THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1891.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8585, 5 June 1891, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1891 .

It is a bad wind that blows nobody good ] and though it be a bad thing on the whole that there should be so many great cities nowadays, we have learned in these colonies that, as regards a special want of great citie3, we can cater with extraordinary profit for those at the other side of the globe. If they did not look sharply to their sanitation, the present multitude of monster towns yrould be plague-spots over the faco of the earth. Manifold sanitary questions are stirring them, and, among other matters, never beforo was such a call for fruit, such widespread markets for it. Refreshing and wholesome in the country, it is still more than that in the big towns—there as an article of daily diet it is indispensable to health, and all who can afford it will have it all the year round. But how cau a market anywhere

answer the demand, at a time of the, year when it: is locally out of season, unless by import from the opposite j side of the world, whpre the season of i production is the opposite time of thq ; year 1 For more than a generation when the rapid expansion of towns has been most remarkable—Californians have led the./ way in the new. great work of fruit) exporting. At their own side of the world, the northern hemisphere, tiiey far and wide distribute- their fruit by ship or rail. , And of course they do not neglect the "southern hemisphere. It would be wonderful if such keen men. of business did not avail of the peculiarly profitable opportunity of supplying the opposite side of. the world at the season when it has no supply of it? own In these colonies, ' for instance, their fruit comes to us lien purs is not readyrrthey do not neglect their best paying, but the opportunity for it' is limited, because the southern hemisphere, in contrast to the northern, is mainly water not land. This fact struck the Brothers Chaffoy with their Califoraian experience. They saw plainly that not California but the Australasian colonies are the natural sito for carrying out on a great scale the most profitable of all fruit shipments. They saw • that in these colonies we can cater for the health and luxury of the multitudinous great cities of Europe and America, when their own " fruit is ; in orchard or vineyard or garden., whereas California can .only do the same thing for Australasian cities and one or two in South America. In these columns we then urged attention to the obvious meaning of those experienced fruit exporters, in shifting their mammoth enterprise from California to this southern part of the globe. Recent shipments from . Auckland, arriving at London and at San Francisco when they were required, sufficiently indicate what a future is open to us here in this particular export, provided we exercise the proper care and skill in selecting and packing the fruit. It is, indeed, hard to speak too highly of the prospects of a trade for which there is opportunity not only in the great English market, but in Continental ones, both European and American. For such luxuries from the Antipodes, reaching them during their winter or spring, they will be glad to pay high prices in New York's Fifth Avenue, or in Paris or Berlin, as well as in the London West End.

Meanwhile it must be interesting to see now matters proceed at Mildura, where the Messrs. Chaffey have set us the example of fruit raising on a prodigious scale, with an eye to the monster export. So full is their confidence in the undertaking, so clearly do they see their way, that they have' contracted with the Victorian Government to obtain the fee-simple of two blocks, each of 25,000 by expending thereon a sum of not less than £5 per acre j and that the Government may concede to them a further area of 200,000 acres, by their expending a sum equal to £1 per acre, and paying £l per acre purchase money. .We find by Mr. Hayter's statistics, that to date, September, 1890, the company have . r ej;pended at. Mildura £183,000, as shown by vouchers submitted to the Watet : Supply Department, and they have now obtained Crown grants for 13,200 acres, and are applying for 2800 more from the first of the aforesaid blocks. Of this, they have sold (exclusive of the Mildura township) 10,500 acres in agricultural and horticultural lota, of which 6000 i acres have or are being planted with vines or fruit trees, and 500 acres are under forage or grain. The largest plantations are of raisin vines, and next of oranges and lemons; likewise ex* tensively apricots, peaches, ;! figs, and some olives. As yet but fifty acres have been planted with wine grapes. The plantations are yet too young for important returns, but it was expected that next summer they would yield ten tons of marketable raisins and four or five thousand gallons of wine, besides a quantity of green fruit for local consumption. The present population of the settlement is over 3000, of which 750 are in the township. The district is flanked by the river Goolwa or Murray, and thus the required* network of irrigation is fed. Lower down the river, and by contract with the South Australian Government, the Messrs. Chaffey are similarly carrying out another great fruit-growing settlement. Mr. Stuarfc Murray, chief engineer of the "Victorian Water Supply, describes the Mildura settlers as generally of a superior stamp, seen in their appearance, manners, and language. He found many of them to be young men, bred in the great schools and universities of the old country, " but content to earn from six to eight shillings per day while, their own troes were growing, and doing as hard and as honest a day's work as any navvy or farm labourer in the country." Just as our grazing extends because of the frozen meat export, it will be truly remarkable if fruit-growing does not rapidly extend here, in view of the enormously increasing consumption oi' fruit throughout the civilised world, and the high prices to be got for our consignments to European or American markets at a certain time of the year.

We venture to say that the public will be somewhat astonished at the very hot and personal manner in which the members of the Licensing Committees have taken the remarks we made in an article in yesterday's paper. The purpose of the article was plain on the face of it—namely, to show that tho Licensing Committees had been elected in an unsatisfactory manner, in a contest between men put in nomination on the one side by Prohibitionists, and on. the other by owners and occupiers of licensed premises. The -Licensing Act was passed, not in the interest of owners and occupiers of publichouses, or for the purpose of carrying out Prohibition, but in the interest of the public, and for the regulation of the houses and of the trade generally. It is quite notorious that from the late election the great mass of the general public stood aloof. We pointed out that it was not to be wondered at in the circumstances that the contest should assume such a shape when a Prohibitionist ticket was " run," a thing which was never contemplated by the Act, Tho position is unfortunate ; because the fact that the members elected were nominated by those interested in the trade, and were elected by their exertions, is calculated to raise suspicion in the mind of the general public as to tho manner in

! winch they fulfil *;b.eir dutik i chairman of yesterday's meoting\juot«l "' - several passages from ourartieiel-Jj^.' in we spoke of, a,. typical • LidiriaoV ; Committee, and lie inferred «.t me,ant to. impute that the. roei-jjiow'* elected were, personally, not of good .character. ■We can assure him withe-' others that we had no such th! g/ji our mind as to point at the indiviuala 1 who have been elected in respe t to character, and the language welised. I and which may be read (quoted in piecemeal fashion) in the chair : speeoh, docs not in .the digree bear the construction of any imptation on them. ' We made no objection and have no objection, to make, character or status of. any of thelnen who have been elected. We shMd have accepted them any tinif as being most suitable men for the position, and should "have' made rid i> mark" whatever had it not .beejz for the circumstances of the lastj election. The characters of- the -chairman!-Mr!? Holland, or of any of the menbers elected,, as citizens, are _ beyorl all' question ; we know that it woijd be absurd for a newspaper to male any imputation against their reputatbn i<K sobriety. We emphatically dfclaim" having done so,, and.-are quitj-, purprisedthat yesterday's meeting pould have, taken so pronounced a personal;: turn. We think we have reapn to complain of our remarks being uifairly ; •twisted, and of some of the observations : made at yesterday's meeting ad'beingl grossly unjust. We suppose wj must charitably impute much bfrwlnt was' said to irritation ujider, p. mistalen impression, and not to. any,desire t» .avert criticism of the action of the q>rouiifc tees. „ ..... k>: , : .

v: The trial of the Jubraj, the heir apparent in jftanipur has brought to light ;he f,\efc that the British authorities wijrewarnedthat nny attempt to 'arrest thft SeVaptihi, ■ the Comraander-in-Ghiof,- who v.a! really '.'. the ruling spirit in the country, wouldresult' in bloodshed. If such' a warning $d been conveyed to Mr. Quinton, the British Commissioner, it aeetns inexplicable |hat hi • should have acted in "the" manner.that L* did. The whole business, hovJavlr, Vwas a serie3 of blunders, for wjhich. thi-' principals have pud the forfeit of thiir live?. '»''■'■ The financial situation in "(ho Argentine is of a very etiHous nature, and four-Bank* in Buenos Ayres have been -obliged to close , their floors. The cablegrams ha'e thrown no light upon the cause .the pane, which,' :■ however, is now said- to be abatW. The case "for, the defendants in , the card scandal has been opened, at\d;-thK eyiaeica.ho Jar : gees to prove that the plaintiff ,ms detected ' cheating in the most unmistalt.«ibie man-. ■ ner. It is intended by • various organisations Vl ■ to present Sir George Grey, on bis ariivol from - Sydney, with addresses .0! welcome. ' ~ Among* those : who M) intend td do honour to the veteran ; statesman" are' (he Liberal v ■ Association and the "Auckland Trades ami : Labour Council. ■'\ *'.. " I I Among the passeri i»ors. by this s.b. Tara* ! wera, yesterday evening, for- the South, ! were Messrs. Kelly' and 'Jacksin Palmer, ' ■ : M.H.K. ! s, and the Rev. W. C. Woodward, . ■ ) Primitive Methodist minister, who is going. ■" toTimaru. A number of. the members oil 1 his old Pitt and i Edwin ''-Streets' congrega- r, ;': \ tion were down on the wharf to see hun off. At the criminal sittings'of fie Supreme Court yesterday the hearing of the charge' of conspiracy against Appro *Apiata ■ and Taupei te Iwitere, of Botbrua,' was con- ' tinued. .1 The case for* the Crowij had closed on the previous day, and Mr. Theo. Cooper, >:■■;•;;!*,-<; for the defence, called no evidence. "Hβ ' raised a law point on the" contention tbjit the evidence did not support! Uie indict- *" ment, as if conspiracy was proved at all its was proved against others as well' as the accused, and these should- be included. The learned Judge overruled the objection, ami . Mr. Cooper then addressed the jury. His 1 Honor" summed up "strongly * against the : prisoners, who were.'convicted^ji^.turji:con>'. mended to"mercy, and His Honour giving , effect to s the ' recommendation,' inflicted toe light sentence of three nionth's imptieon* ? ment, which does not include. hard labour. , : The afternoon was occupied with hearing ' the charge of wilful murder ag&insu Thomas fe Fry, alias !P!oyd. Tjio prisoner, lor whom I the plea of insanity-is to be setup, did , not plead, bub his counsel Napier) admitted a plea of "'not' guilty to Jbe recorded. A good "deal , 'of 'evidence in support of the indictment was taken, and the Court adjourned shortly after six ;'. o'clock until ten o'clock this morning. ; : : A gentleman who is at present making a • •tour of the Northern-districts sends us the ■ following regarding the lands which are to be opened by the proposed Makarau ex- ; tension of the railway:—" I Have been up ■ the line a distance of'about four mll?s from t V the intended M akarau Railway Bridge. ' The . . first mile and α-half is scattered kauri timber, but nothing to do any harm for settle* \ ment, i except ' that 'it is.'a little broken. > The land is fairly good," The otber two and a-half miles is mixed bush ; on the right-hand side going up the line, there are only about four, kauris to • the square, ;, mile, v and the quality of the land is ranch better. I consider it very' suitable for settlement, and the.bush could be cleared I at a cost of from 25s to 40s per acre. On the left-hand side of the line, across the I Tikekeroa creek as far. as the eye could see, , it ia mixed bush. . "However, intending settlers could see for-themselves, at a very „ small cost, and any kauri that is on th« land that would not be required by the settlers • could bo floated down the' creek '. .easily;" ■ " " An accident occurred on the Tramway Company's eastern circuit last evening ' about twenty, minutes to six o'clock, is Wellesley-streeb East, at ? the intsrsecticu _ I of Princes-street. At tha.t hqur the. Nev* market car in.charge of. -Driver King, and Conductor Gray,: was . corning down .■■., the street when the car through sow unexplained cause jumped the " points,".: and went on the wrong line. The driver and, conductor put down the brakes piomptly, but owing .to the greasy state of tlu rails the ■ car "skidded," and took elurge. They then eased the brakes slightly but- failed to get control of the car. In the meantime ;an up-car with .'Uβ .■;■! leader, was toiling up the hill oh the eatoe . , ~; line. v As soon as the driver, Moore, wvf , , the down car jump the " points," he blew his whistle, but of course the driver and I conductor of the ; otber car could not . take heed of its warning. The upshot was the wo trains collided and ahorse in each team ~ fell. 'One of the horses commenced plunging and kicking, and .driver King got kicked, on the bund, and conductor Gray on I the body and ankle,' endeavouring to [ control of tho horses, though neither of the men soriously. After some ? l tho harness had' been cut away, the -...■ horses were released from their' unpleasant position and the , traffic resumed. The down lino had just ■ been-■ M sanded" a fe* minutes before the accident owing to the greasy state of the rails* but of course the [ up line was not sanded,} as it would have I been impossible to take the cars up. • Ttie , unforseea contingency of the down ctir 1 jumping the points" and getting on toe wrong line, upset the calculations of every- ' body concerned; No damage was sastainea by either tl#e horses or the cars, and Messrs. ..-._ [King and Gray, notwithstanding the kicks they had received,- went oh with their - night's duty to the finish. - -• • I H Mrs. E. E. Ellis sends several questions !.which she would like Mrs. Aldis to discuM, but it is unnecessary to, print them « length, as ",ve nld not'pledge ourselves to insert tHe 1 wars, if made. ' The ' nrsc i^: "Mrs. ; /A>3is denounces Protection as j ' doublo-faced sham,'would she ivelre trade to what is commonly kupwn as tn« liquor traffic, and if not, why uot ? ,A"I : other is: "Would the ever-living Cnf»» range himself on tho side of, the aMP* tralTic?" At a meeting of the City. Licensing Committee recently it wns resolved M™* the packet license on board one of the lew . steamers should not be used on Sundays, . bub that the bar on board should be clo*ea. The committee have been rather averse w t the sale of driuk on uriy of the ferry tea lit excursions, &c, and it is underetoo" that the Devonport Ferry Company. n»»| ; no intention of applying for a renewal p■ . v the license. It was thought that tne.Q" 0 granted expired on the iirs>t of this moc "i but it appears it is in force till* the ,11 r w _; the month. t : ■'.■.■•'■ . ■■■ ■'"■'.. ..•■"... .■'■■ ■."■:■'■■.' '.;■-'; •■;..'■■ ■• ~; :ii,;

The ordinary meeting of the Newmarket , Borough Council was hold last night. ! Pree sent; Messrs. Kent (Mayor), Clayton, Whymao, Edgwley, Angus, Laxon, Randall, Jjrimpkih, and Holmes. The report of tht Streets ;i Committee was deferred for con. , eideration until the _ next meeting of th« Council. The manager of the -Tramway Company wrote calling attention to the ; state of the Council's portion of the road- - way from Seccombe's road to the end oj i the double line, opposite the Chinamen'? . garden, and, asked that the same be bronghb to the proper level; as at pre< P sent it was impossible ; for the com- ; »any- to keep : their portion in' repair. It was resolved that the work be attonded ' ' to, and that the company be requested not ~. to allow loads; of heavy metal to lie on the roads at night as hat) been done in the past. On the motion of Mr. Holmes, it was re« Bolyed that Mr. Lawry (the Council's representative at the Wellington Municipal ■ • Conference) be requested to support the Fire Insurance Bill which was to be brought before Parliament. :'•■ It was decided <to re» pair the footpath from the Newmarket Hotel :to the public school. Accounts to the amount of £155 J9s : (sd ; were paesed for payment. The trustees of the Costley Boys' Insti. tute have recently had erected a black smith's and ! carpenter's workshop for the use of the lads belonging to the institution, 1 and in which they can work in the evening after their day's work. It is about 50 by 20, of brick, with corrugated iron roof, and has been buile by Mr. J. J. Holland, contractor,, who has made a thoroughly good job, thfi work being passed yesterday. When i fully equipped, building and plant will cost about £250.;; In the : carpenters" shop is a lathe for turning, and in tho blacksmith's division there will be a forge with blast fan, the lads being taught in each branch by competent instructors. I The old workshop has been shifted and made into a tool store. The ; trustees are giving the boys a knowledge of tools and mechanics, so that when they leave the institution J they will be ''handy; men,". There are 29 boys in the Home, all but one « boy of eleven years of age, being out at work learning some handicraft or other, to lib him for the battle of life. Most of tho lads have been drafted; from the Kohimaramara Industrial School, though there are some exceptions. They are all in the enjoyment of good health, which consider-: ing the early - surroundings and parentage! of some of them is surprising, and is attributed, to the excellent sanitary discipline enforced by the master, Mr. Hawkins, and : . the .motherly , care of the matron, Mrs. Hawkins. • The funeral of tho French sailor Pierre Mavie Lariyon, who died at the Hospital, took place ' yesterday. The steamer, con- , veying the "body lefts the Devonport ferry tee half-past two p.m. for the North Shore. The Auckland and Ponsonby Naval Corps, under Captains Parker and Miller, and Hunter's Band mustered on the wharf ! and accompanied the hearse to Devonpprt. Here a cortege was formed, Messrs. I). B. Cruickshankj'French Consul, and De Montalk being chiet mourners ;■>? and i these were • accompanied- by the Rev. - Father; Hackett and a largo concourse .of civilians, besides the J .volunteers,' the band j play the " Dead March in Saul";I and the " Sicilian Mariners' Hymn" en roiuC On arrival at ' the cemetery the coffin was lifted from the hearse by four of the volunteers.. It was enveloped in the; French tricolor, and bore upon ib a cross of i white azaleas and camellias with the letter \ . "P " (ihb initial of the deceased's Christian name) in the centre, an offering sent as : a graceful tribute to ■ the departed sailor by Airs. D. B. Cruickshank. Father Hackett read the office? for the dead, and af terwarda \i delivered a short address touching upon the I' mournfultjess of a sailor having to die in a 3 strange land without friends, bub mention- ! ing that in the present instance ft would be most■ gratifying to his relatives and messmates to know that in his last hours and in his obsequies, the dead mariner, had. everything requisite done for him by kind! friends, - Ab the conclusion of- the address, 1 ; the volunteers present fired throe volleys over the grave, nnd the unfortunate seaman' was thug,fittingly consigned to hie '' lone bed.". Do* ing the day the flags the Con-" sulafceY and the premises "of. Messrs. F. WiUiatas • abd others,' we're flying, at halfmast, in token of respect to deceased. The * funeral arrangements were earned, out in a r .fittinfr manner by Messrs: Winks and Hall. The French Consul, after the funoral, ex-: pressed his gratification at the thoughtful cortdiictof the Naval Corps in coming for- . ward spontaneously to assist at giving a| ■ stranger a fitting burial. " The Clutha. Leader etdtea that owing to the slight accident to the express train at iTv'aipahi on Wednesday the etationmaster,; who is also-telegraphist, was kept busy in the station yard and could nob-attend, to the wires, wheVeupon the Hon. J. G. Ward, :.■.■■• ■.■.-.'.■'■. who was a passenger by. the train, at once took his place in the office, receiving and ', J despatching.the messages with the 'Utmost promptitude. We question if many Post-1 master-Generals have oVsr been able to stop I a gap in this practical manner. ' . ■ Attention 'has been called -tt various Urn-- to the very dangerous level crossing on, tbei New North Road near Morningside. \ It is reported - that a c6Uision occurred : there at tho beginning of this week, which: resulted in the engine throwing a dray and ! horse bodily over a wall, the driver of the team ' narrowly escaping ,;' with f his {■■ life.] Driving from Auckland, as ' this : man was, ■; and the Kaipara train coming to Auckland, there is no possibility of the driver seeing the engine or train till close on the rails. The deep cutting through rocks completely hides the train till it emerges on the main ~'■ road, -If the engine-drivers sounded : the' whistle regularly before approaching the level crossings, the danger would be somewhat reduced, but under the present :, system a very serious accident is liable to .occur , any 'day, and tho only way to prevent this is to do what should have been clone when the lino was first constructed ; that is, to build a bridge to carry the ordinary traffic on the New North , Road at ■ its intersection with the Kaipara railway sv*. Moruingside, near Mount Albert. We would again remind our, readers of, he opening conversazione of the Young Men's Christian Association, which takes place this evening at the rooms, WellesleyAfreet; The whole building, which will be decorated with pot plants and flowers, will be thrown open, and in every room attraction?, amusing and instructive, will be found. . The evening will be divided into five sections, that ample opportunity may _ be afforded for conversation and promenade. \ An interesting musical ami ; literary entertainment is announced for the lecture hall. At the conclusion of the concert a Chinese dwarf and a young elephant; will ■ bo sure to: attract*a good deal of attention and give considerable exercise to" the risible faculties of those who witness them. When the.so nave disappeared Mr. C. E. Leigh ton will perform with ludian clubs. ■ The, eociiil room, will bo occupied by Mr, W. H. 1- s r.toin,' who given a "Thought-reading , Seance":" while the reading and other rooms will provide amusement and instrucion, with galvanic battery, grapbostcopos, '[ parlour games, photographs, etc. ;: Tho com- • . ■■. mittee have to Purcbae, who has promised to be present and explain various wonders under his-powerful microscope, and are indebted to Mr. Hanna for hia excellent photos of Lord and Lady Onflow, ineir family, and other views. V Theladiee si tbo Young Women's Christian; Association have very kindly provided refreshxente in ; their social hall, which they will ; pen3o gratia at half-past nine. To make i' the evening as social as possible, tho committee hope ladies will avail themselves of the cloak room, which will be found upstairs, in charge of an attendant. i With a view to popularising this useful institution, the charge for admission is only nominal. Further particulars will be found in our advertising columns. •Amongst the passengers who left Auckland last night by the B.s. Tarawera for Gisborne > were Madame Pntoy and her concert company, who aro now to tour the Southern cities. ' i Nothing has yet been heard of the young man who escaped from the. Asylum - on ■ Saturday morning, but the warders and the police are yoi; making diligent search for him. "The monthly inspection parade of the *\ A'! Battery of Artillery was held last I night, bub as only one day notice of the change of district orders calling tho parade had been given, there was but a email at- I tendance. Captain Geddea wag inspecting i ' officer, and Lieutenant O'Brien was also j ■• , :'"iii,. After tho inspection two gun de- j , tatchinents were pub tfnou/jrh a course of ' v square gun drill by Sergeant-Major : ■ ■ ,:■ doughty.

There are to be exhibited to-day at Messrs. Garlick ; and Cranwell's establish? tnent, Queen -street, some of the most perf eot and beautiful s'peoimens of Poonah painting shown in Auckland. They are the work !of ; Mrs. W, G. ;. Connolly, and;; ■;. as announced by advertisement elsewhere, are to be disposed of by art union next.month. These goods show to what perfection tho art of J?oonah painting may be carried. Looking at ; the -work,: one does not realise -that it Is ft painting only, for the designs seem as if * they had been woven into ; the texture which • forms (the. groundwork. There are mantel-drapes on which.: roses und lilies 1; have, been exquisitely painted, the shading being most artistic. Cushions, tea co?ies, qhair rests, a particularly handsome ottoman, a wall plaque, and other articles are included in this unique collection, and flowers of many, varieties! are painted on them with rare taste, the * green leaves contrasting.;, adv mirably with the deeper hues of the £awere, ! and the soft tint of the delicate velvet ground, ' A notable exhibit is a bracket of white wood, on which "cherries have been painted, and there is also a crimson qushiotj on which appear white arum lillesT "The collection is well worthy of inspection by amateurs and students of poonah painting. It is to be exhibited for a week. , .

Arrangements have been made by the Mokohinui. Coal Company, which owned the ill-fated steamer Lawrence, whereby the Grey Valley Company will supply the coal which the former company bad contracted to furnish to the New Zealand railways, if the Mokohinui Company purchase a vessel to replace the Lawrence. The balance of coal will bo supplied from Mokohinui. ■'

Mrs. A. IT. Phelps, the well-known evangelist, leaves for Mew York by the barque Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps arrived here about nine years ago, and during that time have held numerous missions in,many parts of this district. Latterly they resided in Norfolk Island, where Mr. Phelps ended a life of earnest and devoted labour. Mrs. Phelps is about to join her friends in America, and is accompanied by her son, These were over a score of applicants before the committee of the Charitable Aid Board yesterday Afternoon, but none of the cases were marked by any special interest. The committee have heard nothing furthor concerning the four hundred pounder who desired to spend the remnant of his days in the CosMey Home. As he resides in the district of the North Auckland Charitable Aid Board, it is doubtful whether they have power to entertain nny such proposal.

The "lending branch" of the Auckland Free Public Library is steadily progressing, and there are now close on 400 subscribers. When the consignments of books ordered from Home arrive, ib ia expected that the list will mount up to 500." One result of the success of the " lending branch " will be the weakening of other public libraries, and private circulating libraries, as they will be unable to compote either as regards the variety of literature and the liberality of t jrme.

M. Leon Driver, solo piuniefe from MelI.ourne, open* in the City Hull in? a grand pianoforte recital and concert tour through New Zealand, giving his first piano recital on Friday, June 12. His repertoire con-/ tains selections from the works of Liszt, Beethoven, Chopin, and Thalberg, no less than 53 pieces, all of which he plays from memory. His solo? include the six celebrated Pagtinini studies, transcribed by tho Abbe Liszt for the piano. These are all studies of the greatest difficulty, : nnd require an artist of great execution to perform thorn. One of bis great solos is the Abbe liszt'e great masterpiece, " II Trovatore." Thi solo is seldom peformed in public, and is so exhausting that few solo performers ever attempt it. It abounds in extreme difficulties. M. Leon Driver's compositions include polonaises, nocturnes, marches, and transcriptions. He also performs a grand descriptive solo entitled " The Storm at Sea," Which is a display of execution, and is spoken of in very flattering terras by the press, p . Afe Mr. Driver's concerts the following , :— Miss Rimmer, Mrs. Kiljrour, Miss Freda Mareden, Mr. T. M". Jackson, Mr. S. Reid, ; and Mr. S. Jackson, clarionet soloist; Mr. Bartliey, accompanist. ■-Wβ understand that i the Auckland Savage Club have accorded i M. Leon Driver their patronage. As these i concerts are for the people the prices are all popular, bub reserved seats can be had at VVildman's and tickets in all the leading business places.

A Gisborne telegram says:—" Mr. W. Jackson representing a Canterbury syndicate, obtained a lease for twenty-one years, afc2id per acre, of 27,000 acres, being the balance of the Tanwhareparae HarbourBoard endowment. The block of land is considered good pastoral country."

The Wellington Press has the following : —" One of the most extraordinary phases of New Zealand politics is the facility with which Sir Robert Stout succeeds in deluding the working classes into believing that he is the warmest and eincercst friend that they have in the world. Yet this rabid Democrat, thie champion of the rights of labour,. this apostle of unionism, is the bend centre of the most gigantic monopoly in the colony—the Southland Pine Company. That company has bought up all the sawmills in Southland, and has secured a complete monopoly of the vast timber trade in that extensive district, which .contains the finest forests in the colony," Richard Marruck, a well-known butcher at Christchurch, died suddenly at the Zealand Hotel on Wednesday evening. He went into the dining room, sat down at the table, and was eating Irish stew, when he suddenly stopped speaking, and was dis covered to be senseless. When-he wua oxBmined, he wos found to bo dead. At the inquest a verdict of accidentally suffocated was returned.

Lust night "Tho Ticket-of-Leave Man" was repeated nt the Opera House before a numerous audieuoe. The popular "Jo" is to be revived to-night, when a benefit will be given to Miss Jennie Lee, who lm« become celebrated in the title role of this pity. Is'o doubt there will be a crowded audience. "Jo" is to be played for two nighta,' the company appearing for the last time on Saturday night.

Tenders invited for fencing afeSylvja Park. The usual monthly social will be held at St. Sepulchre's schoolroom this evening, A social in connection with the Ancjtlaml and Ponsonby lodges of the Druid's Friendly Society will be held at St. George's Hall this evening. It ,is stated in advertisement elsewhere that Messrs. Thos. Cook and Son are sole afjents for the Royal Mail line of coaches between Taupo and Napier. . Mr. F. G. Ewington, official visitor of the Auckland Lunatic Asylum, acknowledges with thanks the receipt of valuable gifts of illustrated papers from Mrs, J. C. Fi'-th and Mies Hornc, for tho patients at tho Asylum. :

Mr. Alex. Aitken has been instruoted by the City Council to offer for sale by auction at the mtirket-house on the 19th inst. for the lease for three years of the Auckland Mat*; ket, rink hall, with floor complete, yards, etc.

A general meeting of tho Auckland Provincial Agricultural Association will be held at tho olfices of \\ . J. Hurst aud Co., Queenstreet, this day, at half-past one p.m., the busiucss being (jeneral and the election of Executive Committee.

In a colony like New Zealand, so far removed from the source of supply, it is pleasinf? to find that through the enterprise of Bonie of our local tradesmen ladies can pro cure, not only (roods that are plain and useful, but also those that ore choice and high class. The D.I.C. are Bhowhix. among other things, a splendid range of Ladies' Real Silk Stockings, and they inform uh that there is a considerable demand for.'-this'-class of goods. They hi« also showing a most useful stocking: for'children, with six-fold spliced kneo. The advantage of this over the ordinary stocking is obviouc. Since Mr. R." M. Simpson assumed the position of general maniigcr for New Zealand of the Phoenix Fife Assurance Company of London, some two mouths ago, he has made sweeping changes in tho management/, and has completely remodelled the conduct of the-company's business in this colony.. The Phoenix is one of tho oldest companies in the world, h&yinir beou established in 1782, and during the 100 years of its existence it has paid over £17,000,000 in satisfaction of claims for losses. A leading feature of the company's constitution is its unlimited liability, it huving been founded when limited liability was unknown. If* reserves now amount to considerably over a million sterling. From our advertisement columns it.will be seen that Mr. Ward Baker has been appointed district manager for the ■ provincial district of Auckland, and the offices of tho company will be Messrs. Baker Brothers' temporary premises, Sliortlnud-street. Ur.iler the new management the success of tho company should be assured, not only hi thia province, but throughout the colony.,