THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1891,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8471, 23 January 1891, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1891,

This is the great commercial and colonising age, and just now the rush of European annexation for such objects is witnessed in Africa. Just previously the. scene was the Central and South Pacific, where island after island and one great insular group after another were taken possession of by the rival nations. It was a scramble in unexampled haste, in view of the immense additional importance looming for the ocean from the expected opening of the Panama Canal. Of course in the rush France and Germany were well to the front, because the Isthmus cutting was a French enterprise of high promise in all respects, and it is a special desire of the new German Empire to establish judicicious outposts for trade and colonisation. The collapse at Panama was, therefore, h. bitter disappointment to Germany as well as France, and we can understand how glad both would be to co-operate, if necessary, in any work that would accomplish the junction of the two oceans they looked forward to. And, except the United States, no nation has so huge an interest in the work as England and her colonies. She, too, has a Pacific slope, which by sea she can only reach in extraordinary circumnavigation. A seaway through Central America would provide a short road to British Columbia, as well as to California or Oregon. It would furnish an alternative marine route to India—a thing of great consequence for England in time of peace as well as war; and also such an alternative route to her Australasian colonies with which she has now the largest branch of her commerce. In particular, for her trade with New South Wales, Queensland, and, above all, New Zealand, it would give a route f paramount convenience and expedition. But, indeed, to appreciate the keenness of the commercial necessity for such a canal, and the ease with which at opportunity an international company would be formed to carry it out, it is enough to look at the attitude in regard to it of the Spanish Americans. Those communities have been afraid of the foreign policy of both France and the United States, and yet, in spite of that well-known fact, they gladly allowed companies belonging to those two nations to undertake such desirable inter-oceanic work. It must be admitted that the American doings of the late Emperor Napoleon were sufficiently alarming, and yet very soon afterwards the New Granada Government welcomed a French enterprise for cutting the Panama Isthmus. Even Mexico, which fiercely refused and resisted the ruler and his 30,000 troops sent out by Louis Napoleon, and which had previously lost its frontier provinces to the United States, has been none the less ready and anxious for either a European or American company to construct such a canal where its surface

narrows in Central America. Then the fact that Nicaragua was the ~.cene of Walker's filibustering, in nowise hindered that Republicfromacceptinga pro-

posal from citizens of the United States to bisect its territory for this same purpose. All those Spanish American States that face the Pacific, down to the Straits of Magellan, are too profoundly concen ? in the development

of their trade with Europe by means of the canal, to allow any suspicion or jealousy of foreign encroachment or influence to outweigh their desire for the work.

If there were not already a company in the field, professedly to coristruct the waterway, we can see how readily a great international company could be formed for the purpose—either resuming and carrying out what has been partly accomplished at Panama, or taking up and carrying out the work long since commenced, but it would seem not yet gone on with, at Nicaragua. We recently said on the Nicaragua subject that the late accounts were not reassuring, and here is the latest account which appeared in our news columns the other day, from the New York correspondent of the Liverpool Post of 17th November: — "The Nicaragua Canal Company are re-opening Greytown harbour, which has been closed 24 years. A number of dredgers will be employed on the work, and also upon the cauaL As the progress on the canal will proceed at the rate of a mile per month, and as there are only 26 mile s of excavations, it is probable that the canal may be completed in about two years."

Now, why were not these dredging operations for the re-opening of Greytown harbour, closed for 24 years, begun years ago —why were they not proceeded with in 1885, when the company first took the field 1 Years elapsed after the engagement for the construction of the canal was entered into between Chief Engineer Menicel, on behalf of a company, with headquarters at New York, and Don Jose - Cardenas on behalf of the Nicaragua Government, of which he was a member, yet nothing of consequence was done, and it became the impression that it was merely intended to counteract and weaken confidence in M. de Lesseps , enterprise. On the collapse of the latter, new life was put into the Nicaragua project, aud in 1889 we heard of the chief engineer again leaving New York for Greytown, and of several steamers despatched thither laden with men and material. But little of practical work has been heard of since, and certainly while even a slothful company holds the lield, no new one has a chance of being formed for either Panama or Nicaragua. What the correspondent of the Liverpool Post tells is not more reassuring than previous accounts. Of the work he only speaks of what " will be," not of what is or has been done—all promise, no performance mentioned. We by no means despair, however, for over so important a business the San Francisco public are too energetic to acquiesce in the delay.

King Kalakaua, whose death at San Francisco is announced, was about 52 years of age. One authority has it that he was born " about 1838," while another gives the date as 1836. Hβ was of pure Hawaiian blood, and was of the ancient royal family of the kingdom. He was the son of Kapaakea, and his mother was named Keohokalole. He claimed descent from the great house of Kerwe, from which all of the kings of Hawaii have come, and from Lai-, lai, the great progenitress of the Hawaiian race. Kalakaua was married in 1862 to the present Queen Kapiolani, who received her name from the chieftainess of Hawaii who broke the tapu, and was one of the earliest converts to Christianity. King Kamehameha died in 1872, Lunalilo was elected King by a plebiscitura over Kalakaua, but the former dying in a twelvemonth, Kalakaua was again a i claimant. A dispute took place between him and Emma, the widow of Kamehameha, but at length Kalakaua's rights were admitted, and he was recognised as King by the foreign Powers. In 1874 he visited America and Europe, making a three months' trip. In 1880 he made a tour of the world. About the middle of November it was announced in Honolulu that the King was about to leave Honolulu for a trip to the United States. Ho arrived at San Francisco on the 4th December. It was stated' that His Majesty's visit to the States was intended solely for recuperation and greatly needed rest. It was not to be understood that the King was in any way seriously ill, yet the physicians advised a change. It was also announced that during the absence of His Majesty from the Hawaiian kingdom Her Royal Highness the Princess Liliuokalani, the heir apparent, would act as Kegent. It is stated in the cablegram that trouble is expected regarding the succession. American influence is, however, strong at Honolulu, and as the Americans desire peace, for the sake of business, in all probability the succession will soon be decided in favour of the Princess. The present Ministers of Honolulu are J. A. Cummins, Godfrey Brown, Charles N. Spencer, and Arthur P. Peterson. What is called "the National Party" attempted to remove these Ministers in October last, but were not successful.

It appears to us that the ratepayers, ns a body, pay little attention to the election of licensing committees. It behoves the people to look into this matter, and see really how it stands. The Licensing Act, 1881, and amendments thereto, embodies the law under which licenses are held. Part I. of the Act, clause 11, which deals with disqualification, enacts that no person shall be qualified to be elected to act as a member of a licensing committee who is a brewer, wine and spirit merchant, or a dealer in liquors. This, on the face of it, is only what it ought to be ; but the point is whether a coach-in-four, the ribbons handled by the above interdicted parties, is not driven barefacedly through the Act. The inaction "of the general ratepayers simply throws the whole matter into the hands of those who choose to bestir themselves. We have therefore platforms placed before us by the Temperance party, who go in for shutting up every publichouse ; and of course, in self-defence, the "interdicted" brewer and spirit merchant, to keep them open, and if the latter carry the day they might just as well be on the committee as their nominees, who go in pledged to them. Now, if the ratepayers did their duty they would step in and prevent either of these extreme parties carrying their own way. Ratepayers would nominate thoroughly free and independent men, in whom every confidence could be placed in carrying out ia a fair and impartial manner the spirit of the Act—candidates whose sound common sense would steer them clear of all the quicksands of an impossible total prohibition, and the maintaining low houses which have long since been condemned by the voice of the public. As the committee to be elected next month will remain in power for three years, it is of the utmost moment that ratepayers name their men, and 'iheise men would go in, Good Templars »ad brewers' tickets notwithstanding.

Our cable messages this morn^T^ • the [revolution iTbSGerman Emperor is making J* % Prince Bismarck. HisMajestv ? ut * to that the discovery of smokeless no v Pini °» made war impossible. Two LondnL cha cial houses are reported to be in recondition owing to their en™f» P m ash % South America. King Kalakaua? nt , 8 ' The Duke of Bedford, whosedeath **+ ported the other day, committed c ■ '• Fifty thousand men are out of em n i *< in Paris owing to the severity T^ 1 weather. The railway strike inV,*' shows signs of collapsing. oc °Natt(! _ Our London correspondent states n. it is reported on December 12 tW * director of the Washington Mint ha»Y he informed that nearly a million A™ Han sovereigns have been deposited* I ' - melted down at the mint in San Franr ,1 This story, he adds, sounds hardly credit?' Would not New Zealand shippers of k ! like to realise 3s pe. lb for their shin men asks our London correspondent, but that • ' a price reserved for Royalty and at Ch • mas. Her Majesty has just won theCh s '' pion Plate &t the Smithfield Show for r "?' best beast in the cattle classes with Prin Josephine 11. The career of this m J*% cent heifer is fast drawing to a close. vr carcase has been purchased byanentern ■ ing butcher in one of the western count!! 5 ' and he thinks it worth his while for adv tising purposes to pay as high as 3s per \l Mr. James P. Campbell, of New Zealani has just been elected a Fellow of the pJ. ! Colonial Institute. M Writing on December 12 our London cor respondent eaysMr. William Bowro who was for some time dairy inspectori' New Zealand, died on the 30t.h ult. at Cla'" ham, and was buried on Monday ] Mt funeral address being delivered by th* President of the Methodist Free Church The fifth ordinary general meeting of tk New Zealand Red Hill Gold Mining Com! pany has (writes our London correspondent under date October 12) been held. n chairman, Mr. John Ewart, had little to report of a satisfactory chat acter. He wj, able to state that while the unpaid cai'< amounted to £4392 in 1888 they had no* been reduced to less than £200. Had they been paid up in a less fragmentary way company would have been in a much bett* position, as the money had not come in win sufficient rapidity or certainty to allow oj much development work. Gold return! appeared in the account? this year for the first time. The amount was email, but almost sufficient to defray the cost of labour in developing the alluvial part of the property. The return would have been much larger bufc for an unfortunate laudslip. The company had abandoned the amalgamating process of the Hydrogen Amalgam Company, and had compromised the resulting litigation by a small payment toward? the Hydrogen Amalgam Company , ! law expenses. As the existing issue o debentures would fall due next year it would be necessary to raise fresh capital or to arrange for an extension of the time foi the redemption of debentures. The report and accounts were adopted. General Booth will soon be able to pro. claim the receipt of the first £100,000 required for his scheme for the redemption of the "submerged tenth." Ent, writes ou London correspondent, he is meeting witl such drastic criticism from Professor Huxley and other notable controversialist! that public opinion is fast going round against him. The feasibility of the plan seems almost desperate, and at the very best it is thought it cannot reach anything approaching the number it professes to benefit. Our Fiji correspondent, writing from Suva, under date January 16, says:—"l have heard it reported that it is possible that the Imperial Government may establish a coaling station here, and than Quarantine Island will probably be selected jus the spot for the erection of a coal depot, but as to whether or not the rumour is well founded I cannot say. One projected change, of which I believe there U no doubt, is that the Government have sent to Ceylon for black compositors to run the Government Printing-office, and of course the white men will be discharged, and the difference in pay will be a triumph o cheese-paring policy. A very smart passagi was made between Levuka and Suva las v trip of the s.s. Taviuni, the U.S.S. Com pany's new steamer, she having done the distance in 3 hours and 50 minutes, which is the fastest time on record." The regular meeting of the City Council was held last night, but although there was a considerable amount of correspondence and a fair average of general business the meeting was not a prolonged one. Several tenders were received, a library rate was struck, and Mr. Garratc's motion to reduce the dog tax from 10s to 5s was discussed and lost. A report of the proceedings appears elsewhere. A meeting of delegates from city and suburban fire brigades was held last night ac the Albert-street Fire Brigade Station to arrange for the reception of delegates to the United Fire Brigades Conference which will be held at Auckland on March 24 and 25 next. Superintendent Hughes presided. The delegates present were :—Auckland, Foremen J. Harley, J. Clarke, J. H. Wilkins, A. Brannigan, and Secretary Little; Parnell, Captain Cowan ; Newmarket, Captain Wilson and Secretary • Kidgley; Mount Eden, Captain Keys and Fireman Williams ; Eden Terrace, Captain Clarke: Newton, Superintendent J. Fenton. It was decided to entertain the guests with a banquet and a drive round the country. Secretary C. Little was appointed secretary to the reception committee. Sub-com-mittees were formed to carry out arrangements. The secretary was instructed tJ write to Onehunga, North Shore, and Thames Brigades asking their co-opera-tion.

An interesting wedding was celebrated yesterday, the bride being Miss M. E. Wilson, only daughter of Mr. J. L. Wilson, of Remuera, and the bridegroom Mr. A. C. Whitney, second son of Captain Whitney, of the Colonial Ammunition Factory. The ceremony took place in the Mission Hall, Lower Remuera, which was tastefully and beautifully decorated in honour of the occasion. The Rev. Wm. Gittos was the officiating minister. The bride, who was handsomely attired and looked very pretty, was given away by her father, and wa.attended by six bridesmaids, Misses M. Tilly, E. Laishley, M. Hume, M. Whitney, V. Whitney, A. Whitney, the latter three being sisters of the bridegroom. Miss Ell* Carr, who had been chosen as a bridesmaid, was unfortunately unable to attend, owing to indisposition. Mr. A. Chamberlin acted as best man. After the ceremony the guest?, who numbered over a hundred, adjourned to the residence of the bride's father, where they partook of refreshments. The presents, which were both numerous and costly, made a handsome display, and served to show the esteem in which both the bride and bridegroom are held amongst their friends. About five o'clock in the evening the happy pair drove off for their honeymoon trip, amidst the congratulations and good wishes of their friends. A number of the vessels in the harbour displayed bunting yesterday, in honour of the marriage. In noticing a few days ago the death of Mr. Alexander Broomhall we stated that the cause of his death was consumption. We are informed that this was a mistake. Mr. Broomhall had no consumptive tendency. Death was caused by an injury which Mr. Broomhall received to his spine some time ago while engaged in athletic exercises. An inquest wae held by Dr. Philson, coroner, at the District Hospital yesterday morning, concerning the death of John Borley, shoemaker, of Newmarket, who died from the nervous shock sustained from falling from the steamer Britannia into the harbour on Wednesday last. After hearing the evidence a verdict of " Accidental death" waa returned.

At the ordinary meeting of the Trades and Labour Council, held last evening, correspondence was received from Tirnaru and Dunedin, giving encouraging accounts of the progress of the eight hours' movement in those places, also from the Hon. E. Mitchelson and various other M.H.B.'s re supervision of the fresh meat supply, and promising to support any measure brought! before the House dealing with the question. A communication was also received from the secretary of the Employers' Association, stating that the executive of that body would shortly meet a deputation from the Council to confer upon the best raeaus of inaugurating a Board of Conciliation to arbitrate on trade dispute?. After transacting some routine business, the Council adjourned for a fortnight.

About one o'clock this morning a eerious butbreak of fire was discovered in a large 13.roomed house in Parnell, near Mr. Fcrdvco's, grocers', premises. It appeared to have begun at an outhouse, but was only in •n incipient stage when discovered by Messrs. J. Lambert and E. H. Montgomery. These, with other passers-by, got some buckets, and ofconsiderable trouble put out the tire. The bells rang out, but some false directions made tho Parnell Brigade proceed to Judge's Bay, and when they arrived all danger was over. The house had been unoccupied for some time. In addition to the Rawlings , charges leveral other important cases were heard at the Police Court yesterday. One of these iras a charge brought against Francis Arthur Watson, for obtaining jewellery to the value of £61 from Mr. Carl Kohn, of Gisborne, and offering in payment therefor ■i certain cheque, which turned out to be valueless. Prisoner had been just brought from Sydney, where he had been arrested. Inspector Brohain said that most probably two or three other similar charges would be forthcoming. The case was remanded until Friday, the 30th instant. A man named Henry John Phillips was remanded until Monday, charged with having uttered and disposed of a cheque for £12 10s, knowing the same to be forged. Mr. W. J. Napier appeared for the defendants in each of these caies. At the inquest held yesterday afternoon concerning the death of George Hector Foster, who was drowned near the Poneonby Wharf on Wednesday last, a verdict of "Accidental drowning" was returned. All the four boys on the boat could swim, but deceased was a weak swimmer, being unable to cope with the current. Several witnesses were examined, but very little of importance was elicited in addition to what has been already published. Mi Kathbone, a companion of Mrs. Foster, who was on the wharf at the time, said that she implored two men standing by, who said they were unable to swim, to hold on to the piles and grasp the boy as he passed, but they would neither do this themselves nor allow her to do so. She considered these men acted in a, cowardly manner. Alfred Gilford, who discovered the body, thought that the dingy, which was only about seven feet Ions:, was not safe for the carrying of four boys. The funeral left the residence of the parent* of the deceased for the Purewa cemetery at four o'clock, and the Rev. W. Ualder officiated at the grave. In another column will be found the report of the annual meeting of the Costley Institute. The report was of a highly satisfactory character, and creditable alike Ito the trustees, the management of tho IHome, and the inmates. There are now labouc thirty boys and seven girls on the foundation, ami their earnings last year Exceeded £400. The visitors were much jntereste.l and pieased by their inspection If the Home. It i.» satisfactory to find that Spell at the Costley Institute and the iilors' Home the trustees keep an efficient apervision over financial matters. There ill monthly audit of the accounts, and the t*steesof the Costley Institute personally disfy themselves as to the deposits of the i:*> in the Savings Bank. ill arrangements have now been comy'AfSi for the opening of the Harvey Brokhers Minstrel and Burlesque Company, wh&Wrive here on Monday. The company coiEi with a good record, and are likely to navel a successful season at the Opera Hou*. A eduction has been made in the price of flolr of lUs per ton. ThjCommissioners (Dr. Giles, R.M., and Dr. assail) appointed to inquire into certain harges affecting the treatment of patieits in the Auckland Hospital, notify that they will sit on Monday, the :26th January, at the Resident Magistrate's Court at Auckland, at eleven o'clock in the Forenoon. Their duties are likely to be of short duration, owing to the contemplated action of certain parties, but of course the Commissioners can do nothing else than go on with the fulfilment of the mission assigned to them, as far as it is in their power to do so. Another crowded house greeted Mr. E. T. Smith at the City Hall last night, a large number of people having to be turned aw»y from the doors by the police. The subject, chosen, was a somewhat startling one, the lecture bearing the title of " An Interview with a Fiend" — the fiend of strong drink. In a graphic and intensely interesting manner Mr. Smith depicted the havoc wrought by the drink-fiend on all sorts and conditions of men and women, illustrated by personal incidents in his own experience, and urged his hearers to have nothing to do with King Alcohol. At the conclusion of the lecture a number of those present signed the pledge. To-night Mr. Smith will vary his recitals by giving a grand literary entertainment, varied by solos by well-known vocalists. The poetic recitals ire no less than ten in number pathetic. humorous, and descriptive ; and should ensure a bumper house. On this occasion there is no free admission ; and those persons who have nightly crowded the body of the hall without charge or fee have an opportunity to-night of setting themselves right by taking one of the last opportunities of paying something towards the expense of the mission by purchasing a ticket. The dress circle plan is now open at Wildman's, and the tickets for the entertainment are stated to be going off well. The fourth of Ma. Bradley's organ recitals in St. Patrick's Cathedral was held last evening. Handera ''Concerto No. 7" in three movements opened the performance. The piece was brilliantly played, and the organ was used with magnificent effect. In the larghetto movement the beautiful melody whs most pleasingly treated. Bach's " Prelude and Fugue" B minor is a noble piece of writing, the "Prelude" being one of the finest of Bach's preludes. The rendering of the prelude and fugue was a masterly one, and a great treat to those who were so fortunate as. to be present. In the "Sonata No. 4" of Mendelssohn's Mr. Bradley displayed power of technique, clearness, and good taste in the selection of the solo stops. The beautiful andante and the allegretto movements were most tastefully executed. The Austrian hymn with variations, by Dr. Chipp, was executed in fine style, proving Mr. Bradley to be an executant of very high order. The march, funeral, and chant, " Seraphique," by the famous French organist Guilmant, was played with great finish and style, the beautiful chant receiving a devotional interpretation. The taste for organ music in Auckland is certainly not highly developed, but it is a taste that ought to be cultivated and encouraged, and the Auckland musicians should not miss this opportunity of hearing Mr. Bradley, who is an organist of high rank. Mr. Bradley gives two more recitals before he leaves on Tuesday next.

There was a packed house at the Foresters' Hall, Newton, on the occasion of a complimentary concert tendered by the local amateurs to Airs. Edinondes, under the patronage of the Caledonian Society. The concert was carried out under the direction of Mr. J. H. Philpot, who had prepared an excellent and varied programme. Mrs. Edmonde.i appeared twice in solo, with "Sine; to me the Auld Scots Sang«" and " Excelsior," the latter by special request. In each number sue acquitted herself well, and received loud applause ; while her duet with Miss Reid, " The Two Cousins," was also a i,'ood number. Miss Walker sang " The Old Cremona" (Jude) with much taste, and in Piccolomini's " Ora l'ro Nobi*," Miss Plummet- was well received. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson gave a humourous duet, " Suspicious," with a deal of archness and expression ; while Longfellow's "Star of the Summer Night," to a composition of Mr. Philpot's,arrangedasa quartette, was splendidly rendered by Mrs. Simpson and Mist) Laing. Messrs. Simpson and Meuzie*. The trio, "The Swallows," was sung by Mrs. Philpot and Misses Plummer and Lank very pleasantly. Mr. Men/.ies contributed a song, " First in the Field." in his usual finished and spirited style; while Mr. W. (J. Knight, who has a fine robust tenor, contributed "The Romany Lass" in a manner that will cause him to be heard of again. Mr. M. Lewis chose " Fiddle and I " a? his solo, and the audience appreciated hi* rendering to such an extent that he had to appear again in " The Song that Reached my Heart" as an encore. Mr. Tait sang "Jessie the Flower of Dunblane" with musielanly skill and true Scotch accent ; while in " The Rowan ■Tree" Mr. Carter was equally successful. An sfficient orchestra aided greatly by playing two excellent overtures, ' L'Espiegle " and "La Fillo de Tambour Major," while the singing of " Auld*Lung Syne" by all present wade a fitting conclusion to a most enjoyw>le entertainment.

A pleasant concert was held last evening in St. Matthew's Schoolroom, for the purpose of raising funds for the annual treat of the Sunday scholars. There was a fair attendance. Mrs. Motrin contributed two solos, her rendering of " When Sparrows Build" being particularly appreciated. Miss Stevens was successful with the "Gates of the Weat," and Mre. Tebbs ] earned loud applause for her singing " How Like a Flower." Messrs. Tapper and Maitland each appeared singly, and together gave the duet "All's Well" with fine effect, but Miss Chew's 'cello solo, *' Adeste Fidelea," was, perhaps, the best number of the evening. Misses Workman and Baker also assisted, and a humourous exhibition of " Thought Reading," by Mr. VI. H. Draffin, concluded the entertainment. I |Mr. John McConnell, of Conquest Place, having resigned his seat in the Parnell Borough Council it) became necessary to appoint a successor, and nominations for this purpose were received yesterday by Mr. Braokenbury, who acted as Deputy Returning Officer. Two candidates were proposed, namely, Mr. G. S. Kissling, by Messrs. John Savage and M. Gay; Mr. Henry Sehofield was nominated by Mr. W. D. Speight and Mr. W. C. Griffiths. It appears, however, that Mr. Schofield's nomination was informal as Mr. Speight's name was not on the burgess roll, and Mr. Kissling was therefore declared elected. Inspector Broham received a telegram from Mercury Bay yesterday morning to the effect that a Maori boy, aged seven years, was drowned near Gumtown. The body has been recovered, and Constable Dunne is making arrangements for the holding of an inquest. Three more charges for misappropriation of Orphan Home funds brought against Mark Rawlings were heard yesterday, the prisoner being committed for trial in each instance. Further charges will be proceeded with to-day. Yesterday M&ssrs. James nnd John Gittos, of Wyndham-street, leather merchants, trading as B. Gittoe and Sons, filed their petition with the Official Assignee to be adjudged bankrupts. A large and representative meeting at Wellington decided unanimously to take steps to erect a lasting memorial in memory oi J. D. Parnell, the founder of the eight t iiirs system. Considerable dissatNfaetior »« exoressed In Dunedin owin<* to the loading chemists and butchers breaking through the early closing movement. The Pharmaceutical Society wish a clause inserted in the Shop Hours Bill to enable a majority of shopkeepers in the city to fix the hours of closing. Gas and coke oarwumers are reminded that Monday, the 26th instant, is the last day upon which any discount can be allowed on their eccounts. Mr. A. T. Crocker, one of the superintendents of the Equitable Life Asenranoe Society of the United States, is now in Auckland, on a special business supervision, and to report to the head office, New York, in reference to the probable future prospects of the colony of New Zealand. We learn it iis the intention of Miss Amy V'aughan to give a benefit performance in aid of the Huntly Relief Fund, the dateof which wiil be duly announced when the preliminary arrangements are completed. The City Council having rejected Mr. Garratt's motion to reduce the dog tax, owners will require to obtain collars before the Ist February. Tenders are invited by Messrs. Burrows and Mitchell, architects, for constructing fireproof strong rooms, for the Australian Mutual Provident Society's Buildings. The hon. secretary of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, acting on behalf of the N.Z.A.A.A. and 'Cyclists Alliance, notifies that entries for the Amateur Championship Meeting will be received at the Imperial Hotel this day. from seven to nine p.m., and entries for the handicap events to-morrow at same place and hours.