Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6288, 12 January 1882, Page 4

The forty-second half-yearly general meet: ing of the New Zealand Insurance Company was held yesterday at the head-office, Queen-: ■street, Auckland. The Hon. Jas. Williamson presided. The report and balance-sheet were highly satisfactory, and an appropriation of £15,000 was made for the payment of 'a dividend of 3s per share for the half-year, leaving £9102 3s 10d a balance to be carried ■ forward to the next half-year's account. In moving the adoption of the report' and balance-sheet, the chairman made an important statement as to the position -which the company, occupied, and the safe policy which they pursued. Allusion was made to the.keen competition in insurance business, and the fact that notwithstanding serious marine and fire losses the company was able to declare a dividend. Messrs. Stone and Williamson, the retiring directors, were re--elected, as'also were the auditors, Messrs Laurie and Fraser.. "Vjotes of thanks were accorded to the directors, the offioers, and the agents. A full report of the proceedings is published in another part of, this day's paper.

Wnen the mail which If Zealandia left London-on the ,let SI % I the latest New Zealand and Austral; ""K i by way of San Francisco-we're , the fo?/ 1 ma 'V P 4th ; Sydney, 6tfc •™, ?">?: $ land, 11th October/ By to, of v \M. % latest dates were—from Sydney rv tta - ¥ Melbourne, 10th Octoljer. ' >i In addition to what appeared in „ '£ day's issue relative to Tav,-J]i.io'a v -'f" , " 8 Auckland, it may be mentioned that }*** . t ° I probably be aecompauied by hia j Ti . ° fill f| and twelve or fourteen of the mo«t nr ° - s,a! > fe Waikato chiefs. Tawliiao will ],/;'. n ! a 'V. | laud and its neighbourhood for aljoa* t '" 1 night or three weeks. The Hon .w. 1 forU P General and the Hon. Minister of T". 1 be in Auckland when Taw'hiao art- il! I lit is unlikely that the Native MinVv* '' I ibe here. Paora Tuhaerc, of Ora'k-i II oil a visit to Tawhiao, and the" h'-f °' e . a I r now, in accordance iritfi Mnr jr j'7.' r wi " I return the courtesy. Tawliiao will' 5 " 0 * - f Kaipara and Orakui. Major M.ii,- ('• ''"'' : x h inent Native Agent in Auckland i s ? Ver ?- I [Alexandra, and will aecoinpauv 'iW' 0 * m I Auckland. The party will arrive i a T ? I land from Waikato by train on Moiiduv■ » °" f ing next. ' ■ CVCa - .v The trials in the Supreme Court i,, . k Fredk. Plumnier was the priacip.,!' -' v -, ."* I: terested, disolose a very singular f gical problem. Here is a bih^!! 0 ', 0 " p shrewd, clever, persistent, and Wl .|j ", y | cated man who prefers the life of a tr § vagrant and thief to one of r tained by regular labour. Tin countV;f"' *■ self lias even given him a trade at wh-'4 • K : could earn from 10s to 15s a day. ? is perhaps nowthe most iucorrigi>,l e tr :',? *■< ual in the colony. Is there reasoS tov.js'" 1 '! '('■ that he is a lunatic? .;' £ against such a supposition, yet ihi.i'",',,.'!!- 8 - coiiJuct or misconduct is "' i W

A special meeting of the A;i.jklaijii P r >, >■"■ bytory was held'yesterday. The pn. IL .j 1 !' L ; . business was the consideration of minutes forwarded to the I'rusiiyierv e General Assembly in regard "to fo •\]i.|.'.'f f\ enactments. Tiie chief diseus«£ii''"^. , ! {£ whether it was desirable that ev.wHi *? ?■ students should be authorise' to oefcbra* = marriages and administer b:i]T.; s .j lf i strong objection was made to t!i<. f or .".' <• but the general' feeling ot tho JV.-sbvt*.''* V was strongly against either .jf tho <X;' fj incuts being administered oxc-p:'.•,-,.;■,;'. '.:'., j Si niiui.iter*H The report, of the eo-aii-iiV'e'at! % pointed by the IVosbytery to n\H;i ; '. J office-bearers of St. James's :' regard to St. James's-hiill iva« l". r >.l •!,■■,. p ami being satisfactory, was uloptji, V" P overture was ordered to lie fonvanietl ; 0 !" ;>: General Assembly of tao- Ciiui-.j!], ; ;,: ; jj, !j them to give an expression o: oji!:ii,. :s ,>.' the position of ministers iu re_; i:-1 ; 0 '.;', *i marriage with a deceased wi;V.-s ' \ l{ petition was also ordered to be forw.-.ri'i;, the Legislature of Neif Zealand, α-k;.:- •'■,- ?■? the establishment of a University inAroV. e?, land. The proceedings vero ol an \:nn' T . ! 5tant and somewhat lengthy cliaravt r r. { p full outline of tho business is report*! els*, -j: whore. ' !f We hear that-the directors of the I!i' L Vof New South Wales Hre about to y,u_>\.-.\ >''.'•' immediately with the erection of tktirmr - ; banking premises, 0:1 -tliesit" pnrt-li.-'.-- J .".".; V: time back, adjacent to the JlEi;.vi.-,i ;■■:. ing orKee, Queen-street. Thy nlans v ,. :i prepared some months ayo, and pravHc iVj 'A very haudaoinc building—ollo wo;■;!.-,■ '-,[ ['>. the institution for which it is to lo uv.'tej K T'nis step will necessitate the \-i of the Hll.lpid.ited tenement.? ;;t pr:":.-; ;: j j tiie site—relics of old Auckku.l—h;t j 3 Pi this case at least tnere will ho :i r, ~ 'pi sacrifive in yielding up sontim?-.; t : •i'.i]::r. 1$ A spseial meeting of the Cham'ner of Coa- %i moree has been oouvcucd by ti\o I , :-,-;;.-/ f: : ; (Mr. C. J. McMillan) for ;;-•::. [■„; |( 17iU instauf-, to take into consuls .;.'. ; , ct: . £i tain matters in connpction with !.:<.' .'.v iVi K intention of the P. and 0. C.>.iip;ti\•'; ;1 -. |r, t.;;id their operations to Xevv .'''-al.i.iii. .',; : .-. p' chants and iiiiportcri are sp;-o!»Uv i;,;-jr- : -...! Sj.in this imtter, r.!t>l it is "noi'v ! t;,;: :'-.;•,■ fej will mu3tL-L' suvmgly, in r,rd;i- to •.'.'; 13 being a full an.l thori.uyh >ii.-:i;-.-i ~ (,;■;. project. One of the orfieers nf the I', a'iiu 'M Company recently visits.! X-tt /: si ! ;:: see if there «'as sullL.-ioat;. oik ...t::t:'.: i§ the company to include it in tiiuii , ■s.tA:. I.: |-V' we liavo no; heard of any action ;.».: in C3usequcace of his report. l?| .Mr. F. Lirkwort'iv. ma-.incr- 1 !- df t ; i- i;v> tk ofXeu- Ze.Uan 1 in i/m.lon, M book of 12 cntit'.J.l Kevisited." _We .-Uj.ill Uke ;in wriy ,;.j.> £ tuaity of noticing tiie bouk, a!ni :::t i': : extracts from it. " jy'; , . Mr. DoLias, proprietor of t':/ T.'.::Pv~ Royal, is at; present c-reetiuj .1 t-ir-:. •■=".".■:•.: tT' place of bn'iiii'2s3, exelusivj o: bis -.m■<:.■., .':■ tef jac-'ut; to the vheatre, on t'u Vi--: ■■.■:■'.■"■:: f;l*f fruutnge. Oil tiie ground {l-.:;r ;v:!J : .fi fK shop 31 x -2-2. sirtinij-rootn l."> r: 10. i:i i;~' staircase lending to tlif uppc-r !l :■■?. ?.\-v. [•;.:' basement whic'n cxtisn-J.s t':; , ; '.vh 1:0 es'.::::: ■- ■; the bnildiiiL , , namely, "J» s 1j : !;;■•:: .v.i:-: >'■:■■: in sub-divided into sttinir-room, !S:' : !CJ:t,.; lio.lroom, 17 x 1").; nn.i s-.??:: 1 l> !•:-- )■) x 9, togetiior \',-<t!i lin-.-n-.-!----. ; -.:" room. ice. The third tioor is not -;;"■'...,:■.: at present, but will probably lw r.--! i= dressing rooms in c>.-,a-jcti'j:i v'l'i iV: ' Tiieatre Eoyal. Tiie fuyvio o; t!io :..:■:&: will harmonise iu general ile~i_;;i vi:: t.; t'leatre block, and he of tiie <!:::■> hAil of piste with r?:":~-"■': >• A parapet and buluitradc will .-ur:::: , . 1 tl;i building, and be of an oniam-?u:al ci:.;:.;::■:.'• Mr. Priilcox is tho tY; r:. :,; being £1400, and Messi-. :.l:i!.o:;ey "->■ . Sons the architects. With reference to a ratepayer's on- .•,■'; plaint about the water staud-pip; i:i S".:r: [.. land-street, we learn this pipe h:n !'* >-:<-' broken fis'e times and repaired at .i •;«' - ; 5 rover £5. It would have been ■/'■ but the workmen were busy at the We:".;" ■ ... Springs and laying services. Driver; _;: y>gvehicies persist in running t!u-ir sk.ft-p:-;'-:| agaiust the pressure tap, to the trouble of getting down to fill '■'-' U«: trough, and hence tke blame docs Mt \'- »r«S with, the officials, but those who us; » tvij wells. Breakages lTill eonstaiitjy unless this practice-is-discontinued. s° rJ |-?5; of these - stand-pipes have cost as nra:i« iK" £20 for repairs at different times. .•'?; in the main thoroughfares, to ensure ikj ; i and certain supply, au ordinary wood oris l ,v r trough, with ball-cock fittings" would te'& psiibject to damage or getting out of ora'er. B-j

Thes.s. Maegregor which left the Man**} yesterday for Southern ports, convn'H about twenty delegates from the va-iJ i Good Tamplar Lodgee, to be preaen* a f "' opening of a new lodge in the New Plymow , district. : %

An error has crept into the pubis" programme of the Auckland Kcaattatbwfi k ; inadvertence. It is there stated boats must not be more than 5 feet s inc ,*- beam. This is obviously a mistake » should read, ''not less than 5 feet i f/ beam." ">

The firing for the Auckland Rifle Prizes for the year ISS2 will tate p»as follow :—The firing for the Ist set*; bine prizes will take place on Monday, •** the 2nd set carbine prizes on Tuesday, j 4 " the Ist set medium rifle prizes on "W":. day, 25th, and the 2nd set medium Thursday, 26th January, ISS2. Tbe *•% will commehoe at 9 o'clock a.m. « each named day respectively. William Preston, of Papakura, wasy day committed to the Lunatic Asyw ffl ». medical testimony, as being of unsound us"""

** the following A correspondent i< Hem m t p. toinid in a»y one c» r. suffi t not good for the * obtaining such tD exempt the pt proc ecdiugs on license from *"V o % cer s ot districts t! ' c of t;f in which . the dog other than tna Ucellse is good for license was . . the d is res , s . the whole cilo'O- P™ bt . linea iu the district ioi-e.l .iii-l t' lo '." ou ., iel - resides or has his ovl'l in wln-f >' t -' , '; thcnv ;«c he would be liable placeof °™£\ ~, Act> IS SI. The to peiialtiw i " 1 ;' )ii .j a ' v . 3 Issn,. a Uuded to paragraph in - t o' have, grov/n up, ot practices ~;,,,, Jog licenses m people i" \'- ; • ' u .|i Ul . o the fee is lower i'A'tho borough. \rr 'llnr-ce Kowlands who has been for jlr x. teauher iu it is pretty eorUm th.u .Mr- . _ v bo forever uutit to resume scl.ou . petition on hi. bcnait ' t ,, e g ou3e faithml serve,, was «<y™^\ ni} KkmA ££Z«" Kl o( £-I— tion by the reti1. .1.1. m theu . p;vrtj Hoiis Conn;.: ;,^ 1 ni tlo or three similar Who brr,:,-:u, t !,M ..u- t Minister pf CT?P s iiTLlcr t;:" n . !l:lvi K-lucati-iu. v, ;iO, '□' auy r> vc:- hi the mat:er. lUthurto lhe forf,i,- ; :.v '-- g <■- tmii.i..-. •' J\ ( u1 . | ..,. s ],: ls | )t on small, 'lt"''''.\\'!Z'\ ■ ""■ -.-■' iv- i.r roiirt-.- ■!! of the same ,;:.;•,■■• r.\w* =iS th.-:r post It * h^ i:,T :; , r ( i;r..r;r t ;S\:iu,ronwto dun:,- Jn- ~......!■ . >■ (;f the mem . the soc- : •■>■ -■■•■- '' ,'-----■ l * J ■•-'-•■" l L -"- u -

The ],<<•■■): ■■'. K s i" Lpp;r.\vmonds- ■ „,<• V r- I VrlV I"'' ril'-ly OUl'liOU llO«-|l, kT""..V."•;;.■- W.-rL-mi, Tvrc-r, ami 1'i>,.,.,••.•" it aln-.-.t to bo re-built. Lao fee. tOl.i:. -t. Lw of Uu,,!:,,,,, Wai- „„...:, ,1 ;i,(.. ,/.h«r two \v:U he tendered for'fn a £»• d..v-=. T::e new block consist, of thresh.-p., .•.;,■••! 30 by :W, -2.J by 21 au<l "0 l.v r,vactively. Tney w.U each have .uri-rar and kiteueu, as well as convenient 1-Ko/us 'jh t-lio iiiot floor. Fre Ik I'li-.m ner wa< found euilty yesterday of »!if lrj"!:::-y nt Mr. Hazell's house in Syni'jiitU-stTVi!. Hid Honor sentenced him tO""vcn \-r.'-:<' p-!i:;l .-ervirude /or each of the t«-n"o!fc]ivs of sending threatening letters, the :.!i.i-1" rt::i euiiciurently. For the I) , .:: _''.n.- he was senter.c. d to three veers' rA-iVervitude additional—in all, ten y C T^ : 'i--:!..', .-.?i-.-:c:!ile William Eiplcy plsadcd" jvS.v: t'i an indictment charging him with a ".!■■:"::::!;: ay libel upon Victor Gr.nvil'j. !!■■ p;.^;i:V-:e*! '"onn; ouduracy in Co-irt. nn>l vv,.- >.-iit'.need to pay a line of fji'i'to the O.'.cu. a::d to be imprisoned until it w.is ;.'.. :. .1.-mes li.-.rry Simpson, a •=,-V,M-.r;-'-r pi '.'"I guilt V tf t'.vo indictments for a':>..•! ::;:oa James V.'orlh Reed, j the !■-•■? : 1 i-i>-t-:tt ..-'.cr" at Ahip.ira. Mo made an apulejv. ::.. ! retracted the imputations he m.i-V'upjn the character of l:ie prose-<jv.-n:-. il-.- •.::•> iLiC.I a guhiei for each o:;e-;:-', a::.! :■> '■■- :!:ipr:-o:ie:l t? t'.'.o rising of t> C'j-.:-r. TLj:s lii.'rnini; at ID a.m.. the I •native c:-.:i;---"i v. iUi ;iM-jth--r native at Oxford \v-.\ Li: I/.-.: oi; The the Fibre pil'.y pi-'n'f f-n-v.-'n-.]." an-1 will Ik V;mpleied in a'>.''is .-:x wjeks. Tile work of Sitting up t'.iv ;.i.;-..'ii:u-iy will be commoneed in abo-r :h;•.■•.• >'.v ';.=, a;rl in a fe-.v mouths ti:n? the .v.--k ■■: m •.■!■•.?: -i-.rin- will be w.vnr-.'.'jj' , . '!'ii-: c-:l*. -rpi-i-e '.v:Il give a co:i<iil.-r:i:»!.? j.t..i.::i: of o:n;)!oyiu::nt. Tiie new o:-tra " " w.is repeatou ]z.:l i:i:hr. ..:i : v.:is »aei.iv=ful as on the previ rai tv..--.:.i:. lr i= one cf the prettie.-: operas :i.i= r.ii.--- i:--'/o pn: upon tin.. st:,.e. I ::.:i ..'■•„■ :;•. An::is ?J-'i:;ue :;j l;.:i i> Lit, achieves a ;;uece=s Src-.t -r :'.v.i2 : ::> ~h-.- h::i yet art lined. '-I 1 Trov.it'.-c :: i- auur.'.iueeu for this evening. It v.-Hi 1-; v.v!l !!ir..i:;t...i. .A' U'wa, Mi« !Moiil:iirue h:i= received very !!■; ;:ering c;:eo-miiiir.iii-o::! the fjloaial riess. Dr.!" "he !i.'.-1 yci'r'the <l.'s =?s at the D'.uieiiin >eijLijl <ii A:t "nave been attended as iol'iOWa :- J\a.:iu.->' afuinoon elp.ss, ,";:; ; teachers :;:.d tethers' 0! ; FL>:ae::t^ : ■ ■'.:. ■■> in 0.-.iiiivetirii with the yf..-m::l 5.•;... .!. S2 : freeli.ir.il e-.-eiii:«ij cl.".';.y, iO:i : pr.!.-:'■: J ■.'••'"'ineLi-y. mechanica! nii-i il-i-hit-.-o::::-;il. Gs : tola!. ST.'!. Tl:'.; r..".v f.-rry steanier Victoria is noiv and hi h:j U:.-L\!i>ins lip'iai.it.jr-ii! iinJ decorar.'.. L':.:m .step would have been taken liefore. ';■■;; -.-.viiu tu a tiiyht aieident to the Devuii;;.:; :i ..::, been to keep her r;;:.u:;:_;. Th .■ ii i!= Vi'iii'jii have been muiiu -,vi:': ::;■.- Yi'-f >'■;:, in towing vesscl.s, lr'.-.-'j bc-..n very :' : and lor th;:t purpcic, ' -Kh'n !•'.• . :: - :. :-he vill prove all that :3 di-.-ir-;. I:i :..: pv.jii.il.iliiy, what is tenncl tilt to::ip.: ; y : - trial trip v>lll take place ia about a iuiLui^ht. The projf-uteJ summer and wir.ter gardens at Dc-vuniiort r.re now in process of heiisg prepared. A concrete wall is being erected to. enclo.se the yrounds, and as it is to be seven feet hie;h with coping, the North Shore larrikin? arc not likely to get a cheap view of the show. The tanks for seals have already ccmiu to hand, and it i≤ intended also, in addition to an aquarium, to have a menagerie on a limited scale. What with seals, monkeys, and donkeys, the residents of the North Shore will have their cup of happiness running over.

The opening meeting of the thirteenth session of the Koyal Colonial Institute was held at the Grosvenor Gallery Library, New Bond-street, W., on Tuesday, the' 22nd November, when a paper on "England's Colonial Granaries" was read by Mr. Robert G. Webster, LL. B. His Grace the Duke of Manchester, V.J?., Chairman o£ Council, presided. The following, among others, had been elected Fellows, making IGS since the last meeting :—Messrs. James Dilworth, J P. (New Zealand), Joseph Howard, J.P. (New Zealand), Thomas Morrin, J. P. (New Zealand), and Major John Wilson, J.P. (New Zealand). Among those present were the following connected with New Zealand :— Hon. H. E. Russell, M.L.C.; Mr. C. F. Bourne, iI.A.: Mr. \V. L. Sh3pherd, Mr. and Mrs. Coster, Messrs. John Lees, Arthur E. G. Rhodes, William Barton, W. F. M. Buckley, James Farmer, Miss Farmer, and G. Ormond. Adam McCall, leader of the Livingstone Inland Mission in Congo, died at Madeira recently. A correspondent gives the following as one reason why the Americans look coldly on the Panama Canal:—At the present time, many travellers from Europe to the. Australasian colonies go by way of New York to San Francisco, thus spending a lot of money on the way. By the Panama Canal, they would not spend a sixpence for the benefit of the Yankees.

I The lads Cox, who went out on a sailing expedition a few days ago, and were detained I by contrary winds, got back to town all \ right yesterday, having been brought up by a cutter. A search party, including the father of the lads, is still out. ' The 6hildreu attending the,'public school S^oof'A well laden with suable presents, was provided in the Public-hall, and various awards for regularity of attendance and progress were given to the nunils by the Rev. Mr. Evans. Mr. Mayhew was then presented with a number of volumes of Froude's works by the Jley. A. MeCallum, in the name of tno parents ind friends of the school. Mr. McCallum paid'.i high compliment to Mr. Ma.yhcw as a teacher and read the report of Mr. O Sullivan, the Inspector of Schools, on the Northnote school, which indicated a high degree of proficiency in all the branches taught. The number of children attending the school IVM. about eighty. A very happy evening w.v? spent It is evidently much to the rogiei of all.Jhat Mr. and Mrs. Mayhcw are leaving the district.

Referring to the Christian settlement at To Aroha, of which Mr. E. Y. Cu.v wan pioneer, the Waikato Times says:—"The party have, for the time being, taken possession of the cottages erected by Messrs.. Crant and Foster for families now tn roiiti' from England : but building operations will shortly ba commenced, and may be expected to progress rapidly. A contract has been let for building a temperance hotel, 70 feet by :30 feet, on the block. This,,4ll addition to serving as an accommodation house, will be the residence for the young men of the party, and will contain .1 large room to lie occupied as :-. reading-room on the principle of the Young Men's Christian Association on week days, and for religious services on Sundays. On Sunday afternoon last r. service was held in one of the cottages, conducted by Mr. Cox and Mr. Johns, which was attended bv the families .of some of the settlers and workmen on the estate. It has been decided to name the settlement ' Shaftesbnry,' after the noble President of the Young Men's Christian Association. A landing has already been formed on tlio river, ajld this will be known as ' The Shaftesbury Wlurf.'"

A telegram from Adelaide of January 3, states that small-pox first appeared on Imrd the Orient steamer -Garonne 1- days after leaving Plymouth. The (irst patient died just before the vessel reached tiie Cape, and was a steerage passenger. Another steerage case was developed just before the burial of the first. The captain of the Garonne pro-ceeded-a long way out to bury the lirst victim. On his return he was informed that communication with land was cut off. and the vessel lay at anchor four days before the lints at the quarantine ground, Saldanha l!ay. were ready, when 21 Cape passengers were lauded, with the Rev. K. ami Mrs- Deuissens, who> would proceed no further. The Garonne left Saldanha Bay on the 13th, leaving the infected passengers behind. Two days after beinf; at sea tilt; third case broke out, the patient being one of the firemen ; and five d.iys ago another case, a second-class passenger to Sydney, who is beiinj attended by tiie firemen, now convalescent. The strictest isolation was enforced on board. All the passengers were vaccinated, and clothes likely to' convey contagion were thrown overboard. An article, entitled " Extending our Australian Trade," appears in the San Francisco Merchant, ot tiie ltish December, from which we quote the followmj :—" Eastern despatches jiundunca that the President has si '!ied a c invention with the colony o£ Si-.v Zealand, also with New South Wnlea ami Victoria, establishing s. _ syiteni of money order exchanges. Tli'.s is a step in the &S:\t direction, and it will greuilv facilitate small business betuven those colonies and the United states. Small cash or.lers for American seed.--, hooks, stationery, &c, may be expected to accumulate rapidly. Our business men should be tiHve to thi3 new avenue of trade, and send their circulars to the colonies for information and to induce trade. In this connection it is proper to allude to_ an article on 'XV.v Outlets for American Products' in the December number cf the International Review, from the pen of Mr. Robert J. Creighton of tins city. The., writer discusses the question from a na-' uoual stauil-point, and demonstrates .by otH- | cial statistics that the Australian colonies and j New Zealand offer a more promising opening for American manufactures than any of the Spauish-Amencau countries, %■ China and j Japan. His theory is that the Anglo-Sixon j j communities furnish tiie best and most.; i accessible, markets for Ame.-ici'.n products, breause they are buyers of .similar mcrciiaudise from tho Home Country. E:it it Is»! j satisfactory to find our Kovei nm'/nt paying attention to the rising Ant.ipo.leau conimunicies. In the near future they must become independent nations. They possess I all the elements of creatuess and progress, i and it is then , fore the duty, as well as the j interest, of this country to attach thorn I closely to it." j Mr. Henry Marcroft, Wharahmc, writes as follows: —"Referring to the statement, i.r last Saturday's Wf.kKLvXmv.', of Mr. Mayo, nurseryman, of Drury, I beg to say that 1 had ripe rcears some days before Christraa3 Dav. and, aecordiiig to the description given by Mr. Mayo, mine must be the .same as his ; though a friend who' duied with in; on Christmas Day, when we had this and another kind of pear, also a larger sort, for dessert, pronounced the smaller ones to be what was known at Home in his part of the country (Worcester) .is the ' Burgandy.' The larger eort is a pale green, richer in flavour, and more juicy. 1 forget the name of the larger sort, and should be very glad to know it. Both trees are young and small, and bore this year for the first time. If our communication with Auckland were as good as is Mr. llayo's, I would gladly have sent you a sample of my two sorts of early pears. I suppose I shall have about a ton of good apples thi3 season, but the inconvenience and labour of getting them to town, and: the heavy freight besides, makes it scarcely worth the trouble of attempting to forward them to Auckland. This is very dialjeartening, after years of preparation, and when our trees are commencing to bear, to find that the value of our fruit is swallowed up in freight and sundry expenses." As to Mr. Marcroft's remark of having his pears ripen & few days earlier than Mr. Mayo's, he should not forget the important fact that Albertland is at least sixty to seventy miles further north than Drury, which, would have the effect of making the seasons of the former place sensibly earlier.

An accident of a fatal character occurred at Lord Howe Island en December 10. A Malabar youth, employed hy the lessees of the guano deposits near the island, was out on the mountains hunting, and in trying to get at the nests of the boatswain bird, which abound here, laid hold of a projecting rock, from which to spring to the heightu above. His companion observed the stone give way, and the Malabar precipitated over the face of the cliffs. An inquest was held by the .Resident Magistrate, Captain Armstrong, R.N., the next day, and a verdict of accidental death returned. There were no prisoners in thelock-mplast night. .

The umpire of the Onebunga cricket team •in the late match OnennDga v. West End : complains"bf the strictures passed upon him in a report of the match in Monday's Herald as to not knowing the rules of cricket ingivin" two of the batsmen out for leg before wicket. He states one of the men declared out, Mr. Mitchell, subsequently admitted the justness of the decision, and that he (the umpire) could do no other than give his decision according to good conscience and the laws of the game. . .

Xlie San Francisco Merchant or December ]G says: — "If the present PosttnasterGeneral succeeds, as he hopes, in 'reducing the time occupied in carrying the mail between New York and San Francisco, twentyfour hours, and Lorillard's new passenger steamers on the Atlautic make their trip as expected iu six days, allowing for delays in transferring from train to steamer, letters will reach their destination, in London, on and within the twelfth day, from this city. The Australian mail between Sydney and London, could then be delivered on the 32nd dav, be.itiug by several days anything the I'.'aiul 0. .S.S. Company running via Sue/; could possibly do with any vessels yet built, designed, or talked of by several days. Certainly nearly a week can be saved over the l\ and O.'s fastest time, giving them all advantage they expect from their new boats."

" Observer" writes :—"Can nothing be done by our Cricket Association to prevent such g.ithuing.s of larrikins as usually con":egage on the Dom:iiu Cricket Ground to spoil ' "Oml wickets ? If recognised clubs have to subscribe £3 for the practice, why should such ont*id«rs play "'" .

A limelight exhibition and Christmas tree will f-»rm th.: c-.-Titro of .-ittrrv.-tion fur a lirso number r.f the Tour" p-.-i-il" in the iici<lit>ourliO;Hl of L:ike ■l-ak.vnnni tI.U ivciiin,-. Tlw entertaiumont is K ot up in aid of tbti fun.i 'or tliu ciucticii of au -xuglicui Uliurf'.l in the Liiko ilijtrict. In an itlier column it "will be seen that .irrangancms liavc been ma.lo by wliicli supplies of purebred fo.vlsoi vi.rio 13 kiaiU ra:i bsoVjinad by puultrv lauyiL'iv. Mr. U.'O-o Li Bin-Icy, of S.iii FrnuKisco, is Hi-.! g-ntlcirun who i* willinj :o supply Zenlami onK-rs. On Friday firsi Mr. J. S. 'Buckland will hold an s-Ue at C.wynn'A'.urt*, Cambrirt-c, Mr. A. A. t'aut'.i.uirs p'.u-c. A lane portion or the csiitt will b? t-S.d in ennvenicnt-sized sections, iinrt a l-ir-onumijirofshoepandßhortliorn Kiitlo also will bo"sol<L The s.ilo tiikw place iu tlio Public-hall, Uuuilirmje, at, 2 o'clock. The following is the programme of the free »-in- nnc-rt, at, l\-ujouby, by the Artillery r.t 3 ]i.i!i.:—'iiiiuktt .-p. -11l the Sunnier l'v.-iu A: ;" f.int-.>i-i. " I'ri-.ls of Scullan.l ; c>nteit r|ii.i-iriilo, " Vμ;" ov.-rmre, "Knight T"m-)l-ir-" waltz, ,: l.eilii:" itrancl seWt Ml. "Notre Clu-r'-" flow mircli. " Valis-it:" " LO3 Cloi.-hi-s tie Cornovilie ;" " fiud Save the Queen." The rcistration fee for dogs in the Papakuri hifhway district this year has l.cen tixeil at 10s eneh. Mr. S. H. Ueul been anpointeit registrar. A meeting of the Loyal Star of Auckland, No "i> IC'). V., A.C.. is advortised for Thursday ovc'r.ii'T noxt for the installation of oilicers for the 1-resetit tei-m. |