SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

SUNSET: This evening, 0.54 SUN-RISE: To morrow morning, 6.35 HIGH WATER: This evening, 8.43; to-morrow morning, S.

ARRIVALS.

Pluebe, 5.3., Worsp, from New Plymouth (in the Manukau) Agnes, cutter, Brown, from Kaipara (in the Manukau) Eowena, s.s., McGregor, from Northern, ports Mary Ellen, schooner, Rawlings, froi^i Mercury Bay

DEPARTURES.

Queen, schooner, for Rus^fl Clio, schooner, for Rv^, s gell Taranaki, s.s., Whaler, for Southern ports Lady Bowen, p.-.,._ f or Mahurangi and Hot Springs Fiery Cross, schooner, f O r Russell Moa, brl^ Robertson, for Russell Clio, Sfv no oner, for Russell

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For Norfolk Island: Ivanhoe, schooner, Tuesday For Honolulu and San Francisco: Nebraska, mail

steamer, 20th inst. For Cork : Polar Star.jjship, Monday For Northern ports: Rowena, s.s., Monday next For London : Harvest Home, ship, and Glenhuntly,

barque, early For Sydney and Melbourne: Wonga Wonga, s.s., to-day ; Hero, s.s., about 2Sth inst.

VESSELS EXPECTED.

Durham, ship, from London. Sailed 29th November Edinburgh Castle, ship, from London. Loading; Parsee, ship, from London. Loading Langa, barque, from Liverpool. Loading Thames, barque, from New York, via Sydr.ey, loading Prosperity, schooner, from Melbourne Corredo, barque, from Sydney Drover, brig, from Sydney East Lothian, barque, from New York. Sailed 20th December Emulous, schooner, from Dunodin. Sailed 13th February Columbia, schooner, from Poverty Bay

IMPORTS.

Per s.s. Phcebe from Southern ports—l tombstone, Dr. Pollen ; 1 case, Adam ; 1 do, Beck; 7 bales, Eenshaw ; 3 cases, Kemp thorne and Co ; 1 case, Col. Tisdale ; 1 box, Telegraph-office ; 1 case, Union Bank; 1 bdler Williams : 2 cases, Collector of Cus toms ; 67 cases fruit, Solomon ; 2 boxes gold (1328 oz 12 dwt), Bank of New Zealand ; 20 cases fruit, order ; 60 do do, G. W. Binney ; 15 do do, R. Artlmr ; 1 case wine, Johnson ; 4 cases butter, Barnes ; 3 do, J. J. Bennp^ , 1 horse, A. Laird ; 10 cases, 1 ' Keo " q' Lewis ; 8 hides B. Gittos ; \ case b^teT / M. Hood; 4 do do, a _ Yeale . 3 do d Osborne Brothers. -_ Combes and Daldy, agents.

EXPORTS.

Per s.s. Wonga Wonga, for Sydney : 75 half-barrels salmon, 7 cases, 2 boxes, 318 bags, G7l mats, 114 kegs sugar, Henderson and Macfarlane ; 144 bales flax, 60 ditto tow, J. R. Roberts ; 27 casks metal, 10 coils rope, 1 axle, 3 pgs rope, A. Smart; 13 casks hides, A. Dornwell ; 62 boxes tow, Stone Bros ; 2 pgs glassware, R,yan, Bell & Co. ; 33 bales sacks, Hurst & Co. ; 83 bales flax, Brown, Campbell & Co. ; 4 bags seed H. Lipscombe ; 30 bales hemp, J. Iteid ; 1 case, L. D. Nathan and Co ; 1 ditto, T. H. Hall & Co.—H. M. Jervis, agent. Per s.s. Taranaki, for the South: 1 qr.-cask rum, W. J. Cawkwell; 3 half-chests, 3 cases, Humphries ; 1 case, 1 bundle, L. T>. Nathan and Co. ; 1 case, H. M. Jervis; 1 pkg., T. and S. ; 5 bars iron, E. Porter and Co. ; 1 truss, 1 case, McArthur, Shera and Co. ; 1 case, Price ; 2 pkgs., Ireland Bros. ; 1 case, 1 bale, 1 keg, R. Lusk ; 16 cases beer, B. Tonks and Co. ; 1 case, 1 sausage machine, E. Porter and Co. ; 1 case, 1 bale, A. Clark and Son ; 5 pkgs. sashes, 3 cases, W. Phillips and Son ; 1 case, Foster and Son ; 1 mill, 1 wheel, Eaton ; 1 case Williams' fire kindlers, B. Tonks and Co. ; 4 cases, Price ; 5 bales, 2 bales, Ireland Bros. ; 4 cases, E. and H. Isaacs ; 12 sacks potatoes, Jenkins; 68 sheep, Harvey ; 23 hhds., Williams; 2 trunks, 1 case, Sargood ;13 eases, Kempthorne, Prosser and Co. — Combes and Daldy, agents.

ARRIVAL OF THE PHŒBE.

The s.s. Phoebe arrived in the Manukau to-day. She left Port Chalmers wharf on 7th, at 2.30 p.m., encountered a strong N.W. gale and heavy sea ; arrived at Lyttelton on Bth, at 9.20 p.m. ; sailed again on Sunday at 6.15; reached Wellington next day at 3.20 p.m., light S.E. winds and fine weather throughout the passage; sailed from Wel lington on the 11th, at 3.30 p.m. ; arrived at Picton same night, proceeded again at 10.15 p.m., entered Nelson harbour at 8.30 a.m. of the 12th ; left again on 13th, at 8.45 p.m. ; anchored off New Plymouth at 1 p.m. of 14th; sailed at 6.15, S.E. winds and fine weather

Passengers :—Saloon : Mrs and Miss Reid, Miss Barnes, Messrs Wormace, McDougall, Goldie, Cook, Alex. Borthwill, Speechy, Laird, Read, and Rev. Mr Walten; Mrs Goldie (two children and servant), Miss Gwynneth, Mrs O'Halloran(child and servant), and Mrs Gilmour. Steerage :4. We are indebted to Mr Pringle, purser, for prompt delivery of our files.

The s.s. Wonga Wonga cleared this morn ing af the Customs with a large cargo, and the following passengers : —For Sydney : Nay. -Lieut. Petley, RN. ; Messrs Swan, G. J Russell, J. M. Clark, A. Clark, Mrs Clark, Miss E. F. Mann, Yen. Archdeacon Clark, Mrs T. Fairell, Messrs E. Bucholz, G. E Outridge, John Kelly, Daniel Davies, J. Ciapperton, W. Bignold, Go. Reiley, Mrs Wellesley and infant, Mr and Mrs W. Finlay, Mr and Mrs J. Efford, Mr and Mrs M. Westell and three children, P. Maguire, Thomas Maguire. For Melbourne :Mr and Mrs M. Conroy, Messrs E. A. Steele, F. W. Thome. For Adelaide : J. P. Williams ; total, 35. The Wonga Wonga will leave this afternoon. The old barque Tell was this morning towed round from the breakwater to the hard off the ship building yards on the western side of the wharf, by the steamer

Gemini. The ship Polar Star will leave for Cork on Monday morning. The schooner Mary Ellen has reported at at the Customs from Mercury Bay with 20 tons gum and 4,500 feet timber. The s.s. Rowena arrived this morning from Russell and Mongonui with the following cargo :—3 tons flax, A. Buckland ;40 cases fruit R. Arthur ; 40 do do, L. W. Eaton ; 5 tons gum, H. D. Rolfe & Co. ; 2 do do, Edmunds ; 5 tons luggage, Dickson ; 3 bdls skins, Ireland Bros. ; 1 do, B. Gittos. She brings also twenty-five passengers. The schooner Prima Donna was lying at Kusseil when the Rowena left; also, the ■whaler Milton. The whaler Matilda Sears Avas lying at Mongonui when the Rowena left. She was bound for New Bedford a full ship. The schooner Ivanhoe will leave on Tuesday for Norfold Island. The new s.s. Lily, belonging to Captain; Casey, has been chartered by the Provincial Government to proceed to the Kaipara to trade between Helensville and the various settlements in the Kaipara and Wairoa. She will leave for her destination on Wednesday next.

The s.s. Taranaki left Onehunga wharf this morning for Southern ports with the following passengers : — Saloon : Magnet Troupe (10), Mr and Mrs Charles, Mr and Mrs Aitchinson, Mrs Gorman, Miss Hay; Messrs Henell, Knott, Cawkwell, Smith, Johnston, Smith, T. Veale, Mr and Mrs Holan, Inspector Thompson, and 21 in the steerage.

The ship Warwick has hauled alongside the wharf, outer T, and will commence dis charging cargo on Monday. The fine barque Lochnagar b.as been char tered by Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co., to load oil at the Bay of Islands for New Bedford. She will sail for Eussell about Tuesday next.

The brig Moa sailed for Paissell this after noon, to load coal for Lyttelton. The s.s. Star of the Sonth arrived at the Thames at o'clock last night from Napier with a cargo of sheep. The p.s. Comerang will leave for Gisborne and Poverty Bay on Saturday next, and will convey passengers in time to attend the Government land sale to take place on the 2Gth inst.

The s.s. Howeim will leave for the North on Monday afternoon at four o'clock.

The p.s. Comerang will leave for Russell on Monday afternoon at three o'clock.

The cutter Agnes arrived this morning in the Manukau, from Kaipara, with the fol lowing cargo—3B bags gum, Stone Brothers ; IST do, 9 cases do, 3 bags wool, 6 hides, Must and Co ; 3 tons iron Fraser and Tinne ; 5000 feet timber, W. S. Graham.

Wbeck of the Cutter Margaret.—The following additional particulars relative to the wreck of this vessel have been supplied to us : —lt appears that the Margaret, after passing the East Cape, fell in with the Sou'- Easterthat preceded the storm from the N.E., and had some tough work in holding her own. The wind then chopped suddenly round, and raised a terrific cross sea,£which she staggered under in the hope of making either ToWa Bay or Gisborne. Night coming on the watch below, consisting of two hands, turned in, leaving the captain and the man at the wheel alone on deck. A heavy squall was heard and seen some distance astern, and the captain, deeming assistance necessary, descended to rouse the watch, but before any oue could return to the deck the squall struck the vessel putting her on her beam-er r\ s The cabin at once filled with watei' auc \'fc' le continuous roll of heavy p- h d man at the wheel ov-] h f was drowned. The two ' men> ' th&nks to t oemg awake, were soon out of their uflnks, but saw nothing more of the captain alive ; they heard a groan and supposed he too had been washed overboard. The Mar garet at this time happened to be close in shore, opposite Tologa Bay, whither she drifted, finally getting stranded on the rocks which skirt the south headland there. So far it was lucky for the two unfortunate men who had been immersed in water up to the neck for about twelve hours with no possible chance of escape, and with every likelihood of their craft turn ing bottom up. After the vessel had struck, the poor men struggled hard for life, having to swim to a safe place. Here, with their bare shirts, hungry and cold in such a tempest, they could only look to their immediate and personal condition, which was miserable in the extreme ; and thoroughly exhausted they slept for some time, until assistance came to the vessel, whose position had been noticed from the Bay at daylight. The Captain's body was afterwards found at the bottom of the cabin. Articles of necessary clothing and food were immediately furnished by the settlers, and everything done to relieve the suffering of the two men who had lost everything. The Margaret is the property of Mr Black of Mahia.— P. B. Standard.

Janthixa—The Violet Sea—Sxail. —It is no uncommon occurrence for fleets of these interesting molluscs to be cast upon our shores. Perhaps a succinct history of these pretty blue shells and their curious inhabitants may prove interesting to our readei'S. And first a word or two concern ing their name. Janthe was a sea goddess adored by the ancient Greek mariner as he sailed in the bluest of waters beneath the bluest of skies. Janthou is the Greek name of the violet, and janthina signifies violet colored, an appropriate name we think for our little blue shell. The habitat of the ten species known to science is the open sea, where they float upon the surface and prey upon the velella, a small gelatinous creature resembling a horizontal sundial. They are distributed over the warmer parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. They are borne upon the Gulf stream to the coasts of Cornwall and Ireland. They are devoid of an operculum—the little shelly door with which many of the molluscs close lip the entrance of their shells. But they have the property of constructing floats which they can draw partly within their shells and therefore analogous to opercula. They are gasteropods, that is belly footed, but we doubt whether their feet are ever used for walking. If our readers will observe the imperators and periwinkle in the rock pools they will see them walking on the bottom with their shells upon their backs ; but the janthinidte appear to use their feet solely for floating purposes. The curious vesicular float which they construct is secreted from follicles on the underside of the hinder part of the foot, and each cell is filled with a globule of air. The float not only buoys the creature upon the surface of the deep, but it also forms a support to the pouches which the creature attaches to it, in which it deposits its immature young. These pouches are prepared in the nidamental gland, which is homohogous to the eggsacs of other marine molluscs. They possess eyes, but they are hidden beneath the integu ments. The mouth is retractile, like the horns of a snail. The tongue is broad, divided into two lateral portions and covered with hooks. The teeth are carnivorous. They exude a purple fluid which has been mistaken by some for the royal purple ; it is however, of a fugitive character, the match less Tyrian dye being extracted from the renal organs of murex trunculus, a totally distinct mollusc.

COMMERCIAL.

MINING. The following are the current calls and dividends payable in the companies named below :— 9. (i, DIVIDEND. All Nations .. .. 0 4 0 Feb 18 CALLS Imperial Crown .. 10 0 J'eb 17 Missouri .. .. 0 5 0 Mrch 3 Coromandel Tunnel 0 10 0 Mrch 10 Otago 0 10 Mrch 12 American Eagle .. 0 10 Mrch 12 Inverness .. .. 0 0 3 Mrch 12 Royal Standard .. 0 0 6 Mrch 12 MEETINGS. Shotover, Insurance Buildings, Auckland, 2 p.m. 17th February Coromandel 'iunnel, Mr To thill's office, Auckland, 10 a.m., 18th February Bismarck and French .Republic, Insurance Buildings Auckland, 2 p.m., 21st Febraary Tokatea, Coromandel, 21st February Watchman, Grahamstown, 21st February Central Italy, Grnhamstown, 27th February

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails -wtll Close as Under :— For Thames, on Monday. 17th inst., ar 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. For Coromandel, on Monday, 17th inst, at 1.30 p.m. For Great Barrier, per Sovereign of the Seas, this day. at 5 p.m. For Russell, &c, per Comerang, on Monday, 17th inst., at 2 p.m. For Great Barrier, Whitiangi. Tauranga and Opotiki, per Southern Cross, on Monday, 17th inst, at 8 p.m. For Russell and Mongonui, per Roweua, on Monday, 17th inst.. at 3 p.m. For Wangarei, Wangarei Heads, &c, per Challenger, on Monday, 17th inst., at :J p.m. For the undermentioned plnces s p<sr 5.3. Nebraska, on Thursday, 20th inst., as under :— For Sandwich Islands, British Columbia, Unitati States of America, British and Foreign West Indies, and Continent of Europe via England at 12.30 p.m. c ' For United Kingdon via San Francisco, at 12.30 p.m. Late let^rg f or c United States of America and Un-vert Kingdom, bearing a lute fee of 6d in addition t6 the postage will be received at this office until 1 p.m., anrt by the mail agent on board the steamer up to time of sailing. (Signed) S. B. Bias, Chief Postmaster.

DEATH.

Loddbr..— On February 14. at her father's residence, Remuera, Eleanor Artus, infant daughter ot Mr Lodder ; aged 16 months.

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1873.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance,

And the good that we can do

Our Southern intelligence tells of the attention, amounting almost to en thusiasm, bestowed at present on the various local sources of coal supply. In Canterbury, Westland, and Wel lington, a decided impulse has been given to public feeling by the news of the strikes on the Australian coalfields, and by the probabilities of a possible famine of fuel. It requires some such spur as this to arouse New Zealand energies, but why this conjuncture of affairs should not have a similar influence in our own province is one of those things hard to be accounted for on any other'supposition than that our public mind is specially lethargic. That we have coal measures as ex tensive and as valuable as those of any other province in the colony, and equally valuable in proportion to their extent with those of Australia, does not admit of a doubt, and no time could be more opportune than the present for directing special attention to this magnificent field for enterprise and in vestment. The dearth in cotton, caused by the American war, has planted cotton fields in places where, in other circumstances, they would not have existed for years to come —cotton fields that now yield a comfortable support to industrious families, and can hold their own against the world. The high price of iron has opened ironfields long disused, and is developing that industry in scenes in which it was heretofore unknown ; and it will be a happy event for New Zealand if the adversities of the si.ster colony may be legitimately turned to account, and the opportunity is availed of for bringing to light our own carboniferous wealth. We observe that Canterbury, notwithstanding the enormous provincial revenue enjoyed, claims the aid of the Greneral Govern ment to bring her coal products to the front. But whether or not it is right to pray thus to Jupiter, instead of putting the shoulder to the wheel, beyond a question now is the hour for some kind of prompt and deter mined effort towards the development of some of the many unopened coal fields in this province, which are as well-known to exist as are the Malvern Hills among our Southern fellow colonists. That these coal-beds will yet yield forth their riches cannot be doubted; but it is the part of those either interested in them, or concerned for the welfare of the province, to seize the opportune moment, and seek their development at the time when keen demand and short supply are likely to raise their products to famirae prices.

The ground on which the District Court stands is in a disgraceful, condition, being covered with docks, fennel, and weeds of all descriptions. One day's labour would destroy this, wilderness and the cost would be trifling. A stranger viewing the spot would leave with a false notion that our Court for the recovery of small debts was poorly patronised, but a glance at the weekly cause list would dispel the idea.

The man whose leg was broken at the Mechanics' Bay embankent works a few days ago is progressing favourably at the Hospital. His name is James Patterson, and not Webster, as previously reported.

Our Presbyterian friends will doubtless be glad to learn that the Rev. Mr Root, of the Presbyterian Church, of England, who arrived here by the ship Warwick, will officiate in St. Andrew's Church to-morrow forenoon. Mr Hoot has been sent out by the Free Church of Scotland to take the spiritual oversight of a district in connection with the Presbytery. He is highly spoken of as a man of good abilities and popular gifts. He earned for himself a good name as a devoted pastor in the sphere which, for a number of years, he occupied in England, and doubtless he will be honoured in building up a good charge in his new field of usefulness. The Rev. Mr MacCallum, who is known to both the town congregations, will officiate in St. James's (the Rev, Mr MacNiccol's) to-morrow fore noon,

The ratepayers of Dedwood will liold their district meeting on Tuesday next for the purpose of electing their Educational School Committee,

We call the attention of our readers to the continuation of the bazaar in aid of Sir Gr. Grey's Cadet Corps, The unsold articles, which are numerous and useful* will be sold at reduced prices this day, commencing at two o'clock ; admission free. The Artillery Volunteer Band will be in attendance.

A. double bolt occurred this afternoon in Queen-street, which caused quite an excite ment. A horse belonging to Mr T; Hender son was frightened by some passing object, and set off up Queen-street at a smart pace. In its eoiirse it struck a librae attached to a spring cart belonging to Mr Dornwell, which was standing in front of Mr Donrwell's premises. This animal bolted down the street towards the *haff, and the cart became entangled with tilie of the licensed porters' trucks, which it dragged with it. So that while Mr Henderson's gig was going headlong up tile street: Mr Drirri wftlt's express was going at an equal pace down, and a hand-barrow performed the feat, never before placed on record, of doing a bolt on its own account. Mr S. Morrin ran out to stop the gig, when he lost his footing and fell, fortunately without sustaining any injury, and the fugitive horse Was soon after brought to a stand. Mr Dornwell's horse and the hand-cart were pulled up before they reached the wharf. None of the vehicles were damaged.

As will be seen from another column, the committee of the Devonport district school convene a meeting on Monday of house holders in the district for the free election of a committee for tho year. No member of the committee had intended retaining office at the first, and now they afford an oppor tunity to the parents and householders to choose whatever committee may appear most to their taste and best littcd to carry out the interests of educa tion in the district. In consequence of what has taken place they feel bound, how ever, to offer themselves as a committee for re-election, and if re-elected will faithfully fulfil the duties of the office. Considerable difficulty has been met in arranging a method by which the householders may be given this opportunity of electing a second committee. If the present committee resigned in globo, no other committee could be elected during the year; but, in accordance with the 19th section' of the Act, the Board must " appoint one or move commisssioners to exercise all the powers and perform all duties by this Act committed or imposed upon such school committee." As, however, the committee have power of appointing persons to iill vacancies in the com mittoe according to Section 17, if the meeting will determine that other five shall take the place of the committee, three of its members will resign and three of the newly elect will be chosen by the committee to the vacant place ; then the two remaining of the present committee will resign and the two remaining of the newly elect will take the vacant place, so that in this way a perfect substitution of the one party for the other will be made without violating the Act or imposing the duty on the Board of appointing Commissioners, if any simpler method can be devised by the meeting the committee will be happy to con form to it. It is hoped that there will be a full attendance.

A moderately well attended meeting of Englishmen was held this afternoon- at the British Hotel, for the purpose of forming a political union. Mr Albyn Martin occupied the chair. The proceedings were mostly of a diseussional character. A society was formed, Mr. B. Tonks being elected president. A committee was also appointed, to which matters of detail were left.

There is a pump in Queen-street. Its his tory is now enveloped in a great measure in obscurity, but ancient documents in the possession of the City Council shew that this pump was erected by a body called the City Board for the purpose of refreshing thirsty citizens. Now the pump is not ornamental, and if not useful the desirableness of con tinuing it in its present position may be very much questioned. It so happens that this pump is situated directly opposite the shop of Mr Samuel Coombes, and he as well as other worthy citizens have had drawn therefrom water with which to sprinkle their shops. The result has been that a powerful and unpleasant odour has been created within their premises, traceable di rectly to the water from the pump. It is also well authenticated that certain subjects of her Majesty have applied their mouths to the spout of the pump, and drawn therefrom draughts of water, and that those persons have immediately thereafter been seized with violent pains cramps. Now by a careful examination of the country in the neighbourhood of the pump it has been ascertained that large numbers of horses attached to cabs are constantly kept standing, and that the street slopes from the cabs to the well over which the pump is erected, and it is alleged that certain fluids and other objectionable matters are washed from this stand into the well. The question arises whether the cabs shall be removed or the pump, as it is quite evident that to continue both is to lay a trap for inoffensive water-drinkers. A protest on the subject has been lodged with the Inspector of Nuisances.

The constitution of Norway requires every subject to renew his oath of allegiance when a new sovereign ascends the throne, and those travelling or residing in a foreign country may do so before the consul. Several Swedes and Norwegians in New York took this oath before the .Swedish consul lately.

The Eev. Dr Wallis's subjects of dis course to-morrow, at Newton Kirk, will be — Morning : " What are you doing for Christ." Evening : '' Tekel ; weighed in the balance and found wanting." Rev. G. H. Turner : — Morning—'; Christian Fidelity." Evening— " The Water of Life."

The Provincial Government have accepted Captain Casey's contract for the performance of a steam service between Helensville and the Kaipara settlements. This will bring the whole Kaipara district into connection with the Kaipara railway, and produce may then be shipped te Auckland without leaving, as hitherto, a margin of loss to the settler. The steamer Lily is to be placed on the service, and will leave Auckland on Wednesday next. The perseverance and regularity displayed by Captain Casey in carrying out the steam services to Eiverhead and other country districts to which his steamer will ply is a guarantee that the Kaipara settlers will not be deserted if there is a bare possibility of making a trade, which there undoubtedly is. We heartily congratulate them upon the prospect of having regular steam communica tion.

The Magnet Variety Troupe gave its fare ] well entertainment last night at the Prince i of Wales Theatre, and leaves to-day by the Taranaki. There was a very good house, and the songs and performances were greeted with the usual signs of approval. These eminent artistes will, we opine, have a . successful run in the Southern provinces, as ' their merits unquestionably deserve. Mrs Annie Savery. of Dcs Moines, la., has j received a large coop of Houdah fowls direct from the Paris Zoological Gardens, f

The Magnet Troupe took their departure this morning for Nelson by the Taranaki. If they are as successful in the South as they have been at Auckland they will have no cause to complain of the result of their visit to New Zealand. There appeared great bustle at Hardingtmi's yard this morning in consequence of the large number of passen gers to be conveyed to the port of embar cation, and a supplementary omnibus had to be provided to follow the mammoth coach. In addition to this several other vehicles were chartered. The Taranaki took no less than seventy passengers.

Our Cororoandel telegrams yesterday an nounced that an inquest had been held on the body of Robert Montgomery, who^ was found literally starved to death on the I'oka tea ranges, and a verdict of " died of disease of the heart, accelerated by want of proper nourishment," was recorded. The deceased WaS an educated man who had seen better days. He was a native of Belfast, and very respectably connected. He had been em yiriyed for a few weeks as teacher in the family of Mr W. Thorley, of the Waiou Hotel, near the Tiki, but as his services were no longer required, as the boys were wanted on the land, the poor fellow was turned adrift, and homeless and friendless he found a resting-place on the gold-veined bosom of the ranges.

The time for receiving applications for the 33 000 shares i« the National Bank of New Zealand, set apart for allotment within^the colony, terminated yesterday. . Therehave been 14,119 shares applied for in AvflUnd, which is considerably in excess of Auckland s proportion of the oolomally-sUDgcnbed capital. An entertainment to consist of music, Sopg» and dance, will be held on Monday evening next at the Morningside school-house, Mount Albert.

A friend of Elizabeth Cady Stanton says she is on the shady side of sixty. It is not always cloudy at sundown.

A correspondent writing frorii Awantii to our Poverty Bay contemporary gives a very melancholy account of the effects of the late storm in that part of the Coast. He says : — " There has been a fearful fresh in the Waiapu river, bringing down numbers of sheep, horses, pigs, cattle and fences, strewing the Waiapu flat, and the beach from the Awanui to the mouth of the Waiapu river with dead carcasses, the standing Ci'ops, destroyed by deposits of rubbish, and the pota toes being swept clean away. vSeveral small houses and Maori whares have also dis appeared, which, with loss of food-crops, will cause great suffering amongst thenatives. Wiremu's fighting pa was completely covered with water ; nothing to be seen but the top of the pallisading. Poor Daniel has lost both sheep and food. The Arawas are also great sufferers. The sea has been well up the banks carrying and tearing everything before it, smashing boats and canoes."

Tt will be seen from our advertising columns that tenders will be received up to Monday, at four o'clock, by Mr James Baber, for certain works at the lienuiera road.

An elderly gentleman, while comfortably enjoying the warmth of his own drawing oom fire, turned Mi toes out. No reason has ueen assigned for this barbarous cruelty.— punch.

Mr It. N. Smith delivered his paper at the Thames Debating Class on Thursday evening in a modified form. The essay was headed "The origin and development of Matter," instead of its original title " On the origin of the Universe." We understand there was a fair attendance and a lively discussion on the paper ; but whether the essayist followed in the track of the eccentric Lord Monboddo, or Dr Darwin ; or the imaginary Knickerbocker of New York in his °views on cosmogony; or whether lie maintained the eternity and indestructibility of matter and the eventual evolution of all things mundane into the everlasting, we are not credibly informed.

The weather last night was not at all fa vourable for a ball, still two and twenty couples, in defiance of the showers, stood up together in the Auckland College and tripped it on the "light fantastic toe,"_as Milton has it, and a very enjoyable evening was passed. Supper was served precisely at eleven o'clock, and dancing was resumed at twelve and concluded at five. The bazaar for the benefit of the Sir George Grey Cadet Corps was re-opened this afternoon at two o'clock, and we hope that sufficient pa tronage will be extended to this undertaking to enable the promoters to clear off the re maining articles of the bazaar, and say, "we are satisfied." The excellent band of the Artillery will be in attendance, and a pleasant afternoon's recreation will un doubtedly be the result.

The entertainment las t evening in the large room of the Young Men's Christian Associa tion, in point of merit, was successful, but on account of the weather the attendance was not so large as otherwise it might have been. The object of the gathering was to assist the funds of All Saints' Sunday-school, and we were glad to observe so many of the attendants at All Saints in the body of the room, which showed a sincere desire to coun tenance a most laudable object. The caterers of the evening were mostly amateurs, and the sacred and sentimental songs and recita tions were suitably selected and well sus tained. Mr Hammond's " Recollections of Queensland " were very entertaining. The whole concluded with the National Anthem.

At a recent Social Science Conference, Dr Littleton, late assistant surgeon R N., read a paper on " A. new mode of constructing ships, with a self-regulating power as to the specific gravity, so as to enable them to secure the advantages enjoyed by fish." The numerous and disastrous accidents, he said, which had recently happened to several of our ironclad fleet must have occasioned great anxiety to patriotic Englishmen, and it became a ques tion of the deepest interest to discover whether means could not be devised to avert such calamities. Dr. Littleton then explained the manner in which he hoped lie had met most of the difficulties, referring to a model of his new ship, which was placed on the table. The specific gravity of the whole bulk, of a ship avid her cargo was diminished by the temporary inflation of collapsible air cavities fitted on the outside, so as to enable the ship to float in a less draught of water, and thus enter a bar harbor or disengage her self when aground, or present her sinking after springing a leak. There might also be air cavities within—incompressible air tubes —and compressible air tubes. In order to give in increased safety over and beyond the pumping in of air by machinery, it would he said, be easy to lit a self-acting apparatus to open a communication between a vessel containing dilute sulphuric acid and another containing fragments of zinc or iron, so as to generate a supply of hydrogen gas to meet an emergency arising from the machinery get ting out of order. It appeared to him quite practicable by such like means to remove en tirely the opprobrious epithets applied to ships by Dr Johnson, that they offered "the confinement of a gaol with the chance of being drowned."

The adjourned meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge will be held in the schxnl- room, Karangahape road, on Monday Qveniiv: next,

The Citizens' Committee of Chicago pro pose, for one remedy of the ills they bear, to arrest as vagrants all persons in that city who have no visible means of support. In their prowlings about the streets they are ever on the watch for plunder, and it is from this class that thieves and murderers come, Ihe fact that able-bodied men prefer idleness to remunerative labor is prima feme evidence that they belong to the dangerous classes and to confine them in the workhouse, it it did not permanently reform them, would m least rid the city of a dangerous element. In Paris, on the Champs Elysees, from two till five of every afternoon, the most brilliant scene in the world may be witnessed. It is a sort of social reunion, where people receive visits and chat with their friends, or pass some hours in observing the gayest panorama of Europe. One may rent, on either side of the street, a comfortable iron chair for two sous for the entire afternoon. Here are seen those splendid toilets for which Paris is renowned. The fair Parisians attire themselves plainly when they walk or shop on the boulevards, bub nothing is too line for a promenade on the Champs Elysees. Near the commencement of this beautiful avenue are the Punch and Judy theatres, and on one side, a little in the background, are street merchants, weighing chair and little roulette tables. In and out among the bril liant throng glide old women with baskets of the favorite thin cake called le plaisir, while a vender of coco water, in white even to his shoes, seeks for thirsty juveniles. Here comes all the foreigners sojourning in Paris to see and to be seen. Here one may often re mark Mme. Sand, Dumas, Patti attired in her favorite black, Mile. Schneider driving two in hand, the authors, the authoresses, 1 the noets, wits, and actors of Paris, inter -1 * * i w and then with sable-costumed spersedno^ d here (Wl the and dashing Ottu*- ' . td n th jf empire one might see aliux. J i ror and Empress en route for P he Bms cle Boulogne. — Galaxy, We have before called attention to the ' efforts being made to establish fisheries in the colony. Our shores teem with fine edible fish, and that this source of food supply has hitherto been made HO little use of can only be attributed to want of enterprise. There is now a prospect, however, of excellent dried and salted fish being brought into trie market through the local fishery established some time ago, and we are glad to learn that B Tonks and Co. have been appointed wholesale agent for the sale of the hsh in Auckland. The process of preservation adopted is one that does not destroy the flavour of the fish, and the reasonable price at which it is offered must secure a large local as well as export sale for the produce of our fisheries. A railroad bridge is about to be built over the Rhine at Wesel, which will have, with its viaducts on the right and left banks, a total length of about a mile and a half. The Bishop of Lincoln has issued a form of prayer for use in his diocese, supplicating the Divine aid for the removal of the cattle disease now so prevalent in England. Political caricaturists are treated rather unceremoniously in Egypt. Recently a clever limner in Cairo secretly circulated an ex cellent caricature of the Khedive. The latter saw it and waxed wroth. The police discovered the author and he was severely bastinadoed. His mother, who dresses herself in furnace colored satin, green sbawl, and golden chains, remarks, on being introduced to her son's tutor, who is brother to a lord, " You'l] excuse me if I don't rise, honourable and reverend sir, but after dinner, and being stout a body feels sitsome." — Recent Englisl Novel.

Punch says that the next generation will wear light clothes in summer ; will remove some of the public statues which their prede cessors have erected ; will speak French and German, and possibly know something of their own language and literature; will have other public places of amusement open to them on Sunday, besider fublic houses ; will be better cooks ; will leave the table with the ladies ; but will still have the national debt, duns, dentists, domestics, humbugs, quacks, imposters, absurd fashions, adulteration, swindlers, and the income-tax.

Philadelphia proposes a building to cover fifty acres of ground. The building used by the London Exhibition of 1862 covered less

than half this space, or twenty-four and a half acres. To construct this building 1,350 workmen were employed for sixty weeks, and £140,000 was paid for labour directly to people engaged in the structure. The build ing in Paris used for the exhibition in ISG7 covered thirty-nine acres. Philadelphia pro poses to erect one thirty per cent, larger than even this. The United States has placed' no money at the disposal of the Commissioners to take the initiatory steps, and the Government does not stand behind the scheme, as in France, ready to further and foster every movement of the managers. We must do the thing in our own republican way, and we will do it grandly and well; but first we must act as a united, intelligent community, in which each member is fully informed as to all the plans and methods of action. Philadelphia, where most of the materials are to be purchased, must furnish the means necessary to take the preliminary steps.— Philadelphia Press. English sportsmen are fixing for a grand dog show, in which the highest jhonors are to be awarded to bull-dogs. Two men in Paris tried to break up with hammers an unexploded shell they had dug up and both were fatally segregated.

It is a rather curious fact that twelve of the seventeen conductors belonging to the

railway conductors' life insurance company who have died during the last year were victims of consumption. A sad accident happened at Pomeroy, New South Wales, on the night of the 2Sth of December, which very nearly terminated fatally. As Mrs Woore was retiring for the night, on opening her bedi-oom door a poisonous snake struck her forcibly on the instep, causing coasidei'able pain : and al though Mr Woore instantly applied a tournaquet on the ankle, cut a deep incision tlnough the bite, and sucked all the blood he could get from the wound, applying ipeca cuanha poultices in and around it, with fre quent administrations of brandy and constant exercise, unconsciousness and prostration of the muscles occurred within half an hour; and after a similar space had elapsed pulsation ap parently ces.sed, when heat was applied to the extremities. Violent sickness then set in, which occasioned reaction ; the pulse gradually improved, muscular action and identity returning. The sufferer consumed more than a pint a' strong brandy as if it had been so much water. We are happy to hear she is now juite relieved from the poison, although greatly prostrated. The snake getting int> one of the bedrooms on the upper floor vhen the door was shut is remarkable. It s supposed to have crawled up the vines onfche house and entered by the window, althoigh it is nearly twenty-five feet above the ground, and lying just inside the door, wasterrified at its being suddenly opened, and truck in defence with all its virus. i

A Conneciout candy party set a bucket of hot mohi'aes in the yard to cool, aud entrapped few host's family cat.

An Indiana gentleman lately endearouedl t 0 sallow a xm>uthful of beefsteak Vtmt inchTsV**e;- and perished in the attempt. The huee *fed: rat, so common m London, haralmoSt exteß^ m Australia the Sive species. No* let 'em faring on the cats. The alterations to the Geaeral Assembly buildings are being pushed on iwith great rapiditf just now. The skeleton framework of the debating chamber of the House of Representatives* is nearly completed and thatfor the Legislative Council, which is betng Erected on the blank piece of ground at the rear of the old smoking room, is m an equally forward state of progress. Raskin denounces railways as destroye* landscape and enemies of art and ißintens... recurring telegraph poles. The thrifty Dutchmen are meditating another SESflt to drain the 50,000 acres of i the Zuyder Zee. ! A loafing bullock lately threw thirteen cars on the Great Western road, England, down an embankment. . A Newfoundland dog belonging- to A. B. ' Newman, assistant light keeper at Mount Desert, saw Mr Newman's little child earned off into the waves by -the undertow, the other day, and not only rescued him, but tried to resuscitate him after bringing him ashore. Failing in this the intelligent animal took the boy's hat and ran to the house with it, and laid it beside the lad s mother. He then ran to the father, and taking hold of him pulled him to the shore. " Laconicus " writes as follows : —" Sir, — It is a matter for deep regret that the City Improvement Commissioners have thought tit , to deprive cricketers and football-players of ■ the anticipated ' recreation' ground, and the , athletic fraternity have expressed wonder at ' the action of this Commission in taking from the city of Auckland its ' recreation' ground. ; The Act stipulated that fifteen acres should be reserved « a ' recreation ' ground, which : hi* Honor the Superintendent informed a de i Station from the' U.C.O. would comprise a 'large paddock.' The Commissioners, however fcavf construed it into another meaning, and the following laconic epistle of a well-known member of the Commission shews plainly the construction this enlightened bodyputa on the definition of a ' recreation ground:— Wem tend to foster howticultwre by planting gar dens in vawied spots as a pwomenade fow the : i the nuwsewv-maids of the ebte of this pwo t Lowd awistocwatically - situated villa- resi dence of the beau monde of Auckland that their childwen may have fwee acces to the * botanical gawdens to inhale the sweet zephyr . bweeze so desiwons few their fwail constitu ■ tions.' " In connection with the Eyes' scandal the : following advertisement appeared in the t Marlborough Express :—'' Notice. —My wife, \ Eleanor Eyes, having left my houseand removed my children therefrom without my , consent, I hereby give notice that I will fl.ot be responsible for any debts contracted by her.—W. H. Eyes, January 13, 1873.— * Notice.—My husband, WiUiam Henry Lyes, ; having advertised in the public newspapers ' that f left his house and removed his child -7 ren therefrom without his consent, I hereby give notice to all to whom it may concern that ■ he ordered me out of his house, and that the . children left with me of their own choice.— 3 Eleanor Eyes. Blenheim, January 15, 1873. J It is rather infra dig., one would think, for 1 a Beaident Magistrate to wasii his dirty linen I in public this way. The Commissioners * appointed to inquire into the charges brought against Mr Eyes have reported

m favour of his removal to another station. We cordially approve of the recommendation. Send him to Timbuctoo or Kamtschatka, or better still put him "up the spout." Kit is imperatively necessary that he should have a billet at the expense of the country, make him Government washerwoman or plenipo tentiary to the Court of Te Kooti. Chicago women have resolved in solemn conclave that "the absolute chastity and temperance of the people is attainable," and are preparing a crusade against crime which will probably drive it shrieking to the ends

of the earth, after which a cordial invitation will be extended to the millennium to par ticipate in future mundane festivities.

The Birmingham Post says that a man named Jackson has acquired at Sheffield un pleasant experience of the working of the new Licensing Act. While in a half-drunken condition Jackson met with some women, whom he treated to gin, and one of whom he afterwards charged with having robbed hiiii of £36. He was drunk when he preferred the charge at the station, and the woman, when apprehended shortly afterwards, said she knew nothing of she robbery. The stipendiary declined to convict or to commit for trial upon the oath of a drunken man, and he astoniseed the prosecutor by ordering him to stand forward to answer a charge of being drunk in a public place. He pleaded that he was not "fresh." The stipendiary deli vered to him the following instructive address : —"I shall fine you ten shillings and costs for being drunk in a public place. I believe that you were robbed, and it is because I believe you were robbed that I impose this fine. lam only sorry I cannot impose a heavier penalty. It is an intolerable nui sance that men with large sums of money in their pockets should get drunk and support a class of thieves in the town who are rolling in wealth, and who are enabled to profit better by thieving than they could by honest labour. A man who allows himself to be

robbed in the way you have done is a public nuisance."

Ex-President Andrew Johnson, in a recent speech on America, said the people were living under " the most absolute government on the face of the earth. They were governed by a monarchy with 343 heads. He should prefer to have but one, true and wise." Corruption was pervading the whole machin ery of government, and he charged the Presi dent of the United States with receiviD' gifts amounting in all to £100,000 during b V term of office. What follows is very exi f cit : " President Grant received a bribe *._ £13,000 from A. T. Stewart, and in return appointed him Secretary of the Treasury. Hoar, of Massachusetts, was appointed Attorney-General in consideration of a gift of a library, A'alued at £2000. Boric pre sented him with a house and lot (allotment) worth £8000, for which he was appointed Secretary of the Navy." In denouncing this profligacy Mr Johnson dwelt approvingly on the prompt and vigorous punishment with which the House of Commons visited its venal speaker, Sir James Trevor, in 1695, when that functionary was adjudged guilty of high crime for having received a gratuity of 1000 guineas from the city of London, and was expelled and disgraced. But no such punishment awaited greater offenders in the country of Washington ; for the consciences of public men were seared by familiarity with such misdeeds. " Where are your public morals to be found," asked the ex-President, " when your offices of trust and responsibi liy are bargained and peddled out by corrupt rulers ?" The laws of the country were being violated with impunity, and the bribery and nepotism to be found in high places were naturally imitated by men in a subordinate poflitioa,"

fl% ifawiJTO Wltk% BASTJBDAI, ffUBEtTAftY 15, ltfft



T COS&EAVE & C O.'S SALE OF DRAPERY & CLOTHING COMMENCED ON SATURDAY, FEB. 1. The Public are requested to inspect the Good* »• th« Reductions are Genuine,



CELLING OFF!! B. C A S S, CHEAPS.TDE HOUSE, 22 2, QUEEN STREET. DECIDED BARGAINS. B. C A S S.