Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 413, 23 June 1898, Page 9

Sporting Topics.

. ’Tis an old and pretty true saying that the English Derby is seldom or never won by a bad horse, and though Jeddah failed when strongly fancied for the 2000gns he scored handsomely in the Derby. The Prince Wales Stakes, run at the Ascot Meeting on Thursday last and which is run over a distance off one mile and five furlongs, proves Jeddah- to be a much improved, and what is more, a thoroughly reliable colt, as the son of Janissary — Pilgrimage appropriated the rich event with 9.5 up (including a penalty of 91bs). Two sons of Sheen, in Batt and Canopus, followed Mr Larnach’s colt home. Truly, the young Australian is having a royal time this season.

The death is announced of Mr W. Walters well-known brood mare, Leorina, by Leohnus from Yatterina, by Yattendon from Kohinoor, by Vanguard from Kate, by Gratis (imp.). Leorina was a first-class performer, and was in foalto Hotchkiss at the time of her demise. Her dam, Yatterina, was probably the first foal ever si red by the mighty Yattendon. The loss to Mr Walters is a very severe one, as the mare showed great promise at the stud.

Mr S. Bradley has again put his old favorite, Impulse, into work. At present the son of St. Leger Aida looks rather rough, but healthy withal. Mr Bradley has also a bay four-year-old gelding in band, and he should prove a very useful customer. He is by Castor from Rose of Wellington, the dam of that good hore, True Blue.

The names of South Pacific and Nor - West appear in the. list of Grand National Hurdle candidates at the forthcoming C.J.C. Steeplechase Meeting, whilst Nor’-West and the evergreen Magpie appear in the Grand National and Beaufort Steeplechases at the same meeting. The ancient Liberator also figures amongst the list of entries. On Friday last, at Messrs Buckland and Sons’ Haymarket Sale Yards, the well-known racing filly Hermosa, was submitted to public auction. There was a large attendance of turfy men, but the biddingfor the two-year old daughter of St. ' Leger and Lady Evelyn was not very brisk. Starting at 100 guineas, the A.R.C. Champagne Stakes winner went by fits and starts to 190 guineas, st which price she was knocked down to Mr D. Stewart, the owner of the late A.R.C. Derby winner, St. Crispin. Hermosa returns to Mr F. Macmanemin’s stable as Ellerslie.

Very fair entries have been received for the leading events of the New Zealand Grand National Meeting. The total for the Grand National Steeplechase is thirty-one, and the most Noticeable absentees are Levanter and Mutiny, who played a prominent part in the race last year The North Island has a pretty strong A hand. Auckland will be represented by Magpie, The Sinner, Nor’-West, and Reindeer. There are forty-seven in the Grand National Hurdles but Auckland is indifferently represented.

Funny stories seem all the rage just now in sporting circles. Here is one more to the list. A_t the recent A.R.C. Autumn Meeting the wellknown Ellerslie trainer, Mr J. C.. Booth, had two entries in the different pony events, to wit, Fair Nell and Dot. The former was entered as being by Cap-a pie—Fishplate and the latter as pedigree unknown. Two Maori sportsmen were conversing together as the probable winner, each ■ being determined to back the nomination of Mr “ Booze,” as they termed the giant trainer, but were in doubt as to which was the better of the twain Colored punter No. 1 favored the chances of Fair Nell, whilst his chum favored the prospects of Dot, aud matters were at a standstill. Punter No. 1, however, was not to be beaten, as he exclaimed, “ Dot no chance, no chance ; why, she have no ‘fader’ and no ' mudder.’” That settled the business, and Fair Nell was accordingly backed, with the result already known —Miss Rose won easily.

At last the cat is out of the bag. When the astute Isaac Foulsham purchased the Hotchkiss Frailty colt, at the Wellington Park sale, it was generally given out that Mr S. Fairbairn was the lucky purchaser. Shortly afterwards there was another good sport mentioned as the owner of the colt, and this was Dr. Fitzgerald, who races under the name of “ Mr T. Naghten.” It turns out, however, by the lists of entries for the classic events of Australia, that the owner of the son of Hotchkiss and Frailty is none other than Mr William Sayers, a former member of the “ magic circle,” and also host of the well-known Bull and Mouth Hotel, Bourke Street, Melbourne, and who is also known as one of the best pigeon shots south of the line. Mr Sayers ha,s in his time owned some good ones, such as AVild Rose, Gar- ■ con, etc., and as he is one of the straightest of ’straight goers, his return to the Turf will be hailed with delight by Australian sportsmen. ',■■■ Frailty’s son has, by the way, been named Lancaster. The Wellington Park-bred youngster by Hotchkiss from Lady Cureton, which was purchased by Mr Isaac Foulsham at the last sale, appears in the Australian classic entry lists as Mr G. Aaron’s property, and the name of Lord Cureton has been bestowed upon the young ans- ;• tocrat The name of Ideal has been conferred upon the St. Leger—Bianca filly, which was also ‘ Purchased by the Caulfield trainer at Mr Mornn s sale. This highly-bred fillyappears in the nomination of Mr K. Maurice, who, like Mr Aarons, ie a new aspirant to racing fame. Australian studmasters are thus early on the ■ warpath as Mr R. H. Dangar, of Neotsfield, N S W ’announces that his stallions, Gibraltar ; and Positano (imp.) are at the service of the '-hnblic during the coming season. The fee for I the imported horse (by St. Simon—Ponza) is whilst Gibraltar (by Grandmaster —Alge-

Racing men generally and most all Australian athletes will regret to hear that Mr David Stewart, of football and racing renown, re cently met with an accident at the Thames through t he capsizing of a cab. The international football represent a tive of 1888-89 came out badly in the capsize, and on Saturday last was only able to get about on crutches. The owner of the last A.R.C. Derby winner (St. Crispin) has the sympathy of the athletic world in his misfortune.

Mr H. Franks, private trainer to the Hon. H. Mosman, has a number of youngsters in hand just now at his Green Lane stables, and amongst these is a full-sister to Mr S. Bradley’s old favorite, Impulse. The daughter of St. Leger— Aida is said to be very promising.

Mr Tbos. Morrin anticipates that his famous brood mare, Frailty, will foal on or about August 10. The old daughter of Goldsbrough and Flora Mclvor visited Hotchkiss last season. Most all old New Zealanders will remember the cross-country jockey, Rhoddy Mclvor, who in his day ranked amongst the “ first flighters.” Latterly Mclvor has resided in West Australia, where he acts as private trainer tq Mr C. N. Kidman. Last month he brought some of Mr Kidman’s horses to Adelaide, amongst them being the jumper Gold and Black. The Steeplechase at the Birthday Meeting of the “ Holy City was thought to be at the mercy of the West Australian “ lepper,” but some miscreant wished it to be otherwise, and so forced an entrance to the horse’s box, and then struck the poor brute with some blunt instrument over the eye. The blow was such a severe one that Gold and Black lost the eye altogether. Although, as may be supposed, he seemed in great pain, be came out for the race in question-, and never making the semblance of a mistake, won easily, amidst the ringing cheers of the crowd, which, even in the City of Chu'rches, dearly loves a good horse. The police have the matter in hand. September 12 has been fixed for the sale of the Hobartville Stud, and for the convenience of buyers the celebrated Newmarket stables of Mr Tom Payten have been secured for the occasion. The mares number fifty, and of stallions there are three, viz.:—Far Niente (imp.), by Galliard from Lotus, by Doncaster ; Trapeze (imp.), by Trapeze (son of Hermit) from Meloria (imp.) ; and the colonial-bred Stormlight, by Splendor (imp.) from Bengal Light (imp.). Glenloth, winner of the Melbourne Cup in 1892, is said to have furnished into one of the best specimens of the thoroughbred in Australia. He is a stoutly built horse, and has proved a sure foal-getter, vet, according to a Melbourne writer, such is the” state of breeding in Victoria that Carmody cannot find a buyer for the splendidlyproportioned son of Glenmarkie, although the price asked is a very reasonable one. Sydney Truth thus comments on the tariff charged to racegoers : —Why is it tha racegoers are looked upon as fair game for lots of lam bing down ? And why is it that racegoers submit to the fleecing ? Unless, like the eels, they are so accustomed to be skinned they would feel lonely without it. To goto Randwick with Mrs Punter costs Mr Punter a nice dry bit before he has had a wet even. Say he takes eighteen-penn’orih of all sorts in the tram for self and partner, then there is the sum of 2s for books, 2s for outer gate, and 15s for paddock ditto ; total, so far, £1 Is 6d. Mrs P. will certainly want something in the way of oats and liquids, and even if she is content with only sandwiches and a bottle of stout, away goes another 2s; and then Punter possibly takes a little whiskey for the stomach’s, sake and that menns about 2s 6d more. Also Mrs P. doubtless can do with a soder and something else later on, sav another “ robertgrand total, £1 7s. It is too much altogether, and certain things want reducing badly. For instance, there is the iniquitous and initial shilling at the outer gate. Wben a man planks down his half sov. for the paddock he has done a fair thing, and therefore tbat bob wants lopping off at once. More especially as the fight and struggle at the infantile and absolutely idiotic change window is enough t<» sour a man’s temper for the whole day. But the ’orty retired pig-butchers and publicans, who are “ membahs ” of the A.J.C., do not have to part that bob, and so never have to struggle for change. Doubtless if they had to do so they would not kick. On second thoughts, I do not suppose they would mind the struggling; it would freshen up their good old memories of Saturday night crushes at Paddy’s Market. Next item on the ought to-be-retrenched list is the price of beer etc. Why should a flattist part 6d for a glass of soap suddy gingerbeer or sickly tanglefoot ? And why should a proud paddockite have to fork out 2s for a bottle of stout he can get retail at IOJ-d in town ? Why also should he be supplied with sandwiches that are kept fresh by the simple process of swamping them with water ? And why should he have to pay for them at about the rate of 35s per lb for ham and 7s 6d per loa.f of bread? A a for the mustard, presumably this valuable condiment cost the caterer about 15s an ounce. These are the little incongruities which help to make the day unpleasant. They are also the things one need not expect autocratic and aristocratic club officials to see to. The catering rights are sold, and that is all the club cares. Damn the public ! Let ’em part whatever the caterer can make them.

The English horse Soliman is instanced as another proof of the success to be obtained from combining Musket and St. Simon blood, the efficacy of which has already been shown by La Fleche and Memoir, and is being further demonstrated in Australia through Bobadil and that promising three-year-old, Reliance, from the St. Simon mare Elsie. The Special Commissioner says this is the cross to follow, if breeders are sufficiently far-seeing, for Carbine, Trenton, and Carnage have foals this year trom mares of Galopin and St. Simon blood, some of which cannot fail to win great distinction.

The nucleus of a fortune as a “ Reward fob Skill.” See our page 20.

In connection with the demand for Australianbred horses in England and on the Continent, and the good results to be derived from the importations of fresh blood, the “ Special Commissioner” of the Sportsman (Eng.) gives the views of a well-known Transatlantic breeder and sportsmau as under : —“ In an interesting conversation which I had with Mr Lorillard, he fully agreed as to the palpable excellence of Newhaven 11., and exactly expressed my own ideas as to climatic influences in the breeding of racehorses. ‘No farmer,’ said he, ‘ would dream of growing wheat year after year from seed raised on the same land, and it is the same with potatoes or any other products of the soil. You want climatic change in these things, and so it is with horses. You do right to bring Australian horses here. They are sure to improve your stock.’ 1 havfi not the slightest doubt that it is change of climate which makes a horse that has been a stud failure in England succeed when he goes to America or elsewhere, and, as I have often said, if the Duke of Westminster would give old Ben d’Or a change he would even yet sire a second Ormond. Were Ben d’Or mine, I would let him spend next season at a good stud in Ireland.”

Chamant, half-brother te Rayon d’Or, who recently died at the Prussian Royal Stud at Graditz, was one of the best racehorses of his day, and was also a most successful sire. Chamant, who was bred in 1874 by the late Mr Lefevre, was by MNrtemer, darn Auracaria, and raced in England in the colors of Count Lagrange. As a two-year-old, Chamant won both the Middle Park Plate and the Dewhurst Plate, and in 1877 won the Two Thousand Guineas in a canter. Chamant was started in the Derby, but he might just as well have been kept in his stable, for he was palpably lame, and never ran again. A few years afterwards he was purchased by Count Lehndorff for the Prussian Government for £5,000, whicn was considered a small price. The horse’s stock gave won about £200,000 in Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

Trickery at the scales is not a common turf offence, but there are cases of this sort in the books, and some of a rather curious character. London Sportsman revives one, the moral of which has a local application. It relates to the disqualification of Sir Joseph Hawley’s Blue Gown for the Doncaster Champagne Stakes, on account of his jockey, Wells, carrying too much weight. No longer the “tiny” Wells of earler days, the famous horseman was in the autumn of 1867 putting on flesh rapidly, and instead of trying to get down to the weight by wasting, he trusted to his ingenuity ;o pass the scale all right, and had previously succeeded, probably on numerous occasions, in escaping detection. At Doncaster, however, he was bowled out by a jockey named Doyle, who bore him a grudge, and was pretty well aware that he was overweight. Doyle mentioned his suspicions before the race to James Watson, the trainer of Virtue, who finished second, and they adjourned to the weighing room when Blue Gown had passed the post in front of Virtue. On Wells weighing in he leant back in the scales, but managed to keep one toe on the ground, just contriving to draw the weight nicely. Before Mr Manning could pass him, however, Doyle said, “ Mr Watson, the trainer of Virtue, obje< ts to Blue Gown, on the ground that his jockev carried overweight.” “ Put in the extra 21b,” said MrManningto the attendant, and Doyle chimed in, pointing to one of the stirrup irons which Wells had dropped on getting into the scale. “ Put all the weight in, Mr Wells, and take your toe off the ground.” Thus publicly adjured, Wells had no alternative but to comply, with the result that down with a bump went his side of the scale. Mr J. Watson then came in and claimed the race for Mr Holmes, the owner of Virtue, but as Sir Joseph Hawley was looking on, Mr Manning was puzzled what to do, and kept Wells in the scale, sending a messenger at the same time for Admiral Rous. “ The time that elapsed,” sajs one authentic account of the scene, “ before the Admiral was found must have seemed like an age to Wells, who sat there perspiring at ever pore, the moisture running down his face so copiously that a facetious bookmaker remarked, ‘ If they’ll only let him stay in the scale a little longer he’ll sweat the extra weight off.’ ” When the Admiral arrived Blue Gown was promptly disqualified. Sir Joseph , Hawley was naturally much incensed at Wells’ stupid and compromising conduct, but he soon forgave his favorite jockey.

An idea of how bookmakers bet on some j& rench racecourses is given by Mr J. Cohen, a Melbourne bookmaker, who visited a meeting at Auteuil. He says the bookies bet in thousands. The fielders bet under a large kiosk. They won’t take cash of any description ; all their betting is on the nod. “ I wanted to put a tenner on something that lost, and I could not get a fielder to take it. I walked up to an English bookmaker and asked him ‘ What price Bonsoir ? ’ He never offered me any price; he told me, not knowing me, he could not do so. But if I liked to get an introduction, he would do business with me to any extent. I don’t know whether he took me for a detective, but I certainly ‘ got the needle ’ with him. The books don’t call out the odds — they do all the business in a whisper. They only have about twelve bets on a race, and I tell you that they lay some very big wagers, and they lay very short prices. I saw Billy Wright betting. He is about the biggest bookmaker in Paris, He pays a visit to Australia every winter, so it will give you an idea what sort of a game the French fieldershave. The bookmakers in rance are. all wealthy men. They tell me they like betting against the totalizator. They never lay more than about three horses in a race. If one of the punters wants to back a rough one, they advise him to back it on t he totalizator, as he will get longer odds.”

Whernside, the best ’chaser racing on the other side, was allotted 14.5 in a steeplechase at Flemington the other day

The West Australian Turf Club is in a very healthy way. Its assets over liabilities reach the handsome sum of £61,089. Every meeting held in the year, have the autumn gathering, yielded a profit, and the club has placed to its credit £5019 10s 3d after paying all expenses, including salaries, as the result of the year’s racing.

Writing on the subject of stipendiary stewards, “ Mazeppa,” in the Otago Witness, states : —I am satisfied that if such a system could be adopted in New Zealand it would save a lot of bother and worry, lead to the furtherance of the ends of justice, and make racing brighter and pleasanter all round. And though the appointing of stipendiaries would mean a considerable outlay, there would be some compensation. It is now declared optional to carry every protest to appeal. This appeal business is very expensive, and if finality in regard to stewards’ decisions could be made reasonably secure by making it tolerably certain that the” decisions would be so sound as to be invulnerable against appeal, a larg • part of the expense of maintaining a stipendiary staff would be saved. Still, I am' very sorry to say that I cannot think out a scheme that would not entail too great an expense. The Australasian argues for three salaried men to do the work on all courses, and probably at least two would be necessary in order to command confidence. Three, indeed, would be better. But none of our clubs can afford to stand such an expense by itself, and if, say, we had ttiree for Otago, three for Canterbury, and so on, these men could not overtake all the work on public holidays, such as Boxing Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter, when in each district several race meetings are customarily held. The only plan that seems to me at all possible wouid be for the Racing Conference to appoint a staff of licensed stipendiaries and tell them off, say, a week beforehand to the particular meetings they are supposed to attend, and when there are two or three meetings in one district on a certain day to send, say, one of, the regulars to act as chairman with a couple of assistants ; said assistants to be a reserve corps of suitable men to be called upon only in an emergency and paid simply for the work they do. I don’t like this idea very much, but it seems to me the only possibility if we are to have the system so strongly argued for. Perhaps somebody else can tell us how to get over the difficulty. I for one am pretty well full up of the honorary steward system. The betting steward is an anomaly, and is doomed to go sooner or later. Yet we cannot as yet dispense with his services, for reasons often given in these columns. One of these is that if you put the betting steward on one side you leave the business in many cases to the stewards who know the least about racing. Besides, it would be unsafe to have a hard andfast rule disqualifying a man for stewardship because he occasionally bets. The man who now and again puts a sovereign on may be far more reliable than another steward who never bets himself, but has a chum or a brother that does. 1 am afraid we cannot do without the betting steward at present. But I for one shall be very pleased when the stipendiaries get to work to the exclusion of not oply the bettors, but also the invertebrate and the lazy and mere holiday-making steward. Is not this a fair subject for consideration by the Conference ?

Messrs James Beckett and J. C. Booth' took their departure for Australia by the steamship Waihora on Monday last, and were accompanied by the racehorses Levanter, Rex, Lady Marion, and a chestnut colt by St. Leger —Bangle, it is not Mr Beckett’s intention to pay up in connection with the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race or Steeplechase, as both he and the trainer consider the son of - Captivator harshly treated, but in the other events for which he is already entered, and alsb for the events of the V.A.T.C. National Meeting, the gallant old pet of “ Jack Rae may be found competing. Levanter was sent on board in great fig, and although he had, perhaps, not as mueh belly as when he was in the hands of Kae, he was not what could be called light. He has any amount of condition on him, and if only the Waihora has a good passage he should soon be ready for the battle after landing in Sydney. Rex is in blooming health, and Lady Marion was never better, while the chestnut colt by St. Leger —Bangle is u likely-looking customer. Surely one of the quartette should make a name on the other side. “ Major Katterns was also a passenger by the Waihora, and he will act as the pilot of Levanter in all his engagements, while Joe Gallagher will probably steer Rex.

A and B are provincial owners and neighbors (writes “Javelin”), and at a meeting in their district, where each had a horse engaged in the one race, B played off an old “ take down on A, giving the latter a fiver to put on with A’s commission, as he “didn’t fancy his own chance,” in fact, he was only going to “ have a gallop.” It proved to be a pretty good one, as B’s prad won and landed his owner £3OO to £3O, while A, who ran second, dropped £lBO, which had gone on at an average of only a shade over 2to 1. Of course, they ceased to be “ cousins,” despite B’s protestation that he “ hadn’t won a bean,” and was never so surprised in his life, etc. Later on, very recently, in fact, those two owners met again, at a more important meeting, and with an advantage in weights, A, whose nag had “ come on,” and given him a splendid trial, went for a fairish “ pot,” and after a ding-dong finish beat B by a neck. A’s delight at “ getting even on the was expressed in such violent terms that he had to be called to order, but apologetically explained that such sweet revenge was enough to make anybody forget himself. If you have ever dropped across a man who has just missed the second leg of a double by a head I need not attempt to describe the expression on A’s face when the stewards, after considering a protest for boring, informed him that they had disqualified his horse and awarded the race to B.

“ The Three Cups !” —Pick the three winners and win £lOO. See the last page of this issue. ■

All who know him will regret to hear of Mr ’ Martin Taylor's illness. On the subject, Carbine,” in the Weekly Budget, writes : —“ 1 made enquiries regarding the health of Martin Taylor ’in Christchurch, and regret to state that he is still very ill, which, no doubt, has been caused by nervous excitement through the unnecessarily severe treatment threatened him by the local Stipendiary Magistrate. There is great hope, 'howeV'T, that the genial old Martin will not, on the appeal, have to undergo such an infliction. 'Public opinion in Christchurch is decidedly in ■ sympathy with him.” Warrior, who won a hurdle race at Williamstown recently, is truly an old warrior. . He is seventeen years old, and has been racing for fifteen years. At one time he was a grey; he is qeite white now. The little old horse —he is scarcely fifteen hands high —was in the timbertopping business long before some of his Williamstown opponents were born, but the veteran defied the lot of them. The mac who at Moonee Valley said that the “ grey colt” is improving was quite right, for he is now probably a better horse than ever he has previously been during his long career. With another year or two on him, and 'the extra “schooling,” Warrior might reach National class yet. ■’ ? How much the Australasian turf owes to Mus" ket has frequently been remarked upon (states “ Reginald ” in the Melbourne Sportsman) but probably never properly estimated. A glance ■through the list of’entries for the Melbonrne Onp yields further convincing testimony of the value of the blood. Of the total number of horses deemed worthy of a nomination in the great race, over fifty descend, on one side or the other, from Musket. His sons, Carbine and Trenton, have about forty representatives between . them, and the credit of the other half-score or so is due to various male and female members of the great family. Industry, for instance, is responsible for no less than three herself, viz., Gaulus, The .Grafter, and Gauleon, all full brothers. Last year the Musket tribe was first, second, third, and fourth in the Melbourne Cup, and some of the places are not unlikely to go to the same family again next November. That the stalwart Ellerslie trainer, John C. Booth, has a lot of friends was pleasantly made .manifest on Saturday night, when a large party assembled at the Ellerslie Hotel to wish good-bye ■ to” him on the eve of fliis departure to Australia with Levanter, Rex, Lady Marion, aud an unnamed chestnut colt. Mr J. G. Ralph, who has been a lojal patron of Mr Booth’s stable, occupied the chair, and in a pleasant speech referred ■to the esteem in which Mr Booth is held. He presented Mr Booth, on behalf of friends, with a gold sovereign case of very pretty design, the sovereign clasp being a gold horseshoe, and ■ appropriately terminated his speech by proposing the toast of the departing trainer, who was wished the best of luck on the other side. Mr Booth suitably acknowledged the compliment, and afterwards a happy evening was enjoyed by the company in the snug parlour of the Ellerslie, the re-building of which has just been completed, the building being a credit to the place. ■ j ■ . * - v It will be seen from the remarks of our Canterbury correspondent anent the Grand National Hurdle and Grand National Steeplechase that the C.J.C. owes a lot to the hearty manner in which North Island owners have entered horses for the big jumping events. It is significant that this increase in the number of entries follows on the appearance of an advertisement from the C.J.C. in the Spouting Review. Messrs E. W. Alison and H. H. Hayr have been appointed to represent the Auckland Country Clubs at the forthcoming Conference. There is a rumor in circulation that Mr S. Hordern will resume racing at no distant date, but I (“‘Umpire” in the Sydney Referee) believe the only foundation for it is that several horses have been nominated in his name. As a breeder he will nominate yearlings, for instance, and he is also the nominator of several that are leased or will be leased.. Mr Tom Payten has leased on bis own behalf Miss West and the colt by Abercorn from Tempe, and others of Mr Hordern’s have been placed already under the same conditions in other stables. ■ —

■ vj At the Opera House, on Friday and Saturday evening, July 1 and 2, the Auckland “ Society” ’i Amateurs will give performances of the religious and moral drama, “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” The ■ drama Will be produced under the supervision of I Miss Hettie Howarde, who has a strong cast for the play. Mr E. 8. Fort will play Uncle Tom, and Little Addie Lorking will take the part of Eva, and they will be supported by several welh known amateurs. Some new plantation songs ?'■ ' will be introduced, and, backed up by an excellent chorus and efficient orchestra, this latest repre- . ' Mutation of “ Uncle Tom’s Cabin” should meet I with hearty support. Popular prices will be ’- charged, and, on the Saturday afternoon, there L/' will be a matinee. The box plan is now open at (V? Wildman and Lyell’s. ‘This entries for the Suburban Poultry Club’s Show closed on Monday. The number is given as 702, which, as the show is for poultry alone, | ■ must come pretty near the record. Several Aus-tralian-bred birds will be in the various classes, , some of them having been recently brought over in view of thq forthcoming show. The local birds y> to be exhibited are of good quality, and we hear / ; that several of the classes will be exceptionally | strong. In Pekin ducks there will be plenty of , competition, more especially in the young classes. The show all round promises to be a most successful one. The Art Union prizes, which are on <'view at the Viking Wheel Company’s offices in J- .Queen Street, are well worth inspection, and as a ;.;■ chance of winning one of them is included in the »( admission fee to the show, the tickets should sell