SHIPPING.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

ARBIVALS. r>«lla Mary, barque, 271 tons, from flobart Town.

The John Perm will nol sail till Saturday evening, the 4th-of February.

COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star Office,

Friday afternoon,

Messrs. Arthur and Son's sale of produce to day was well attended, the followi g prices were realised : —Apples, Id to l£d per lb. ; pears, Id to ljd per lb.; onions, I.d per lb. Messrs. B. Tonks and Co. sold by auction to-f'ay, Bay o' Islands pears at Id per lb. A very t xtensive sale of household furni ture, horses, &c, was held by Messrs. '■ amuel Cochrane and fon on Wednesday *nd Thurs day, Ist and 2nd instont, nt the residence of George Clarkson, Esq., Remuera. Considering the pressure of times, the sale was a remark ably good one, and well attended. Wo append a few of the prices realised, viz.: —Walnut pianoforte, £45 ; drawingroom suit?, £25 10s ; cheffonier, £8 15s; timepiece aud shade, £8 lOs ; Brussels carpel s, £4 2s, £4, and £3 3s ; Davenports, £6 Is 10d and 5£ ; Canterbury, £3 12s 6d ; kerosene lamp, £2 7s 6d; gilt mirror (small), £5 ; water colours, 24s to £1 15s each ; curtains, cornice, &c., £2 to £3 2s 6d per set; Venetian blinds, 10s to £1 each ; dessert service, £2 7s 6d ; tea and coffee services, £4; music box, £8 12s; mahogany chairs, 30s to 33s each; mahogany couches, £6 and £5 10s each; easy chairs, £2 10s to £5 each ; arm choir, ±'3 ss; dining table, £7; sideboard, £6153; plated tea and coffee sets, £3 17s 6d and £4; camera and photo graphic requisites, £6 ; book case and cheffo nier, £10 ; walnut chairs, 20s each ; mahogany bedstead and curtains, £9 ; Bpring mattresses, £3 to £3 10s each ; blankets, 20s to 243 per pair; feather pillows, Is 6d per lb. ; ward robe, £15 10s ; mottled kauri chest drawers, £11 ; drefsing tables (marble tops), £3 7s 6d to £5 5s each ; toilet glasses, ditto, £3 15s; washstands, ditto, £2 12s 6d to £5 each ; wool worked chdr, £3 2s 6d; mangle, £5 ss; sewing machine, £12; bedsteads, £3 7s 6d, £2 15s, and £1 12s 6d each ; cedar cbest drawers, £4 5s &c.; and the Btock, &c, was sold off the second day, as follows : One pair ponies, b-jggy, and harness, £65 ; one pair horses, £21 ; pony, £14 ; cart horse, £4; cow, £14 10s; spring cart, £14 15s ; buggy, £50; saddles, £3 10s each; side saddles, £7 ss, £3 17s Gd, £4 7s 6d, and £5 2s Gd ; bridles, Bs, £1 4s, £l 7s, and £1 lis each; other articles at equally satisfactory prices.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE.

Mail, will close as under :—

For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p.m., and to-

morrow, at 10 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. For Tauranga, via Thames, this day, at 5.30

p.m., and to-morrow, at 2.30 p.m. Tor Russell ar.d Kawakawa,, per Sea Breeze,

to-morrow, at 9 a.m. For Mahurangi, &c, per Lady Bowen, to-

morrow, at 10 a.m. For Tauranga and Opotiki, per Go-Ahead, to-

morrow, at 11.30 a.m. For Sydney and the Australian Colonies, per John Perm, to-morrow, 4th instant, at 3 p.m. Late letters for Sydney >md Mel bourne, bearing a fee of threepence, in addition to the postage, will be received till 3.80 p.m. For C'uri mandel, Driving Creek, and Tiki, per Lalla Kookh, on Monday, 6th instant, at 9.30 a.m. Mails for the undermentioned places, per Wonga Wonga, will cloße at this office, on Tuesday, 7th instant, as under : - For Sandwich Islands, Rritish Columbia, United States of America. British, Central, and South America, British and Foreign West Indies, and Continent of Europe, via England, at 1 p.m. JV>r Uniteii Kingdom, via San Francisco, at 1.30 p.m. For money orders, registered, letters, and newspapers, at 11 a.m. Late letters for the United States of America and United Kingdom, bearing a late fee of sn pence in addition to tho postage, will be received at this office till 1.30 p.m., and by the mail agent on board the Bteamer up to time of sailing. S. B. Biss, Chief Postmaster.

POLICE COURT.

The following is the rota for attendance of Magistrates at the Police Court for the week ending Saturday, February 4, 1871: — Saturday. February 4: Messrs. H. Gilfillan and W. A: Graham.

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1871.

Mb. Kerb, doubtless with the spirit of an old soldier, does not take kindly to defeat. But it is not inconsistent with the true military spirit to observe the courtesies of chivalry towards the conqueror ; and Mr. Kerr would have assumed a more becoming attitude had he cheerfully bowed to fate and held out the hand of friendship to the elect of Eden. It is strange that a gentle man of his experience should call in question any means that may have been taken to secure an election, knowing, as he must, that " everything is fair in love, politics, and war." He ■hould know that were his allegations correct, the acts of which he complains are among the recognised tactics of politicai strategy ; and theit success ful accomplishment is among the triumphs of the campaign. "He said that Mr. Creighton, after getting a hundred votes, made desperate exer tions." But this was only bringing up the reserves. In fact it was, " Up Guards, and at them." " His convey ances at Onehunga were used by the

other side" ; but ibis was only turn ing his guns. '* There were a number ,of electors sent back," but this was only a diversion, by which a contin gent was prevented from effecting a junction with the main forces. " One of bis 'busmen bad told him that he was made tipsy by the opposite party." But this was only an ambush by which a portion of his baggage-waggons was cut off, and the officer m charge made hors de combat. We do not really see, of what Mr. Kerr complains, nor should we now allude to the late election were it not that he has questioned our neu trality, and charged us with having lent our thunder to the hand of Mr. Creighton. Iv fear of another Alabama claim, we hasten to assure the late member for the Pensioner Settlements that we have observed a scrupulous neutrality, except in expressing our warm sympathy with hia opponent, which not even the strict neutrality of Britain in the Franco-Prussian strug gle includes among the contraband of war. "We beg to assure Mr. Kerr that Mr Creighton had nothing whatever to do with the article in the Evening- Star, of which he complained at New market, and that it was written by the same hand that now pens this remon strance. We claim to ourselves the free expression of our convictions. And we are sure that even Mr. Kerr him self cannot think that he is in any sense equal to Mr. Creighton as a re presentative. He has not Mr. Creigh ton's knowledge of public questions, his powers of debate, his influence, or any of his other qualities that make up the material of a good legislator. And though we have no doubt he is a good soldier, and all honor to the brave! yet in these times of piping peace we don't want a representative to shoulder arms iv the House of Re presentatives. It was by considera tions of this kind that our mind was swayed. And though we hardly ex pected that our shrapnel should have burst so far away as Eden, it was this that prompted us to fire the random shot that has moved the ire of Mr. Kerr.

At the nomination of the City West to-1 day, as will be seen from another column, I the Superintendent has had the show of hands. There is every likelihood that the declaration of the poll will place the candi dates in the order shown to-day. Whatever may be the result, we have no hesitation in saving that the demeanour of every can didate, and his courtesy in conflict, were in the highest degree honourable to them selves, and worthy of their position, in soliciting the suffrage of such an important constituency. And it is to be hoped that no intemperate zeal in supporters and partisans will disturb the entente cordiale till the con clusion of the contest. We are informed by Captain Mundle that the leg of a man was found on the beach at Wangarei on Monday last. It is supposed that some person while in the act of bathing has been caught by a shark and eaten, all except the leg. The limb had apparently been in the water only a few hours. It has not yet been decided who is the winner of the yacht race at the regatta. As soon as tbe Foam returns to port, the various yachts will be measured, and prizes handed over to the owners of the winning boats. We are glad to learn that the girl Kelly, aboUt whose disappearance there has been considerable anxiety, has been found, and re stored to her parents. *-he yesterday morning went to the Refuge at Port Britotnart, where she was at once identified, and handed over to the police, by whom she was restored to her parents. The Regatta Committee met at the Club room, Thames hotet, last evening, at five o'clock, for the purpose of passing accounts, &c. A final meeting wi 1 be held in a few days, when the accounts for the year will be audited. We understand that application will be made by the Choral Society for the use of the Ball-room at the back of Government House, for the purpose of giving performances, until such time as the Music Hall shall be re built. T. B. Gillies, Esq., will address tbe electors of City West at 8 o'clock this evening, at the brick school-house, corner of Vincent and Hobson-streets. The son of Mr. Self, the late London magis trate, talks about going out to settle in New Zealand. A jury was summoned yesterday to attend at tbe Swan Inn, to enquire into the origin of the late fire, but in consequence of the un avoidable absence of the Coroner, the inquest was adjourned to a future day. A reward cf £300 is offered for the con viction of the person or persons concerned in setting fire to the ship City of Auckland.

The Committee of the Ladies' Benevolent Society request through our columns to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of the sum of £6 6s. 6d. from the Treasurer of the Wellesley-street Baptist Church 5 also £1 from F. Battley, Esq.

An innkeeper • observed a postillion with only one spur, and inquired the reason. " Why, what would be the use of another ?" said the postillion ; " if one side of the horse goes tne other cannot stand still."

An Old Saw Shabpened.—Some one has applied the old Latin motto" Moras nonnumero nisi serenas," to Mr. Greeley, by making it read, '* Horace is of no ac. ount, except when serene," which, by the by, he never is. " Teems — Cash." — Lady Bountiful— " Here, my good man, here's a ticket, for the (Organizing Charitable Relief and Repressing Mcdi —" Professional Beggar (with a jsneer)—" O, thanky for nothing, Mum. Hours is a ready money business!"

ARRIVAL OF THE 'BELLA MARY.'

The regular trade Bella Mary arrived in harbour this afternoon from Uobart Town, bringing a cargo of fruit and other produce.

DIVIDENDS.

The following dividends' have been declared : —Caledonian Company, £2 per share ; Investment Society, 7s 6d.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Friday.

[Before Thomas Beokham, Esq., District Judge.] Judgment fob Plaintiffs.—Thos. Baker v. Albert Bruce, £7 155., for goods ; William Bacon v. William Jones, unsatisfied judgment, warrant ordered to issue ; John Kelly v. Geo. Dunnett, claim £4 17s. ; Carey, Gillies, and Hunter v. H. George and Co., £14 135., balance of account; J. E. Brown v. J. B. Ormond, £1 16s. ; Fraser v. J. Witty, £7 155.; Eustace v. C. Turner, £2 19s. Id.; North Island Gold Mining Company v. Burtt, £5, calls ; judgment held over from last week. Adjoubned Case. — Emery George v. Michael Fitzgerald. defended cases. James Pugh v. Mabtin McDebmott. — Mr. Wynn for the plaintiff, Mr. Brookfield for the defendant. —After some discussion the case was withdrawn. D. Abthub v. Aeneil. —Claim £4 10a. This was a claim for rent. The plaintiff had not the fee, and the case was about to be ad journed when the defendant agreed to pay the fee. —Mr. Wynn for tho plaintiff. Mr. Sheehan for the defendant. —After some dis cussion, the case was adjourned till next Court day. KisSLING V. Pabkeb. —Claim £5 55., for professional services.—Mr. Brookfield for the plaintiff. rlhe plaintiff deposed that in 1869 he defended the defendant at Papakura, where he was charged with sheep-stealing by a man named Sturgeon. Defendant was then discharged.—The defence was that the plain titf was not employed by defendant.—Judg ment for plaintiff. A. Ckapp V. Kelly.—Claim £2 Bs, for rent.—The defence was that the premises were occupied by other persons during the time for which he was charged.—Judgment for plaintiff. This was all the business and the Court adjourned.

POLICE COURT.-Friday.

(Before J. Dilworth, Dr. Home, and H. D. Morpeth, Esqs., Justices.)' Deunkabds. —Eliza Price, W. Swanson, Dennis Coffey, Mary Smith, and John McGregor were each fined 5s and costs, or to be imprisoned for 48 hours. Absconding- Appbentice. — A youth named Robert Moore was brought up on bail n a chorge of absconding from his employer, John Quiu. —Mr. Wynn (for Mr. Joy) ap. peared for the defendant, and Mr. J fi. liussell for the complainant. —Some con siderable time was taken up in addressing the Bench by Messrs. Russell and Wynn—ln answer to a question from the Bench, pri soner said he would return to his employer and fulfil the term of his apprenticeship.—Mr. Russell applied for costs, but the Bench de cline :'. Laecenst. —Charles Foster was charged by Charles Walsh with stealing a boat, oars, &c, from the Wynyard pier, valued at £11 ss.— The prosecutor deposed to seeing the prisoner lake the boat away on Monday, and to the identification of the boat alter it was recovered by the police.— George Jackson Btatod that the prisoner came over to Rangatoto at 6 o'clock on Monday and remained till Wednes day. Finding that be was not in a proper, state of mind I brought him over to the North Shore, and gave him up to the police. —Constable Currigaii deposed to taking ihe man into custody. — The pri.-oner suid that he had no intention of stealing the boat, ft was regatta day, and seeing everyoody enjoying themselves, he simply took the boat and went for a s-aih—The complainant said the boat was provisioned for three days, but believing the man had no intention of stealing it, he did not wish to press the charge.—The case was accordingly dismissed.

Bheaoh of the Municipal Police Act.— Douglas Duff, a driver, was charged with a breach of the above Act.—Two constables gave evidence stating that the horses were very sore and not in a fit state for hire. They were after wards subjected to a cross examination by the defendant, when it was shown that there was but very little tho matter with the horses. The charge was withdrawn.

THE VOLUNTEERS.

The usual monthly parade of tho Auckland Rifle Volunteers took place last night, under the command of Major Gordon, who put the men through a more than usually severe course of drill. After the inspection, the prizes lately won by the men of No. 3 Company were presented by the Major, who took the oppor tunity at the same time of giving the men some useful hints on the subjecc of firing. The battalion prize firing will take place at the end of the month.

ELECTION MATTERS.

Mr. Gillies addressed a large meeting of electors at the Mechanics' Institute yester day evening, and will address the electors this evening at the schoolrom, corner of Hobson and Vincent streets. The declaration of the poll for tho district of Eden took place at the Newmarket toll bar yesterday afternoon. Tho succcssf:il aud defeated candidates were both present, and addressed the electors.

THE ELECTIONS

CITY WEST NOMINATION

THIS DAY

The nomination of candidates for the representation of City West in the Ge neral Assembly took place at noon, at the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association in Welle.ley-street. There was a large number of electors present, aDd great interest was manifested in the proceedings. One of the lower windows of the building served as hustings, from which the various speakers addressed the crowd without in Albert-street. The Returning Officer (Colonel Balneavis) read the writ, and called on those present to propose candidates. Mr. Allen O'Neill proposed, and Captain Casey seconded, the nomination of Mr. Dignan. Mr. A. Black proposed, and Mr. Swanson se conded, the nomination of Mr. John Williamson. Captain Daldy proposed, and Mr. Atkyn seconded, the nomination of Mr. T. B. Gillies. After the nomina tion of candidates Mr. Dignan addressed the electors, referring at some length to his action in tbe last Parliament, as a supporter of the present Ministry, and their policy, and put through the usual catechism as to the Civil Service, Native Department, Honorarium, Hansard, and various otber subjects of more or less general interest. Mr. John Williamson, who was well received, next addressed the debtors. He alluded to his having represented City West since 1860, and reviewed the various policies that had been submitted to Parliament during that time ; commented on the war policy, and that of confiscation, attributing to tbe latter the present and future disaffected state of the Maoris. He alluded to his former opposition to the ballot, and stated that he ban given in bis adherence to the measure, alter his experience of the kind of opposition given to him at the tiuper intendeutal election. The speaker tlien went into detail on the policy of the pre sent Ministry, the necessity of opening up tho country by roads and railways, and developing local industries ; the expendi ture on imports, and enumerated the arti cles that coull be produced if the people were classified, and manufacturing works commenced with Government aid and su pervision. After the usual number of questions, Mr. Williamson was succeeded by Mr. Gillies, who was received with cheers. He stated that he came forward fruiu being requested by the constituents. Ie was no pleasure to him to go down to the assembly, but he instunced the case of tne Poverty Bay lauds, showing the necessity for attentively watching the interests of the pro vince. In the same connection, he alluded to the moneys voted for the pur chase of native- lands, and showed the necessity of carefully guarding the ex penditure of the poposed loan. He briefly alluded to the questions of protection aud the encouragement of young industries, expressed his determination of-resistance to tne imposition of any additional taxa tion, aud his inclination towards au in come aud property tax; his opposition to imprisonment for debt, and promised, if elected, to appear before them from time to tune aud give an account of his stewardship. lhe usual questions were put, aud a show of hands was taken.

The following was the result: — Mr. Gillies 117 Mr. Williamson ... 70 Mr. Dignan ... ... 42 The result was received with loud and prolonged cheers. Mr. Dignan demanded a poll, which was announced by the Returning Officer to take place on Mon day. Mr. Gillies moved, and Mr. Wil liamson seconded, a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer, and the meeting dissolved.

AUCKLAND ROWING- CLUB. A GENreal meeting of the members of the Auckland Rowing Club was held on Thursday at the Thames Hotel, Mr. D. Oxley, Captain of the Club, in the chair. He informed the meeting that the Club had won three races at tho recent regatta, namely, the amateurs', the amateur four-oared gig race, and the four-oared gig race open to all, by which the Club became possessors of £30 and a silver cup valuod at six guineas.—Votes of thanks were accorded to the winning crews.—A reso lution was passed to the effect that the cup won by Mr. Fletcher should be presented to him, but that gentleman, in a very liberal manner, returned it, requesting the Club to keep it as their property.—lt was ultimately decided f:hat Mr. Fletcher should hold the cup in his possession until the Club hud a place to keep it in.—A number of accounts were ordered to be paid, after which the meet ing separated.

A Lively Timepiece.—A clock pedlar was tramping along, hot, dusty, and tired, when he came to a meeting-house wherein sundry Friends were engaged in silent devotion. The peripatetic tradesman thought he would walk in and rest himself. He took a seat, upon a bench, doffed his hat, and placed his clocks upon the floor. There was a painful stillness in the meeting-house, which was broken by one of the clocks, which commenced striking furiously. The pedlar was in agony, but. he hoped every minute the clock would stop. Instead of that, it struck just 430 times, by the actual count of every Friend in the meeting ; for even the bast-disciplined of them couldn't help numbering the strokes. Then uprose one of the elder Hriends, at the end of the four hundred and thirtieth stroke, and said, " Briend, as it is so. very late, per haps thee had better proceed on thy journey, or thee will not reach thy destination, unless thee is as energetic as thy vehement time piece." (.-'.. ,„;.;

THE EUROPEAN WAR.

fFBO^r THE " eubopean mail," DEO. 2.]

THE RE-VICTUALLING OF PARIS.

Should Sir Henry Storks be called upon to re victual Paris at twenty-four hours notice, will he be able to accomplish the taski* Readers of chess literature may recall to mind an occasion at the Court of Spain in its palmier days, when a difficult problem was worked out by living pawns and pieces "at tired proper" as the hcrulds say. Something similar, but on a grander scale, and for a humane purpose, if rumour is to be credited, is to be worked out experimentally with the _taff of the Control Department. Count Bismarck's warning of the frightful calamity that may be expected when Paris is starved into submission has suggested a plan for re victualling the capital by means of our con trol, which we shall be only too happy to find the department is capable of accomplishing. The problem is not quite the simple matter it may appear. Given a beleaguered city of two millions of inhabitants, which at an uncertain date must fall to the enemy, how are the provisions that may be necessary to prevent the surviving inhabitants from perishing to be ready near the spot for distribution at a few hours' notice, that spot being in the mean time inaccessible to the friendly power, and at a considerable distance from the base of operations ? If our information is oorrect, a committee has actually been formed, with Sir Henry Stoiks as president, to work out this humane problem. All honor to Sir Henry if he succeed in surmounting all the difficulties oi the case. He will not only have performed a part as worthy of historical remembrance as that of any general or strategist in the war, but ho will have given his staff a lesson not inferior in practical importance to the field exercises of the Prussian army.

THE FOOD SUPPLY IN PARIS.

The Independence Beige, of November 19, publishes a letter from an Englishman on the state of Paris on November 8, on which day he left the French capital. The living was bearable. As regards meat, people were only rationed with respect to beef and mutton, and the prices were moderate. The flesh of horses and asses was also to be had, and altogether the supply of meat would last three months at least. Bread was not served out by rations, and there would b"e sufficient until April. There was enough wine .for two years, and sugar and salt were sold at the usual prices, while vegetables were to be had in abundance. The troops are ready, it is added, for anything but a surrender, and they are asking to be led out against the enemy. The Independence says the trustworthiness of the Englishman who gives these details is above suspicion.

PARIS FROM A MEDICAL POINT OF VIEW.

A correspondent in Paris of the Medical Times and Gazette, writing on the 49th day of siege, sends the following interesting particu lars as to the medical aspect of affairs inside the city :—" He describes the French as quite unable to cope with the Prussians, and cor roborates all the statements we have heard as to their military organisation being a sham, supported by false reports and corruption on all sides. The medical department is strangled by the intendance. Not an improvement has been introduced into the hospital or ambulance arrangements since the commencement of the war ; and hence it is that the International and American ambulances have had so much to do. He has seen many hospitals, and great numbers of wounded, but, except among the Americans and Austrian?, he has not seen much to admire. He stood a few days ago, during a severe fight, close by a battery of mitrailleuses doing their horrible work ; it was awful; many of the wounded had to be left on the fi Id on the approach of night. Con servative surgery is practised with considerable success, but not by the French. The Ameri cans treat their cases jn tents heated in a simple and ingenious way. They have under their care gunshot wounds, through the neck and shaft of the femur, doing well without operation; also wounds of the lungs proceeding favourably —iv fact, almost all wounds seem to do well with care, except those of the knee. The Austrian surgeons are also very successful in the pre servation of limbs. The scarcity of meat is much felt, the allowance being 35 grammes, or less than li oz. daily, so that people who are unable to get anything beyond the actual allowance are put to great straits, and the mortality has greatly increased. People who can afford famine prcies can still be well fed."

THE GERMAN COMMISSARIAT.

Some notion of the magnitude of the work undertaken by an army engaged in besieging a city like Paris may be gathered from the following :—lt appears that every army corps has five provision columns, consisting of 160 waggons, 800 horses, 400 men, and 10 officers. At present thero are probably not less than seven army corps, 245,000 men, investing Paris. Taking the besiegers at the strength of seven corps, this would make no less than 1,120 waggons, 4,800 horses, 2,800 men, and 70 officers engaged in merely carryiug provisions from the magazines in tho rear of the army. The task of collecting and conveying these provisions from distant points, now that the surrounding country is exhausted by requisitions, must be still more onerous, and all this, it must be remembered, is over and above the work of convoying cannon, ammunition, and other material of war. These waggons, it is stated, carry on eacli journey no more than three days' provisions for the corps to which they are assigned, and they may therefore be assumed to be con tinually employed in loading and unloading, and in going to and fro. It i 3 obvious that under these circumstances, exceptionally severe weather, especially it accompanied by snow, might seriously endanger the besieging force. Although the position of France could hardly be more gloomy, it is evident that if the war is to be indefinitely prolonged, the situation of the Germans will not be without some cause for anxiety; for while Germany has put forth almost her entire available strength, a sickness which has greatly thinned her rank?, and the loss of men in even successful resistance to sorties, or in contests with the armies of the North, South, and West, must necessarily before many weeks tell greatly on her numbers.

A letter from Brussels, from a source which ought to bo well informed, states that tho ex- Emperor is quietly making his preparations for another visit to America, anticipating that

with the fall of Paris a peace will beefe+lj without reference to the restoration J-A* Empire. 0l «• In describing M. Thiers' visit to Paris it • stated that when he got to Sevres he under fire. In vain signals were made flags waved, tbe artillerymen were too b and too angry ; but M. Thiers is what /w? once called Lord John Russell—a brate litu man. He went on his *ay, although iua and then a bullet wbizzed by to vary the m ing rush of the shells and the crash of their ci" plosions, and got out to the rendezvous, wher the signals were at last seen and understood -! Dr. Russell. '~~ Upon the publication of the intelligence of tho surrender of Metz the following *,! clamation was issued at Lyons :—"Xh ß ' Municipal Council, impelled by the neceiiiti* of the time, decrees—' That, rather than suk mit to the disgrace of a surrender, the cifcr shall be defended until complete The old men, women, and children alone mw "' leave the city. Waverers before the e«ein T shall be regarded as deserters. Their nlm* will be stamped with infamy. The Maire of Lyons, Henon.' " -•"-*** The German infantry have been armed with i a new weapon, designed for mountainous jaj guerilla warfare, which supersedes the light field artillery. It is a small .portal, field-piece, weighing about thirty-firei pouJ, and was tested in the war of 1866. It can $ carried by two men, and ten shotst. mlimft h, 1 can be fired with it. Its range it at Iw^j-l 2,000 paces. Several thousands hare fan ; distributed to the army.

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS

[FBOM OUB OWN COKBESPONDKKT.];

THE THAMES.

THIS DAY.

Geahamstow-T, 3 p.m.

The Caledonian have taken out some j more good stone to-day. Shares have m advanced to £16 10s. Mr. Bell, agent of the Mutual Life 1 Assurance Association, delivered a lee- | ture at the Academy of Music, last ■ j evening—Mr. Lascelles in tbe chair,, Jj There was a very large attendance, 9 and great interest appeared to be < I taken in the lecture.

The Stabling as a Scavangbb.—Fewipe-, jl cies are so deserving of the protection of manai j these most useful birds, an account of whoie 1 services in clearing the ground from iniili I and other hurtful creatures would sound al* i most incredible were we to compute the hoirti I of active destroyers from whose attacks ou i fields and gardons are thus preserved. With M characteristic patience a German naturalist M has been at the trouble of ascertaining that i H single young starling wiil consume 140 aniili i 14 hours out of the 24, during which tin I young nestlings are constantly feeding about i three minutes intervening between the if 1 rivals of the parents with fresh Buppliej far | the hungry beaks of the little family. We#■ cannot follow the writer through all ,_u § intricate calculations concerning a large mm I of starlings that visited that part of Thuri-jii ■ in which he lived, and must content ounelr** | by giving our readers the extraordinary** 1 Bult, namely that the ninety birds ■of which -1 this unusally large flock was composed could 1 not have cleared the ground of lesi tta § 12,600 snails and worms daily during^ j ■ time they remained ih that neighbourhood. | A Ohicago children's paper "carries the' pub- 1 lication of commendatory letters of it*Jf~W>- ■ far, Borne think. In a late number ii ft letter I from a lady in lowa, who writes:—" Our little ■ Anna died last night after reading the tot. | number of your valuable paper." Pwplewho I have more children than they TOntihoaß | subscribe for that periodical. Abbe Heylot's prize to the moat nrtnoui ■ woman in France has been won this je«m | Leontine Melin, a handsome blonde of eig?^ . I The youth and beauty of the winner a»pw»t | that she was not like the little girl who, M»j! 1 praised for being good all day, remarked M* | she " couldn't be any other way—ah* "Ma I stiff neck." . .., .... ,'.*•,., ~"m Acquitted with a Chabaoteb.—A .juop ■ in a small colony had to try a prisoner ona ■ charge of theft. The prisoner pleaded. pN> I but the judge, with that tenderneaa to crinu- v nals which characterises the English law, ■"" 1 vised him to take his trial. This was *g ■ and the jary acquitted tho prisoner,?! KB-1 the judge addressed him in his sternest ton*- | " Prisoner at the bar, you have confessed jo^ , self a thief, and the jury have found you all* Begone from my sight." _, j. Eveby Man his own Dentist.- WiW a story extant of an Irishman in Camden |f had the toothache. He was a JfflWjfH profession, and he considered that »* 7 way to rid himself of the afflicted.tootn *« UV be to blast it out. So he filled tigg with powder, fixed a slow match in it, "fig the match, and run round the corner P out of the way of the blast, and to watcn *» result. When the explosion occurred W? surprised to find how close it seemed. *■ very successful, so far as the tooth WM cerned, but when the man wont home, general aspect of hismouth resemble-thatw . Delaware Water Gap. The dentist tg&srf would not undertake to fit him wjth fiWM of teeth of the neceesary size for iw'^ 81,000. . „ y H A Sop fob Ireland.—lt is Mtiffip Queen Victoria has ordered from *» .( D manufacturer an extensive *ss.°V*SSjtrf 1 Balbriggan hosiery for the wedding »»,^ the Princess Louise. There is a «la;'^ policy in this. In firemen's phrase iT~V called laying on the " hoso ,f to quenc" loyalty. t.jtitil'' j Physic, for the most part, is but aam | for exercise or intemperance. I

THE EVENING STAR, FEBRUARY 3, 1871.



L\ND SALE. Thebe was yesterday a sale of Waikato lands, at the Waikato Office, Shortland-street. Fifty four lots were offered for sale. Out of this number there were no bidders for 25 lots. The remaining 29 lots were sold for £703 17s. 6d. There was a keen competition for lots 3 and 5, Patumahoe, containing 20 acres, were ultimately purchased by Henry Aspden, for £81; also for lot 23, Waioka, containing 15 acres 1 rood 16 perches, which was purchased by H. Selfe, for £44. The pther lots were in most cases sold at the upßet price.



•sjtek f ob 13 d 5 i M >J^S*o__» The Steamer § 3igSS -lows***** A will sail as above, on SATURDAY BVEN > | -th instant. :^-_Je I For freight or passage apply to -jjiQj'AJffiAJ'*' I