed man of business would probably find little difficulty in doing so. Let them therefore take advantage of Ml 1 . Kussell's visit to England, and give him authority to deal with Shaw, Saville and Co. We believe he would come off successful."

Mr. H. J. Tancred, as President of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, recently delivered to the members of the Institute a most interesting address on Nature's taw in New Zealand, containing some novel ideas, one of which is thus stated:—"Take, as an illustration, the question as to how the earth of New Zealand acts on the electric current. This question was raised in a paper read before the Institute by Mr. "Wright. Our conception of the laws which govern the relation of the earth to electricity has been rudely disturbed by the ideas therein suggested. The observation recorded by Mr. Wright would seem to lead to the conclusion that the earth here, instead of dispersing, is a bad conductor of electricity. He says that on the line to the north of Christchurch many of the telegraph poles having fallen down, the wires were in contact with the ground, but that notwithstanding this and contrary to his expectation, insulation was still preserved, and messages could be forwarded along the line from Christchurch to Wellington. So far is known, the author says, and he supports his assertion by the testimony of persons versed in practical telegraphy, this would have been impossible in any other part of the world." The largest trees indigenous to Victoria belong to the Eucalyptus tribe—popularly known as the gum trees. The varieties known as the red and blue gums are the most useful; as regards size, the species known as the peppermint, though a middle-sized tree in open places, attains a colossal height in the mountain ravines. Iu the Dandenong ranges trees of 420 feet in height have repeatedlv been measured. Near Healesville, a fallen tree

measured 480 feet, being fourteen feet higher then Strasburg spire. The Casuarina, or she oak, the Banksia, or honeysuckle, the native cherry-tree, a bushy shrub-like tree, having the peculiarity of the stone growing outside the fruit, the Melaleuca, known a3 the teatree, flourishing in marshy districts, and several varieties of the Acacia, of which the wattle is the most common, comprise the most widely distributed of the native trees. Ferns are numerous, particularly in the mountain gullies, the variety known as the Great-nest fern has been found with fronds sir feet in length.

The "Wellington correspondent of the Wanganui Herald, says :—"lt has been frequently •tated that the Honorable John Hall has not gone to England to supersede the AgentGeneral. Strictly speakine this may be correct, but I know that he has taken with him an authority to assume the Agent-Generalship in the event of anything happening to Dr. Featberston. The doctor's health was stated to be bad ; the Government intend to appoint •ome one to attend to the business of the the colony, taking it out of the AgentGeneral's hands, and leaving him to be the political representative of New Zealand. It is very probable that Dr. Featberston may resent this—l believe it is intended bo to act as to make him do so—in which case, should the resentment lead to resignation, the Hon. John Hall would immediately take the office, and the Government would have got rid of Dr. Feathers ton without incurring the odium of dismissing him. There are more ways than one, &e."

The total number of Bhips belonging to Hobarfs Town and Tasmania is ISO, and 72 steamers ; 20 of these vessels, as stated elsewhere, are engaged in the whala fishing. During 1870, 613 vessels, of the aggregate tonnage of 105,647, with crews enumerated at 7002, entered the portß of Tasmania ; and 611 vessels of 107,263 tons, with crews of 7138, cleared out of the ports of the colony. From 1831 to the end of 1871, 313 vessels, of the aggregate tonnage of 19,959 tons have been built at Hobart Town and the other southern ports along the coast. From J u*e, 1840, to June, 1872, 131 vessels, whose tonnage amounted to 6594 tons, were built at Launceston. The largest vessel yet constructed was registered at 563 tons burthen.

The Nelson Colonist Bays it hears that it is proposed to hand over tho Provincial lines to to their respective Provincial Government* T'nii is very important, if true, and the Colo-

nist ought really to hare furnished us with more particulars of the scheme.

A Ladies' Committee is mating exertions to establish four scholarships of tbe value of £30 «ack for ladies at tho Otugo University,

The following crisp and hiehlvTr^ 575 notice ia from a Southern corre3Don-l orcDi complains, and with onlj too much „ j Wh ° son, of the mystifying and fr,-r„i Sood r «- of the bulk of telegrams which c °om C »? raoter the English cable. Too often is t h . r °' Jgh vast subsidiary matters of detail „« ■ Sin t the fluctuations of opinion or to Bions of European populations, that - 'u" a " form matter of ordirtarj intAre»t to m engaged raising crops, families, andZ a l ' at this SIQB of the "lobe The P odoc «. guess made at the style of messa*. f exce ' le ai to the papers causes us to suspect correspondent is a newspaper m \„ summarises the last month's Jt--"One day we have a Russian a million marching straight a»ain*" f land Indian frontiers, and army is reduced to seven at gomg m a totally opposite direction ' rf Carlists were yesterday heading for TinK this morning they are seekinAidin. t 5 across the Pyrenees, and to-niohr t ,'" place 3 be 'dead on' for Bilboa at»ain° vrL ' ! a Muscovite Ambassador "is seen , We . et > smiling attendance at the Enoll-i, T?®"? pleading -with the Duke of EdinV,,, .Urtfavor of a dark-eyed Russian Pri!" ' a and now we find the C Zir in conspiring S Bismarck and the Shall of Persia m h out of the map, and sweep us fro-u off tl?" M altogether. Where, I ask, is that Bu Princess now? where that smilinoanri Muscovite? Echo alone answer* ' But still the mendacious current JSre? -•The Bilboaists are Money tight. Tallow steady, 45! Xin Wallsend coal advancing. Prinr-j. v., \ waits the course of events. TalW "Whoraßsan Wahpol iledjikameleke merely by the Shah of Persia. M utton g low) active. Gladstone ruminates a C»>hiDissenting College Rush of to England. Beef advancing 6d • coals r ceding. Prince Napoleon watchin-' cours/nf events. Tin, 4rL Carlist bands around Bill™, N.Z. sues, 113. Honey scarce. Iron v. Cork light. The Committee of Thirty 7"' maud.'" There he thinks it time to -S to ask : " Has it coma to this at k t the Doasted triumph of the nineteenth cm tury—the acme of modern civilisation reached —the dream of poets realised—a girdS clasped about the planet, and the ends of th? earth brought together—for what' xj,,! reckless bands of Associated Pressmen mav I deluge the world wilh a literary sea of eicru dating absurdities ? or that dexterous com' j pilators of passing events may confute men's I minds by the legerdemain of their lead pencils and raise a second tower of Babel at the antipodes, by wiring in and piling on agonies of their many inventions ?" will adopt his mode of getting over these perplexing telegrams, viz., to take his Ilo'mi News as of old, once a month, and henceforth skip the column headed " Cablegrams."

The Melbourne Argus publishes the folio*, ing extract from a letter written bv a gentleman at Mauritius, relative to the prospects of Fiji as a augur-browing country':—" Hm-j. tius, January 25, IS73.—You say in Tonr letter that Mr. would be willing to'bur my laud m Fiji. lam not in a hurry to sell those lands, but if he would make me a got 4 offer I will consider what I shall do. Before long the Fiji Islands are t ure to make more sugar than the Mauritius, an'l their proximity to the Australian colonies will cause the Mauritius sugar great prejudice in the market. Already the Mauritius planters are afraid of such results, and they talk of sending their sons to Fiji to grow sugar. Such a"thic would have been already done if England ot the Australian colonies had annexed Fiji; ani as soon as this is clone, Yiti Levu, which the planters here talk of as their place of prclile - tion, will swarm with Mauritius vouths and Mauritius money. Then my land will be worth £30 to £10 an acre. Good sugar land here in tha Mauritius is very often sold at £100 an acre, and I flatter myself that the land which I picked up in Fiji is the very best land fot sugar-growing. Indeed I assure you that if to-morrow the news reaches us that Fiji has been annexed to the Australian colonies, planters here are sure to buy my land at something like £30 an acre. Write to me, or rather tell Mr. to write to me about what he offers for my land. Tell him that if he intends gro wing sugar, my lasd is the very best; if he intends, on the contrary, to grow cotton there, then it is useless to buy it, for I do noi; believe that it would at all do for cottongrowing. By-the-bye the Polynesia Company has to exchange my land warrant for a conveyance of the Baid lands. I will write to to get it for me ; ask him to see about

Mrs. Olive Logan, in a speech at the Brooklyn (U.S.) woman's meeting, said: I reject the trousers with contempt and scorn, lien cut a sufficiently ridiculous figure in them themselves. The truth is, they don't like their own costume, and are envious of oar laces, jewellery, frills, and dresses. ' Trouser?, forsooth, trousers !' Shake not the ridiculous garment at me. No; so long as we can hare our silks, satins, and shawls, we will repudiate your absurd bifurcated unwhisperables. Look at your swallow-tailed coats, stove-pipe hats; and you wear your hair so short, some of yon. that you look precious like monkeys ; and I don't wonder that one of your number ha? written a book showing that animal to be tha father of his race."

A prospectus has been issued in Helboama of a new banking institution, to be called the Industrial and Mercantile Bank of Australia (Limited.) The capital is fixed at £250,000 in 50,000 shares of £5 each, with power to increase. The provisional committee include; tbe names of several well-known citizens. It is proposed to establish an institution on the principle of a people's bank, embodying the main features of the Scotch banking system, which had proved eminently successful in Scotland. Ih3 bank will bo established as soon as 25,000 shares have been applied for.

There is a stinging nettle in ITorth Australia which grows forty feet high, and n" » stem over two feet in diameter. By the way, "we believe no botanist has yet been able to make it clear "what office the nettle has assigned to it in the economy of nature, or why it 13 guarded with fine needles, as tliouuii mow precious than other plants. As nothing was mado in vain, a purpose was certainly contemplated. What is it ?

Professor Kletzinsky, of Vienna, is reported to have microscopically detected epithelial cells and pus-globules adhering to the oodies of flies which had lit on amall-poi parientJ, thus justifying the belief that these iuiectJ convey infection.

One of the dogs which has been in habit of sheep-stealing in the suburbs, vs3 apprehended by Detective Ternahan yesterday afternoon, and" taken to the police station, where it was shortly afterwards destroyed.

We notice that kerbing of the footpath in Vulcan X/ane, is now being proceeded with, siii will probably be completed in a few days.

The annual Inspection of the Auckland trojp> R.C. V., is to be held on Monday neit, at £ p.m., in the Domain.

The Acting-Governor lias received a telegram from Lord Kimberley, statins that sir James Fergusson leaves England on April 10. The next sitting of the Court of Appeal be held in Wellington on the 12th Jlay.

The only persons in the lock-up last nJ =' l ' were two women on a charge of vagrancy.

Notice is given that the proprietors o! Wolfe's Aromatic Schieduui Schnapps In" caused their several trade marks to be registered under the provisions of the Iraa Marks Act, 1866.

It is notified that Mr. George AUlertoa' 3 authorised to collect advertisements for !he " Auckland Directory." Mrs. R. J. Morressy announces that _t ha second quarter of her educational e=taßli= rnor.t, for 1873, will commence on JloniMj next.

A preliminary announcement is Mr. R. Arthur of the market stalls to be e for one year, by auction, at an early date. Tenders will be received at the oilic3_ of Harbourmaster, to the 24th instaut, tor " ■ building of a boat for the pilot service.