THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1887.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8063, 26 September 1887, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1887.

To-day the duty which the electors have to perform is very plain. The Stout-Yogel Ministry have, during the past three years, enormously increased the burdens of the country. They have sedulously made it their aim to throw upon the local bodies the cost of maintaining institutions formerly made a charge on the public revenue ; and, at the same time, instead of reducing the general Government expenditure, have steadily increased the same, and thereby rendered further public taxation necessary. They have thus contrived in both these ways to bleed the people mercilessly. They have, moreover, by their reckless and extravagant system of finance, as also by their unprincipled attempts to destroy the security of landed titles, all but completely destroyed the credit of the colony, and caused the capital invested therein to be withdrawn, to the paralysing of its industry and the arrest of its progress. At length the House of Representatives, after several attempts to bind them down to a system of retrenchment, which were only temporarily successful, formally arraigned their whole policy and administration, with the result that both were unequivocally condemned. Determined, however, to cling to office, the Ministry, instead of tendering their resignation, sought and obtained permission from the Governor to appeal to the people against the decision of the people's representatives, thus entailing on the country the cost of a second session this year. The simple issue, therefore, which is now before the country, and which today's voting is to determine, is whether the electors will reverse or confirm the verdict of the House recorded against the Stout-Yogel Ministry? That is really the only question on which the people have been appealed to, and the electors owe it to themselves and to the country not to allow their attention to be diverted to any side

issues such as the members of the Ministry and their supporters have been striving to mislead them with. The only point raised alike by the decision of the House, and by the appeal against it the Stout-Vogel Ministry have made, is purely and solely this : Whether that Ministry shall or shall not be allowed any longer to have control of the finances of the country and its general administration ? As 1 we are firmly persuaded that the great majority of the people have made up their minds that the Stout-Vogel Administration are not worthy of being continued in the power they have so persistently abused, we have pointed out, and will now briefly re-state the principle which should guide the electors in recording their votes. The general principle is that the condemnation passed upon the Ministry by the House of Representatives should be affirmed; and the following are the various forms of its application :— First Those candidates who were members of last Parliament, and voted for the motion which condemned the Ministry should be preferred by the electors to any other candidate. On this ground a decided majority of votes should be recorded in the respective constituencies in favour of the following candidates,, namely : - Messrs. Mitchelson, Peacock, Thompson, Monk, Buckland, Hamlin, Whyte, Moat, and Hobbs. To Sir George Grey the honour of being returned unopposed has already, been accorded, otherwise he would deservedly have been placed at the head of the category. In this list too, Sir George Maurice O'Rorke is entitled to a distinguished place ; as, though from being Speaker he could not vote on the occasion, he has yet expressed his strong opposition to the Ministerial policy. » Second, those candidates who, heing members of last Parliament, voted against the motion by which the wasteful policy of the Ministry was condemned ought to be rejected by the electors, and the candidate, or the best of the candidates opposed to them returned in their stead. On this ground a decisive majority of votes should, in the electorates whose favour they are now soliciting, be recorded against the undernamed candidates: namely, Messrs Tole, Moss, Dargaville, Eraser, and Oadman.

Third, In those constituencies where no member of last Parliament is a candidate, the electors ought unhesitatingly to return in each case that one of the candidates whose declaration against the Stout-Vogel Administration has been the most explicit. As there is little or no difficulty in making a selection on this ground, it is unnecessary to further specify those candidates to whom, under this head, the preference should be given.

If the lines of action thus indicated are observed in the several city, urban, and rural electorates in the Auckland Provincial District, as we believe they will be, the result will be that we shall have the most compact phalanx of representatives that has ever been returned from this part of the colony, and that the voice and influence of Auckland in the governing of the colony will have a potency often desired, but never before attained. It is unnecessary to say more. We have a thorough conviction that the electors of Auckland will perform their duty with a resoluteness that is worthy of them. Let them, regardless alike of sentiment, pity, and the special pleading by which it has been attempted to withdraw their attention from the one issue put before them, exercise their privilege without fear or halting, as will be done throughout the colony, and the incubus of the Stout-Vogel Administration will be, from this day, virtually, a thing of the past.

The result of Sir Julius Vogel'a visit to Napier has in effect been the same with that which attended Sir Robert Stout's visit to Naseby. No one could mistake that the object of the Premier was to interfere with, and if possible destroy, the prospects of Mr. Scobie Mackenzie's election; but, instead of accomplishing his mission, he got an unmistakable slap in the face. He imagined that he had nothing mo re to do than appear on the scene, to secure the extinguishment of an opponent whom he has reason to dread ; but, in place of inflicting, he himself sus~ tained a humiliating defeat. He was thanked for his address, but his Government were declared to be unworthy of confidence. The object which Sir Julius Yogel had in view in going to Napier was similarly to secure, if he could, the overthrow of Mr. Ormond. But it is quite clear that, if the meeting which he addressed on Saturday night had been an open one, like that at Naseby, and Mr. Ormond been allowed to reply, as Mr. Mackenzie was allowed, the Colonial Treasurer would have experienced as severe a slap in the face a3 that which was administered to the Premier. The supporters of the Government at Napier knew this well enough ; and hence they resolved to give admission only by ticket, and refused to Mr. Ormond the privilege of addressing the audience. And yet, even with such precautions and in a packed meeting, two-thirds of the audience, it is said, abstained from voting. Had Mr. Ormond been present, and allowed to reply to Sir Julius, there can be no doubt he would have carried the majority with him. The consequence would have been that, instead of a vote of confidence, the Stout-Vogel Government would have been subjected to a second vote of condemnation. As it was, the failure of the strategem was ob vious from the fact that, after all the attempts of Mr. Ivess' supporters to get up an ovation for Sir Julius, only 400 could be got to support a vote of confidence in the Ministry of which he is a leading member. That obviously shows how the election will go there. The paltry device which was resorted to in order to save the tables from being turned upon Sir Julius will only have the effect of increasing Mr. Ormond's majority and of improving the position of the Opposition candidates throughout the Hawke's Bay district. Indeed, all over the colony the adverse consequences of the interference with the freedom of the elections, which the Ministry have in all directions been guilty of, will be witnessed in the aggravated character of the defeat they are doomed to sustain. In consequence of such unprincipled procedure the Premier's own election ie, in such danger that his return is scarcely hoped for eren. by his friends. And, though the mission to Napier, which Sir Julius so insanely undertook, may not imperil his candidature, it is yet quite certain that it will contribute to the completeness of the discomfiture which to-day's voting will inflict on their party. Everyone will admit that this punishment is what their unscrupulous conduct has deserved, even as it has unexpectedly tended to bring it about.

Ax his meeting on Friday night the Hon. Mr. Tole, Minister of Justice, undertook to protest such of his supporters as might be guilty of breaking the Corrupt Practices Act from the unpleasant penalties with which their conduct might be followed.

Considerable suspicion is abroad that a good many names have been placed on the Newton roll which have no right to be there ; and a circular, it appears has been distributed, warning parties of the consequences. This mode of warning those who may be in danger Mr. Tola denounced as ( mean, and said that he would not stoop to such a thing. Most people will, however, badisposad to think that, if he had reason to believe that there had been an infraction of the law, it would have bfeen his duty as Minister of Justice to draw attention to the fact, and put the transgressor* on their guard against further danger. But, instead of this, Mr. Tole advises those who may be attempting to exercise a privilege, to which they are not entitled in the Newton electorate, to say, when their right is challenged, that they will " take the consequences." This advice implies these two things : first, that, inadvertently, Mr. Tole admits that there is truth in the report that there are names on the Newton roll which should not be there; ,and, second, that in the event of parties exercising in his favour ,1 right which does not belong to them, getting into trouble, he will take care that no proceedings are instituted against them. These are the only two logical inferences which can be drawn from the exhortation which the Minister of Justice addressed to bis supporters, and shows how elastic the conscience even of a Minister of Justice can become on certain occasions.

The National League are preparing to make what resistance they can. Mr. Michael Davitt has left for America, to ascertain what moral and physical support can be counted on from that quarter. The Fenian section of the League are reported to be arming, so that an appeal to force must be considered " within the range of practical politics." The contest between the Government and the League is still continued. The leaders advise a simultaneus resistance to the sup. pression of the branches of the League, tho argument being that the Government' would find it impossible to put them down. O'Brien has been tried for inciting the people to resist the police, and has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment. We learn that small-pox has broken out in Tasmania, apparently in a rather severe form, while we are informed that there are fifteen hundred cases of scarlet fever in the London hospitals, and that the epidemic is increasing daily. It is reported that an improvement has taken place in the condition of the Crown Prince of Germany, and that he is going to Italy. H.M.s. Northampton i* to relieve the Nelson as flagship on the Australian station, and one despatch says that the latter vessel will become the property of New South Wales. The report of the secretary of the General Post Office, who has been examining the route and the capabilities of the Canadian Pacific Railway, must be rather disappoint, ing to those interested in that liue. lie believes there would bo no saving of time if the route were adopted as alternative to the >uez Canal for mails to China and Australia, but that it would be valuable in the event of European complications. No comparison is made with the American and San Francisco line.

In the sixth page will be found " Notes About Wellington," by our special correspondent.

The Minister of Public Works telegraphs to the Mayor of Thames that tenders tor the resumption of the Hikutaia-Paeroa section of railway, which Heath and Irvine failed to complete, will be advertised for at once.

Hoera Te Mimiha, who was convicted on the previous evening of perjury, was brought up for sentence on Saturday at the Supreme Court. Mr. Dufaur's application for a new trial was refused, and the prisoner was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour. An application to have the remaining perjury cases against the other natives postponed until next session was also refused. Charles Aickiu, who had been convioted of uttering a forged cheque, was also brought up for sentence. Mr. O'Meagher moved for arrest of judgment, in order that a point of law which he raised might be heard by the Court of Appeal. The motion was refused, and prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment with bard labour. The Court then adjourned until eleven o'clock this morning, when the esse of perjury against Alexander Campbell will be called.

There was but little business transacted at the Police Court on Saturday. The cases brought before Messrs. H. G. Seth Smith, R.M., and R. W. Moody, J.P., who occupied the Bench, were charges of drunkenness against three men named Evers, Petersou, and Leary, who were each fined 10s and costs ; a charge against Richard B. Mason, on remand, of obtaining £5 12s, and a pair of boots, from W. C. Soar, by an alleged false pretence through giving him a cheque for £6, signed by C. I:. Madden, and stating that "it was all right." On the application of Sergeant Pratt this case was remanded till Tuesday next, accused's bail being enlarged. Chargos of failing to provide for the support of their wives Against Alfred Sharpe and Francis Stevens, and of obstructing the Lake Road against Edwin Harrow, were withdrawn.

Councillor Phillipps has given notice of motion, "That the engineer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications of the fol« lowing drainage works in the Grafton Ward, viz: —(1) Gaol Road from termination of present drainage to Borleigh-street ; (2) Burleigh -street, from Kyber Pass to Gaol Koad ; (3) Nugent-street, from Kyber Pass to Gail Road ; (4) Auburn-street, from Kyber Pass to Gaol Road; and that the engineer be instructed to report to the Council as to the advisability of draining Kyber Pass Road from Symonds- street to its junction with the sewer now in course of construction, and estimate of costs." The same councillor has also given notice of motion, "That any of the standing committee may discuss and advise the Council upon any business, though it may not have been previously before the Council, provided that the subject matter be such business as is usually relegated to such committee, the report of which shall specify it as ' new business.'" Coinoillor Da vies has given notice of motion, " That the engineer be instructed to draw plans and specifications for the drainage of Arney-streefc from Burgoyne-street to Newton Road."

The master of the barge Norah made a complaint to the polios on Saturday morning that a number of articles had been stolen from that vessel, and he believed he had soma clue to the perpetrators. Accompanied by Detective Tuohy, Captain Raff proceeded down the harbouj in the s.s, Awhina, giving chase to a small open boat, in which three lads could be g'jen. The boat, as soon as those on board noticed they were being chased by the tug, made for the Kohima rama beach, where the lade got on shore. Their pursuers, after landing, gave chase, and soon overhauled the boys, but they denied having stolen anything from the bargo. However, proceedings are to be taken agaimit them. Very many complaints are made by the masters of the coasting vessels of the losses they sustain, cabins being broken open, and almorit everything movable carried off. It is to ba hoped the police will be able to catch some of these midnight thieves, and obtain for them such punishment as will be a warning to others.

Before the businesi of the Suprem Court was reaumed on Saturday forenoon Mr. H. A. H. Hitchens applied to the Judge that the usual allowance should be paid to the jurors who had been summoned to attend during the week. Owing to the Court being occupied all the week with the Maori perjury case, the jury had not been sworn. His Honor said he could only grant payment to those who had attended, and who stated that they had not seen th«i advertisement notifying that the jurors would not be required to attend. The panel! was then called over and only seven were in attendance. They were »worn separately. In some cases five days' expenses were allowed, in others four, and in others three, to those who were present. At several of the city churches yesterday the pending general elections were referred to, not in a party but general sense;, namely, urging the electors to elect upright men of good personal reputation. Oay' clergyman went so far as to declare thf»cry, "Vox populi, vox Dei," one of the *k»fc fallacious pieces of humbug ever invented. Nearly all the great reforms of the Age had been initiated by minorities, v^ 0 had laboured on till they brought the i/ajority to their way of thinking. / The attendance 4t the Choral Hall rink last Saturday wa»not quite so large a* usual, but the skating rfras all the more pleaaaut. at shore was plesy of room. I /■' I "

The extensive alterations and improvements going on at the offices of the Auckland Permanent Co-operative Building and Investment Society have just been completed. The Society have been in the premises since 1572, and have just taken a fresh lease, renovating and re-arranging the offices. The fagade has been completely altered, bo as to be in harmony with the business of the society, and the handsome business front has been designed by Mr. W. H. Skinner, who has superintended the whole of the alterations. There is a porch and folding doors for protection from the weather. The office fittings and dado are in stained kauri, and present an ornate appearance. The staircase is very handsome, elliptic in design, and similar to that erected at the photographic gallery of Mr. Josiah Martin. The office is considerably enlarged, and tho counters have been removed back, giving greater space for tho public. At the rear of the public office is the secretary's room, and adjacent the strong room. For a long time past, the necessity for a strong room has been felt, and one has bean erected, with ample space for books, deed boxes, etc. On the shelves are the records of every transaction of the society from its foundation in March, 1872, which are indexed for reference, Upstairs are the Board-room and the accountants' department. These are connected with the ground floor by speaking tubes. The ceiling and mouldings are panelled and stencilled, and the former have carved ventilators. The dado is of a very aesthetic character and of Greek design. The secretary's room isi simi" larly decorated. Mr. Bums was the contractor for the woodwork, and Mr. Dunn for the decoration. The committee of management hare taken advantage of the present slack time to prepare for the prosperity which it is hoped will again return to us.

The steamer Bellinger—which has como here to run in opposition to the Northern Company—arrived on Saturday 'morning, and was berthed at the Queen-street Wharf. Neither in the matter of speed nor in her internal arrangements is she equal to the steamers she will have to compete with, in •fact she has most meagre passenger accommodation, her saloon not helug equal, either in its appointments or size, to the steerage of the majority of our coasting steamers. The Bollinger is expected to start her work on the West Coast towards the beginning of next week.

In our obituary announcements will be found notified the death of Mrs. J. D. Wickham. The interment took place yesterday afternoon in the Church of England Cemetery, Waikomiti, in the presence of & few chosen friends, in accordance with the wishes of the deceased lady, the funeral obsequies were made as private as possible.

Sir, —I have read with curiosity the statements made by the London Chronicle re M. Persico's mission to Ireland. The Chronicle's version of the veteran diplomatist's opinions (probably not yet publicly revealed) may be summed up in the word "moonshine." M. Persico, as I note by the homo Catholic pipers, is highly edified at tho evidences of faith and pie';y everywhere manifest in Ireland. —I am, &c., Aiiacs.

On Friday and Saturday evenings next Mrs. Greenwood and her family will give two concerts at the Academy of Music, Graharastown. The tickets for the farewell performance nt the Auckland Opera House on October 6th are now on sale, and considerable numbers have already been disposed of. Mrs. Greenwood has now pretty well decided on the future movements of herself and family as follows : —After tho concert at the Opera House they will make a tonr throughout New Zealand. The different towns in Australia will then be visited, beginning with Sydney, where they hope to open some time in December. After the Australian tour they will go to San Francisco via Auckland. Performances will probably be given in the United States under the skilful tuition and guidance of Miss Louise Pomeroy. Europe will then be visited, and this group of bright Australian stars will illuminate the London and Parisian theatrical firmaments.

A correspondent asks Whether persons whose names appear in the electoral roll of Mannkau can claim to vote, they knowing that tile roll was stuffed, and al«o that they had not resided in the district during the previous six months? Tho cases I have in view are several seamen (single men) who have lived on board ship up to two months ago (the time they left), have had their names placed on the roll., and now declare they can legally vote. Is that correct?" Any person who name is on the roil can vote on a residential qualification, if not on the roll of any other district. The time to object to any " bogus" claims was before the issue of the writ. If the parties placed their names on the roll themselves, and made a false declaration, they can be prosecuted and punished for that offence, apart from the slection altogethervoting or non-voting laving nothing to do with the matter.

The anniversary services in connection with ;he Devonport Wesleyan Church were held yesterday, in the inorniog the Rev. J. A. Taylor preached from the text, " For ye mow the grace 01" our Lord Jesus Christ, ;hat, thougn He was rich, yet for yoursakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might' be rich," taken from- the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, viii., 9. In the afternoon at three o'clock the Rev. H. R- Dewsbury and Mr. J. G. Chapman (student, Three Kings), delivered addresses to parents and children, whilst in the evening the Rev. J. Chew preached.

We learn that the secretary of the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, Melbourne, has forwarded the following communication, of date September 9, to Master Arthur Nield, son of the head teacher of the Puriri •jublic school :—" I have the pleasure t-j inform you that at the General Court of Directors held on the 7th instant the honorary bronze medal has been awarded to A. Nield, Puriri, New Zealand, for his humane exertions on the 22nd of January, 18S7, and It will be presented by His Excellency the Governor at the distribution of awards in June next." It will be remembered that young Nield, while others stood inactive around a child a", the bottom of a deep hole, plunged in and rescued the little fellow. The child is the infant son of Mrs. Watson, of Auckland.

On Wednesday evening next Professor Carrollo and hia pupils will give their annual athletic carnival in the Opera House. The programme i-) a very attractive one, and a big audience will no doubt attend. The Auckland Rugby Union Senior aud Junior Cups for 1837 will be presented to the winners —the Fonaonby Club's first and second fifteensand the Mayor will also present the Humane Society's medal to Mr. Peak for his gallant rescue of a drowning man from the harbour. The medals won by the members of Professor Carrollo's class at the recent competitions will also be tjiven to the respective winners by Rev. W. Calder.

The reasons which are considered at the Thames to be of weight in the election of a (representative are thus frankly avowed in a leader in the Thames Star : —" The merits and demerits of our late member, Mr. Fraaer, are known to us all. , He has beyond all doubt been a fairly good member during the last three years, but in consequence of his enforced support of the prer.ent Government for favours received—no matter whether personal or public—and also because of the probability that when the new Parliament meets, the present Government will find themselves in the minority, we opine that it would not be for the benefit of the Thames to find its representative of necessity forced on to the Opposition benches. The Thames has suffered sufficiently from this in Ihe past, and electors cannot be too careful that it may not occur again."

A man named Dick Carroll had a narrow escape on Saturday of being seriously injured in Queen-street. A cabman named Ritchie was driving up the street when he called out to Carroll to stand clear. The man got confused and jumped in the wrong direction, and got knocked down by the horse. He was taken to Mr. v HiH's, chemist, aud recovered in a short time- There was no blame at-> tachable to the cabman.

As the Newton Brass Band was proceeding down Queen-street on Saturday the band suddenly began playing opposite Darbyltreet, a horse, which was in a trap, at Wisher's shop, bolted, but was caught by Ta'-ies Harbord, in Elliott-street, before any fomtqe of moment was done. Thefuneral of the late Mr. Michael Eronnan, wl», died very suddenly in Onehunga, took plao, i a that township yestorday afternoon. Thyprocession left the late residence of Mr. Bre,i au at half-past three p.m., headed by th officers an( j members of the Auckland brans 0 { the Hibernian Catholic Benefit society, sd the coffin was borne by members of that bj 'fhu procession was the largest seen in £f>hunga for years past, and settlers from ySjnhu, Mangere, Panmure, and other diiti j. g being present to pay their last tribute reg pect to the memory of one who, durn. jjj s lifetime, was widely known and « nlv Valiy respected. The funeral service was »ft,ii y CO icctad by the Rev. Father i\,

We regret to learn that Mr. Edwin Washer, who recently had his leg fractured by ah accidental fall from a horse at Three Kings, died yesterday from tho effects of the shock to his system caused by the amputation of the limb. He had rallied so much during the last few days that strong hopes of his recovery were entertained, but on Saturday he experienced a relapse, and sank rapidly, expiring yesterday. Since the accident Dr. Girdler has been in attendance on Mr. Washer, and it was hoped that under his skilful oare he might recover, but the shock was evidently too great to be within tho reach of medical skill.

_ Dr. Laishley's letter on the political situation, published in the BERALDon the 16th instant, has created a very considerable sensation in the country districts, more especially in Waikato. The Waiknto Times, besides publishing a commendatory leader and numerous extracts from the letter, published. the letter in full in its supplement on Saturday. Major Jackson and Mr. J. B. Whyte have had hundreds of slips of the letter distributed through the electorates of vVaikato and Waipa. Dr. Newman, of Wellington, in a private letter to Auckland, says of the letter that it is "terse and effectively written," and speaks in terms of the highest approbation of the arguments used.

At the Otahuhu Races on Saturday a number oi the usual raeeconr games of chance wore being conduoted, when Detectives Walker and Hughes, who wore present on the course, stopped tho play in each instance, and ordered the proprietors to remove their stands. A squabble, which threatened to develop into a free fight arose through some misunderstanding respecting the mysteries of the " three-card trick" as conducted by a man named Hart, and the latter would have been roughly treated had it not been for the vigilance of the police. The ready-money bookmakers wore also present on the ground, and in their instance, too, the monotony of business was somewhat relieved by a dis pute which occurred when a person present accused one of the " fraternity " of picking his pocket and taking a roll of notes, the owner just discovering the theft in time to again recover the money. In this case, however, matters were also eventually arranged to the satisfaction of all parties.

Professor Chainey delivered his promised lecture on the "Ideal Man and the Ideal Woman," at the Lome-street Hall last night. There was a crowded attendance. In the course of his lecture Mr. Chainey dealt with the great importance of physical training, keeping the body in a healthy state, and then with the importance of training the mind as the great and only means of dispelling intolerance and bigotry, which was the only course by which the further advancement of tho human race could be accomplished. He trenchantly dealt with the pretensions of Freethinkers, who thought that when they were outside the churches they were free, but who bitterly reviled those who held views opposed to their own. Mrs. Chainey then proceeded with her Psychometric reading of character, and her explanations regarding Mr. Saunders, of Holwoustreet; Mr. W. H. Webb, and Mr. Hedley, appeared to be very satisfactory.

A Puriri correspondent sends the following:—"A settler has washed a parcel of Puriri river sand, and found several small pellets of gold and a good snow of that precious stuff. This has been done before. Geese from the Puriri river are noted for having ' flakes of gold found in their gizzards.' These 1 have seen, and vouch for the truth."

There was a crowded houßeatthe Temperance Hall on Saturday night, to hear the service of song, "Little Dot." The choir was under the conduotorship of Mr. J. Bouskill, who very ably discharged bis duty. Mr. W, Knott oiSciated as organist; Mr. F. Clark read the connective readings. The solos and due's were well rendered, by Miss and Master Wheeler and Miss Beswick, A very successful meeting was brought to a close with the National Anthem.

The benefit performance tendered by the leading musical and dramatic amateur talent of Auckland to Mrs. Lachlan McGowan, a well-known and popular actress, who has for some years past been unable on account of ill-health to appear on the stage, will take place to-night at Abbott's Opera House. The popular musical drama Guy Mannering " will be performed by a full cast, and the principal characters are in the bands of those who are fully competent to do them full justice. Dr. Dawson take 3 the role of Dominie Sampson, Mr. Skinner takes that of Dirk Hatteraick, Mr. McGowau as Dandie Dinmoat, and Mias Halstead as Meg Merrilies. The musical selections incidental to the play will be rendered by a full orchestra.

Anniversary rervices in connection with the Mount Eden Congregational Church Sunday-school were held yesterday at the Congregational Church, Mount Eden. The building was prettily decorated with flowers and evergreens and satin bannerettes. In tho morning the Rev. l'iios. Bray preached oa "Sowing and Reaping." In the evening the Rev. H.J. Lewis preached on "Christian Nurture.'" A tea-meeting and entertainment will take place on Wednesday evening. *

At no previous general election have there been so many political cartoons concerning the respective candidates. Some are witty and artistic, otiiers are scurrilous and in had taste, but all the same the artists must be making quite a harvest out of it. A number of these cartoons were on view in Queen-street shop windows yesterday, and attracted a good deal of attention from the passers by. There is a good series also displayed in premises in the Karangah*pe Road.

On Saturday evening the Auckland Industrial Association Exhibition of local manufactures, which has caused so much interest during the past couple of months, and given to the citizens and visitors a better idea of the extent of our local industries than jould otherwise have been ga'ned, was formally closed under its present management, and the certificates of merit presented to the winners. In future tho rooms will be kept open as a sample room for local manufactures, under the supervision of Mr. A. Bell.

Mr, Menteath must feel flattered. When Sir Julius Vogel, in the course of bis criticism of the speeches of various Wellington candidates opposed to the Government, mentioned the name of the late member for Inangahua, it was the signal for quite a hearty round of applause.

The Government are having 6-inch pipes laid from the large main in Eeatherstoustreet oa to the Government Buildings. hen the work is finished, the pressure of water will be so great that no tiro oould possibly get headway against it. In fact, it 13 probable that a jet would sweep half the contents of a room right through the windows.

The j" Herd Laddie " has played several sanies of draughts at luvercargill. Two players succeeded in getting drawn games, but the rest were not ao fortunate. A banquet and a presentation of sovereigns were likewise tendered. Mr. Wyllie.

Charles Aickin sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for uttering a forged cheque on the Bank of New Zealand in which ho was a ledger-keeper. The Judge commented severely on his conduct in allowing a fellowclerk to remain under suspicion for months. An application for arrest of judgment was refused.

The Evening Post says:"We do not know whether it was because they were so disappointed with what they had heard, that the requiaitionists who had invited Sir Julius Vogel to speak left it to the chairman to propose a vote of thanks to him for having complied with their request, but it was certainly very scurvy treatment."

The committee of the Young Men'? Christian Association have again refreshed their library by adding some valuable new booki, viz. : " Sir Gibbie," " Donovan " She" and " Allan Quarterman," by Haggard; " The Life of the Grand Old Man, W. E. Gladstone;" "Treasure Island," " Father Fabian," and others.