SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

A JBUNSET: This evening, 6.42 SUN-RISE: To orrow morning, 5.44 HIGH WATER: This afternoon, 5 1G ; to-morrow Borning, 5.40

Car ARRIVALS.

lerald, schooner, McKenrie, from Lyttelton, via Wa?kato p o Jlyde, schooner, Anderson, from Wangarei .ambria, schooner, McKenzie, from Wangarei it. Kilda, Flowerday, from Wanganui "-mulous, brigantine, Patterson, from Dunedin

DEPARTURES.

.Comerang, p.s., Cnrisp, for Poverty Bay

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

r _For Wanganui.: St. Kilda, s.s., this afternoon 'I For Wangarei: Clyde, schooner, to-morrow JsFor Honolulu and San Francisco: Dakota, mail jj .-.steamer, 20th March -...For Cork : Polar Star, ship, hourly JJ-Por No-thern ports: Bowena, s.s., to-morrow FiFor London : Harvest Home, ship, early ; Glenhuntly, no_ barque, hourly 1 For Sydney and Melbourne: Hero, *y &) about 3rd re* March; Wonga Wonga, s.s., abr,,^ 19th March puFor AVaitara: Go-ahead, s.s.. *„o-morrow geFor Wanganui, via Port \y a ikato ; Wanganui, s.s., to-morrow ori For Southern ports : Wellington, s.s., on arrival of '™ Dakota JeSouthern port^ v i a Napier : Dakota, p.s., early

VESSELS EXPECTED.

_ Durh^ ffif s hip ; from London. Sailed 29th November ' Edinburgh Castle, ship, from London. Loading -1 arsee, ship, from London. Loading Langa, barque, from Liverpool. Loading W. Thames, barque, from New York, via Sydney, loading ' Dakota, mail steamer, from Honolulu rl Hero, s.s., from Sydney Prosperity, schooner, from Melbourne y Corredo, barque, from Sydney ' Drover, brig, from Sydney )_•_; East Lothian, barque, from New York. Sailed 20th j December Dauntless, schooner, from South Islands Harriet Armytage, barque, from Dunedin Coronet, brigantine, from Wellington ] Satellite, cutter, from Levuka es t Florence, schoon.r, from Dunedin Sailed 21st cV( February me Mary Millar, barque, from Newcastle. Sailed 11th ( February Success, schooner, from Levuka Albion, brig, from Newcastle Jdady Bird, s.s., from Sydney (in the Manukau) Saucy Lass, schooner, from Napier. Sailed 17th February - Tower Hill, brig, from Adelaide. Sailed 2fith January £ Flirt, brigantine, from Lyttelton Briton, barque, from Newcastle

IMPORTS.

Per Emulous, brigantine, from Dunedin: 720 bags flour, 524 bags barley dust, 800 bags pollard, 40 bags bran, G. W. Binney; 14 boxes soap, 12 half boxes ditto, J Pieid.— J. JEteid, agent.

Per s.s. St Kilda ,from Wanganui : 250 sheep, 50 head cattle, Seaton and Davidson.

The s.s. Star of the South was placed on the slip at the North Shore to be thoroughly examined before being purchased by the Auckland Steam' Packet Company for the Fiji trade. The vessel was apx:)roved of, and the purchase money has, we believe, been paid over. The Company intend to fit the steamer with entirely new engines and boilers, which are now being made by Messrs Fraser & Tinne. She will make two trips to Napier in order to employ the time occupied in making the machinery, and will then be laid up, when extensive alterations will be made to the vessel, including a large addition to her cabin accommodation. She will probably be ready to commence the Fiji service in a month or six weeks.

The p.s. Comerang cleared at the Customs this afternoon for Poverty Bay with a large general cargo and the following passengers : — Messrs Searfe, O'Sullivan, Roberts, H. H. Lusk, V. E. Rice, J. Turner, and Mr and Mrs Hemngham, and several others. The steamer took her departure at half-past three. The schooner Herald arrived in harbour this morning from Lyttelton via Port Waikato, bringing a full cargo of coal from the latter port. The Herald will leave for Hokianga on Thursday next. The fine ship Warwick is turning out her cargo in very excellent condition. If Shaw, Saville and Co. had perserved in chartering such vessels as the Warwick for this port there would have been no outcry for a Freight Company. The ship possesses all the modern improvements in marine archi tecture, and everything has been supplied with a view to the safety, comfort, and convenience of both the passengers, officers, and crews. The Warwick is a perfect model, internally and externally ; her cabins in the saloon are being refitted preparatory to the voyage home, and the vessel will certainly offer accommodation for passengers seldom afforded from this port. The brigantine Emulous, 157 tons, arrived yesterday" from Dunedin with a cargo of breadstuffs. She left Dunedin on the 14th Instant. The s.s. Lily left Russell on Friday last on her way to Kaipara. The schooner Clyde will leave for Wangarei and Mangapai to-morrow afternoon. The steam launch, imported in the ship Warwick, left yesterday for Grahamstown, in charge of her owner. She is a staunch little craft, and well found. Her builders are Yarrow and Hedley, of Poplar. The s.s. Star of the South is alongside the ship Warwick, receiving the Napier portion of her cargo. _ The s.s. Co-Ahead left Wanganui at three a.m. yesterday for the Manukau. The s.s. St. Kilda put into the Manukau at six a.m. yesterday through stress of weather while bound to Westport. The Fighting Ship of the Future.— The Standard welcomes Major Moncrieff's invention of a "fighting ship which can sail," as a possible means of superseding those «'turret abominations" which have cost so much and failed so egregiously. Major Moncrieff is prepared with a scheme, which has been submitted to the present Govern ment for the last four years, that seems to combine the essentials of the fighting ship of the future. He proposes to meet the condi tions of the problem by mounting his guns in the centre of his ship, behind an iron fortress, on his hydro-pneumatic principle. The vessel, freed from her turret excrescences, and with her weight of armour properly dis tributed, will be able to resume somewhat of the old ship-like form and the old sea qualities. There will be once more English men-of-war capable of sailing to any part of the world, and fit. to encounter any sea. It is unnecessary for us to dwell upon one great feature of Major Moncrieff's scheme, namely, that it promises to restore to us that old advantage of seaman ship over other nations, of which the existing race of ironclad monitors has nearly robbed us. If England is to retain her naval supremacy —if she is to discharge those duties which Mr Goschen has undertaken in the name of Government, it must be by her keeping ahead of her rivals, not only in the size of her ships and the thickness of her armour, but in the art of navigating and fight in" her men-of-war. Behind turrets and thick armour all nations are equal. The less the floating thing is made like a ship, and more like an ordinary battery, the worse it will be for England, for she will be deprived of her chief power, which is in her seamanship. We riroclaim the equality of our rivals with ourselves, and ignore our natural gifts when we confine the naval competition to a race for the biggest and most thickly-clad monitors. And it is because Major Moncrieff offers us an escape from this vicious groove that we commend his invention as worthy at least of a fair trial.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND. Mails wrxn Close as Unweii :— For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p.m., and to-morrow, at 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. For Coromandel, on Wednesday, at 1.30 p.m. For Taranaki, per Go-ahead, to-moirow, at 10 a.m. For Wanganui, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago, per Wanganui, to-morrow, at 10 a.m. For Russell, Wangaroa, and Mongonui, per Rowena, to-morrow, at 3 p.m. For (Vangarei, Wangarei Heads, &c, per Clyde, to morrow, at 2 p.m. For Great Barrier, Whitiangi, Tauranga, and Opotiki, per Southern Cross, on Tuesday next, at 3 p.m. For Taranaki and Southern ports, per s.s. Wellington, immediately on the arrival of the p.s. Dakota from Honolulu. For Napier and Southern ports, per p.s. Dakota, six hours after arrival. 3ST.B. —A Post-office will be opened at Titirangi on the Ist March. (Signed) S. B. Biss, Chief Postmaster.

DEATH.

Robinson. -At the Provincial Hospital, on Feb. 22, John Robinson ; aged 44 years. The funeral will leave his late residence, Harp of Erin road, for the Epsom Cemetery, To-morrow (Tuesday), at one p.m. Friends will please accept this invitation.

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 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

The statutes of New Zealand are not more remarkable for their number than for the complete impossibility of work ing many of them. Those laws in tended to regulate the trade of the colony are especially defective, and in many instances are calculated to inflict serious injury upon mercantile men. This, no doubt, arises from the neglect by the Gfovernment of practical advice in framing measures bearing upon mercantile affairs, and also to some extent from the absence of active Chambers of Commerce in the chief ports of the colony, whose recommendations must com mand the attention of any Ministry in power. Within the last few weeks we have in the Sharebrokers' Act seen an Act of the General Assembly, after being unsuccessfully appealed against by those affected by it, thrown over altogether; it is well-known that the proverbial " coach-and-four " was driven through the Stamp Act last year, and the same course will ever be pursued with all other Acts strict compliance with which is impracticable or would prove detrimental to trade. On the Ist of March next an Act will come into force which threatens to result in the laying-up of several of our coasting craft, and a consequent loss of hundreds of pounds to owners lof vessels. We refer to the regulations made under " The Merchant Ships Officers' Examination Acts," which have caused a considerable stir amongst, uncertificated captains of vessels. The Act provides that every person who has served as master or mate of a coasting vessel for three years prior to the first of January, 1871, and has resided in the colony during that time,

shall be entitled to a certificate; but all those persons now acting as captains, whose term of com- \ maud commenced within the last four years, must undergo examina tions and obtain certificates of com petency before they can clear a vessel at the' Customs. We do not take ex ception to the stringency of the Act, as it is imperatively incumbent upon the Q-overnment to see that persons entrusted with the care of human life are properly qualified for the duty, but the mode provided in the Act for ob taining these certificates is what we regard as objectionable, and will, unless at once altered, defeat the in tention of the Legislature in passing the measure. The Board of Examiners, J to whom alone is entrusted the power to grant certificates, is located at "Wellington, and every captain who desires to go up for examination must relinquish his command and proceed to the seat of Government for three or four weeks. It is easy to see what will be the inevitable result of this provision : On the first of March the Customs authorities will refuse to clear many vessels now sailing from our port unless certificated captains are placed in command, and at present a sufficient number of certificated officers could not be procured even if it were _?su' able to replace thoroughly qualified men simply because the law requires that they shall absent themselves from their vessels for some weeks in order to obtain certificates. It is true that the Act provides for the holding of an examination at Auckland if there are sufficient candidates to defray the ex pense of sending examiners from Wellington, but it is not likely that a large enough number will come forward at one time to justify the Government in incurring such an expense as that entailed by a special commission. The remedy is so simple that it is difficult to account for its omission from the Act unless it were deemed necessary to make the Board of Examiners another way of providing for the numberless poor relations and hangers on with which New Zealand politicians are blessed. There are residing in Auckland enough thoroughly qualified seamen to constitute a local Board of Examiners, and we are sure . the services of two or three of these gentlemen could be secured for the fees arising out of the Act. If the Government were to appoint a local Examining Board at each port in the colony, masters of vessels could go up for examination whenever their vessels are in harbour, and the present hard ship and inconvenience would be avoided while a more effective mode of carrying out the wishes of the Legislature would be secured. Masters and owners of vessels should at once represent to the Government the in justice that will be caused by the Act unless a local Board of Examiners is appointed.

A meeting of gentlemen was convened by his Honor the Superintendent this afternoon for the purpose of arranging about giving a farewell ball to his Excellency Sir George and Lady Bowen previous to their departure from New Zealand. The meeting was con vened by private circular, and was held in the large room of the Insurance Buildings, and was well attended. A committee was ap pointed for the purpose of arranging the preliminaries, and of fixing the date. It was also agreed to have a public holiday on the day of their departure.

The whole of the market-house is now roofed in, and the large ventilators on tho roof fixed. The internal arrangements are also proceeding rapidly. The joinery work is all being made in the city work-shops in Lome-street, ready for fixing, so that in the course of another month the market will be ready for occupation. A circular hole in the front of the building has been finished off as a ventilator, but it lias evidently been made as a receptacle for a clock at some future date. Perhaps some generous citizen will present the market-house with a clock to place in this cavity. It would certainly be not only an ornament to the building, but useful to its occupants and to the public at large.

An event of some importance to the Thames people occurred on Saturday last. The first dust-cart, under the auspices of the Kauaeranga Board, made its appearance in the principal street, and the old cry of " Dust oh ! " heard and accepted as one of the voices of human progress.

Ward's minstrels will give a concert in aid of a charitable object, at the Catholic Insti tute, to-morrow. We wish them every success. Great credit is due to the manager and members of the troupe for the way in which they get up these concerts.

The following account of a romantic Scotch mai-riage is from the Glasgow Citizen : —" Evidence is being taken at the Edin burgh Court of Session, in the action brought by Mrs Margaret Wilson, or Steuart, or Robertson, against Sir Archibald Douglas Steuart, with the view of having plaintiff's sou, alleged to be the child of the late Major Steuart, who was the son of the deceased Sir William Drummond Steuart, declared heir to the Murthly estates. Since the action was first raised the boy has died, and Mrs Robertson perseveres with it to secure the '' widow's " share of the property Plaintiff's brother declared that formerly Major Steuart had, when in poor circum stances, resided with his father, and one night, when the latter had exhibited some annoyance at his protracted stay, the major declared, with tears in his eyes : "I will show you what I can do to shut people's mouths. I am poor now, and I cannot marry to the height of my proper station, but I will marry Maggie in Scotch fashion." The major then went down on one knee, drew a ring from his waistcoat pocket, and placed it on one of Margaret's finders, saying, "Maggie, you are my wife before Heaven—so help me, God." The sister of the witness said, " Oh, Major," put his arms around her neck, and the two kissed each other. They lived afterwards as man and wife, but the marriage was kept secret. A number of witnesses gave evidence to prove that the marriage had taken place. The case is proceeding, and promises to occupy the court a long time.

The irrepressible promoter of the new Political Union must, we should think, feel somewhat crest-fallen at the want of success that has attended his efforts to reform the body politic. The small attendance at the meeting of Saturday, followed by the repudiation of even his trusted followers, leaving the promoter of the society its beginning and end, would have shaken the conridence of a less sanguine man; but John Mason stands true to his colours, and fortified with the exhiliratmg liquors dispensed by his friend Sceats, re pudiates all traitors and declares that if he can get no one to join him he, being a host in himself, will become .solus the Union. -No doubt Mr Eeed, who is at present ruralising at Coromandel, will feel overwhelmed when lie hears of the unexpected honour that has been conferred upon him by electing him President of the Union, and the still greater honour in store as the future Superintendent of this province. We can only regret that Mr Heed's absence from town prevents him from personally acknowledging his eternal gratitude to this choice collection ot pot house politicians, as we feel sure he would have made the occasion of his presidential address one on which to administer a tew wholesome remarks for the guidance of the "Political Union" and similar societies for all time to come. It is gratifying to know that the independent course pursued by the Star has found so much favour in the eyes of these agitators that this journal is to receive all their advertising: A first instalment is to hand, but unfortunately the advertiser omitted to leave with the advertisement the amount chargeable for its insertion. This is evidently a mere inadvertency, which will be at once rectified and the announcements will then appear. The authoress of " John Halifax.," iniher thoroughly feminine novel, Agatha snps £nd " lias expressed many truths ,n ; rclaion to married life ; but none more sensible thaii tins:__" It is a curious and melancholy tact which we don't learn till we are married, that all the love in the world is thrown away upon a man unless you make him comfortable at home. A neat house and a creditable dinnci every day go more to his heart than all tho sentimental devotion you can give.

A few days ago a man, apparently in distress, called at the house of a beuevolent lady at Remuera, and implored tcmpoiary Stance, exclaiming that if she could not assistance^ t regort to givo him nnmedhUo IUU <.„ Ml jlate The something too fearful to con..- _ ' ' ... nn . lady gave him half-a-crown, and compa--.. ately asked, " What is it, poor man, that I have saved you from?" "Work, madam, work," was the emphatic and melancholy reply.

The regular monthly meeting of the Lodge St. Andrew, No. 418, will take place this evening at the Star Hotel.

William Dickinson, a clerk in the telegraph department of the Manchester Post-office, was charged in December last with having disclosed the contents of a sporting telegram, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

The literary and musical entertainment in aid of the All Saints' Sunday-school fund will take place this evening in the large room of the Young Men's Christian Associ ation. The songs and recitations are choice, and from the well-known abilities of the amateurs should command a good attendance. The charge for admission is only sixpence.

The family of the late Mr. Joseph Pease have just presented the town of Darlington with 14 acres of ground as a cemetery. The gift represents a sum of £12,000 to £15,000. Joseph Pease was a member of the Society of Friends, and one of the earlier patrons of the late Ceorge Stephenson. The Thames Advertiser says the Press Association is virtually under the control of Mr. Vogel, and a thoroughly independent Associated Press, free from all ties, is re quired. Yesterday afternoon a large number of Odd Fellows assembled at Onehunga for the purpose of attending the funeral of their de parted Brother Geo. L. Low, who was accidentally killed on Thursday last. The funeral arrangements were under the super intendence of P.P.G.M. Jamieson, to whom credit is due. Over three hundred members of the order and friends followed the deceased to his last resting place in the Church of England cemetery, at Onehunga. The funeral service was read by the Rev. Dr. Purchas. "We beg to call the attention of the trade to to-morrow's auction sale of dried and salted fish by Messrs B. Tonks and Co. Only a small lot of dried and salted turbot, mullet, kingiish, and schnapper will be sub mitted in order to test the market, and it is to be hoped that encouragement will be given towards this new and valuable local industry.

The Provincial Secretary, Mr H. H. Lusk, and Mr V. E. Rice, were passengers by the Comerang to Poverty Bay this afternoon to attend the land sale to be held at Gisbourne on Wednesday next.

There has been launched from Palmer's ship-building yard, Shields, the largest iron screw steamer ever built on the Tyne, named the Montana. She is the property of Messrs Guoin & Co., of Liverpool, and the Great Western Steam Navigation Company. She is built specially to attain great speed, and is expected to be the fastest vessel afloat. She is 400 feet long, 43 feet in breadth, and 25 feet in depth. Her engines are 903 nominal horse power, and she will carry 200 first, 200 second, and 1,000 third-class passengers,

The Harapipi correspondent of the Wialcato Times says the crops in this district are not turning out so well as expected on account of the rain coming so late in the season. The Bishop of Auckland and the Rev. Mr. Brady paid us a flying visit a few days back on their way from Raglan.

It is a sad think to think, but it is never theless the truth,. that while the late Mr N. M. Montgomery was slowly starving to death in a bush hut at Coromandel money was lying to his credit in Auckland. Only the day after the inquest Mr Cadman received a letter from Mr Dilworth stating that he had for some time had a sum of money in trust forMrMongoinery, and requesting Mr Cadman to endeavour to see him. The money of course comes too late— too late even to save him from a pauper's grave.— Coromandel Mail We learn from the Coromandel Mail that the work of the Kapanga mine is steadily progressing, and from what we can learn the opening up of the mine will take place a great deal earlier than a great many people suppose. It will come none too early. Really, if it were not for the Tokatea, Coromandel would be in the doldrums altogether. Not a single one of the Beach claims is working, and what is more we cannot learn that there is any likelihood of a move at present to what everyone is looking forward to with anxiety —the working of the Beach claim itself in conjunction with the Green Harp and Venus, while the Golden Pah still hangs in stays. And yet while this is so, while a well proved field, yielding stone which averages three ounces to the Thames' one, is left undeveloped simply for the want of capital, men are ready to rush in thousands and spend thousands upon new blocks of land just because they are new and that the existence even of gold in payable quantities upon them is a mystery. |

The new hall building in Lome-street for the Fountain of Friendship Lodge of Odd fellows is beginning to show itself above ground, and judging from the area of ground it covers is likely to be a pretentious struc ture A double tier of extensive cellars forms the iower part of the building, and these are intended to be let off.

The following is the return of sick treated I at the Provincial Hospital during the week ending Saturday, February 22, 1873 mained last return, 64 ; admitted since, 14 ; discharged, 10; died, 1; remaining, 67 (males SG, females 11). Arrangement of cases : Fever (typhoid), 1 (convales.); rheumatism, 5 ; syphilis, 3 ; psora, 1 ; phthisis, 0 ; para lysis, 5 ; melancholy, 1 ; epilepsy, 1; opthal mia, 1 ; aneurism, 1 ; heart disease, 3; bronchitis, 1 ; fistula, 1 ; dyspepsia, 1 ; albuminuria, 1 ; pschuria, 1 ; cystitis, 1 ; uterine diseases, 3 ; caries and necrosis, <) ; abscess and ulcer, 12 ; fractures, 7 ; con tusions, 2 ; resection, 1 ; debility, 2. An old man died on the 15th inst. of general dropsy, the result of heart disease.

The Dundee domestic servants have formed themselves into a union for the bettering of their condition. At a recent meeting of about 200 servant maids, Mr Key, _ who presided, urged upon them the necessity of union as a means of obtaining the ends they desirated, instanced the success of the many trades' agitations that had recently taken place—showing, however, that in forming a society for the purposes they had in view they would do well to consider that some time must elapse before they could be strong enough in funds and in numbers to make a direct stand. In fact, a strike, as strikes have been generally understood, could never take place. They could only do as sellers in a market did—hold off for higher prices, and not accept situations until their terms had been complied with. (Applause.) He thoroughly sympathised with the servant girls in many of their grievances. He was not a servant maid— (laughter) —but he was married to one, and had to court her while was she so. An old maid was her mistress, and whether she was afraid of her goods and chattels, or her self, or her servants, he did not know ; but he had to take many and strange ways to find means of entrance — back door, front door, coalhole — every possible channel whereby he could be transported to the presence of his fair one was tried with a greater or less degree of success. This was one great grievance which he could speak personally upon, and he thought it was greatly to the detriment of the girls that the hearts of the servants were not at cer swe_._. .- allowed as free admission to tain fixed homo .. 0 f the daughters of the kitchen as the lovers -- (Loud the household were to the pav-v,,. applause from the girls.) If a member of the firm of Messrs X Walker j & Co. would pay a visit to their gum stores on the wharf on either Saturday or Sunday I nights they would be alarmed for the safety j of their premises and contents from fire. The Maoris, whose boats lie alongside the store, are to be seen climbing about the sup ports of the store with their lighted pipes, and occasionally striking matches, which are thrown carelessly about. Naked lights are also burning under the canvas covers in the boats which might easily take fire should the light be knocked over. The close prox imity of the boats to the store renders their company dangerous.

There was a good attendance at the bazaar in aid of the Sir George Grey Cadet Corps on .Saturday evening, and the various articles were disposed of in the usual way, or by auction. The bazaar, however, has not met with a large amount ot success. There is a very beautiful picture still on hand illustra tive of " Jacob s Dream," in a very curiously wrought frame of leather in imitation of the wood carving of the renowned Grinling Gibbous. This picture is to be raffled for when a sufficient number of names are got to gether.

Mr Stanley's recently published book, '' How I fountl Livingstone," is thus commented upon by a Scotch reviewer:—On Monday was issued to the public by Messrs Sampson, Low, Mai-ton, & Co., of London and New York, Mr Henry Stanley's eagerly-looked for book, '' How I found Livingstone." For his own sake it is a pity that Mr Stanley ever wrote it. In its seven hundred pages there is nothing to increase and much to lesson his reputation. To have discovered Living stone was a splendid achievement. It proved that Mr Stanley was poscecsed of enterprise, courage, perseverance, capacity to conquer almost insuperable difficulties, and an unsel fish devotion to what he considered his duty, such as are granted to few. To have written this book only proves that he is as em phatically a vain man as he is a man of action ; that he can be spiteful and unjust; that he can put in a form intended to be enduring sentences of very questionable delicacy; that, while protesting against sneers at him self, he cm sneer without sciuple at others ; that, while terribly touchy concerning his own reputation, he can deal very freely with the reputations of distinguished men for whose appearance in Irs pages there is not the smallest need ; and that he is in no wi-e fitted for literary composition which will bear thetest of careful orfrequentperusal. Having read Mr Stanley's book from beginning to end we cannot find that it con tains anything to justify its publication. Beyond the circumstance that he discovered Livingstone he does not seem to have brought back from the desert a single fact of conse quence which other travellers had not gathered before bun. Now, this fact of Livingstone's discovery has been laid before the public in all manner of forms at least twice aweek since the month of June. How Mr Stanley reached the great traveller, what he said to him when he saw hj'n, and on numberless occasions afterwards, his mis fortunes, trials, sorrows, and adventures on the road to Ujiji and back, were things with which his letters in American and English papers, and speeches all over the country had long since made us familiar. All this and very little more the book tells us over again. Page after page is taken up not with useful information concerning the tracts of country he passed over and their inhabitants, but with monotonous accounts of monotonous marches, of miserable bickerings with his sulky white assistants, of cowhidings ad ministered to his rebellious native servants, of doubtfully worded descriptions of native women attractively clad in the garment of our first parent, of commonplace encounters with a buffalo, a bear, a hippopotamus, a lion and a donkey, of the author's wisdom in dealing with chiefs as 'cute as his Yankee countrymen, and of many other small matters a knowledge of which will make no living being wiser than he is without it. This being so, Mr Stanley may well regret that he has placed himself at the mercy of the critics with whom he so bitterly quarrelled .If he could have told the world .. anything im portant about Central Africa which the world had not already learned from Living stone, Baker, Speke, Grant, Burton, and others he might have snapped his fingers, in reviewers' faces and defied them on° the ground that his fresh facts warranted his rushing into print.

The railway works in Mechanics 5 Bay are proceeding very slowly, and the embankment still remains in its unprotected state. Ihe first north-easterly gale will probably do similar damage to the works as the last gale did. The men employed on the job appear to take to their work indolently, their chief occupation being to kill time. This may be ao-reeable to Messrs Brogden, with the ten per cent on outlay arrangement, but it must be very distasteful to the colony, who will have to pay the piper.

The long-delayed cricket match between . the I. Zingari and eighteen outsiders came off on Saturday, and resulted in a victory for the last-named team. In consequence of the game not commencing until after two o clock the respective teams could only play one innings each. For the Zingari King played a good innings of thirteen, Bellers and Swan soii coming next with six each, the eleven being all out for sixty-three. The eighteen then went to the wickets, Dufaur heading the list with a line score of thirty-three, the rest of the team not approaching him as the next highest was three. The outsiders retired for a total of seventy-three, thus winning the game by ten runs. The bowling of Messrs Conneli and Buckland, and the wicket-keeping of Messrs Buttle and Bellers shewed that I they were up to their work.

The building committee of St. Mark's, Remuera, held a meeting on Saturday evening, the Yen. Archdeacon Pritt in the chair, for the purpose of considering the tenders for the erection of a tower and spire, and other improvements in connection with the church. After some discussion, the building of a tower and spire was deemed to be beyond the means of the committee at present, and it was thought better to confine their thoughts to the lesser required improve ments, which the committee resolved should be commenced without further delay.

Flipkins says that there are three sexes —the male sex, the female sex, and the in sects.

An inquirer is informed that we know of no female dates, although mandates are plenty.

There are menny people who not only beleave that this world revolves on its axis, but they beleave that they are the axis.— Josh Billings."

It is bad enough often to be held respon sible for what one has actually done, without being abused for the actions of others. His Worship the Mayor, however, appears to be one of those unfortunate individuals who must be abused whether he deserves it or not. The Thames Evening Star, on Saturday, publishes a leader censuring the Mayor for certain remarks made in a case at the Police Court, and charging him with imitating Mr Beckham. Our contemporary's remarks are '"■hat mis-applied, seeing that Mr Beck some,- -l ye Mayor was the presiding ham and not v 7 -urion alluded to. magistrate on the oc_- A case, in which the pan.: 3 concerned reside at a distance, was called v_} tJUS morning at the District Court, but had to _c adjourned on account of the non-attendance j of a material witness, who had been sttm- ! moned. This was no less a personage thai* Major Mair, the Residedt Magistrate at Alexandra, who, of all others, ought to know how to respect a subpoena, legally served. The consequence was that the case had to be adjourned for one month, the plaintiff being compelled to pay the defendant sixteen pounds odd expenses, solely in consequence of this witness failing to pay attention to his summons.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN PONSONBY ROAD.

A person named John Robinson, farmer, residing on Great South Road, was on Eriday last driving along the Ponsonby road, and was trying to cover himself with a tarpaulin, when he slipped and fell backwards over the wheel pn to the road, alighting on the back part of his neck, causing concussion to his spine. The wheel did not pass over him. He lay in the road for some time unable to move, until the Postmaster of Dedwood and a young mamed H. Robinson, took him into the post-office, and at the request of deceased brought him on to Mr Lawry's house, where he was put on a bed and soon attended by Dr Nicholson, by whose advice, as well as by the expressed wish of the deceased, he was taken to the hospital in a spring cart, accompanied by Dr Nicholson and Mr Lawry, the unfortunate man holding converse with the medical gentleman all the way. At the hospital the unfortunate man received every attention ; and upon examining the nature of the accident very little or no hopes were entertained of his recovery, and he died on Saturday evening last. Mr Robinson was for many years a milkman, but in conse quence of lameness he had retired from that calling for some years, and employed himself on his farm. The deceased was a sterling, honest, energetic man ; and notwithstanding his having to walk on a patten, he was active up to the time of the acccident. He leaves a wife and five young children to mourn their loss. His age was 44. It was not thought necessary to hold an inquest, Dr Philson having granted a certificate as to the cause of death.

LARRIKINISM.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sir, —I am very glad indeed that a paragraph which appeared in your paper of Monday last has caused a stir among the '' letter-writing" portion of our community, and afforded you an opportunity of using the scissors in culling several interesting paragraphs from some of the ablest journals in the colonies on the question of "how to put down larrikin ism." If, however, instead of writing so often to newspapers some of the numerous philan thropic individuals in our midst would form themselves into a committee, and give practical effect to what they consider the only way to put down " larrikinism," — i.e., by establish ing free gymnasiums, free entertainments, and by giving an occasional free "tea fight,"— they would confer a lasting benefit on the community.—One of the so-called Larri kins of the 10th inst.

DEPARTURE OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir, —I was not a little amused at the sug gestion made by the Cross this morning in reference to the departure of his Excellency the Governor, to the effect that a farewell ball should be given, and adding that '' Caj)tain Daveney would be the best man to arrange such a complimentary gathering. Let Captain Daveney undertake it." I entirely demur to any private individual being asked to represent the citizens of Auckland in a matter in which they are all interested, —viz. : Paying proper respect to the representative of royalty, and doing honour to his Excellency and Lady Bowen on the occasion of their departure from New Zea land. I excuse the editor of the Cross for thus offering an insult to the people of this province on the ground of his being a stranger amongst us. He is not aware, perhaps, of thejfact that the Huckland people have always ac quitted themselves on such occasions in a mannea creditable to themselves, and worthy of the premier province of the colony. I have no doubt that on the fitting opportunity of the departure of the Governor the Auck anders will evince their loyalty and

their attachment to his Excelkney and Lady Bowen in a becoming man ner. I understand that his Honor the Superintendent has already taken the initiative in the matter, and called a meeting of the leading citizens of Auckland to con sider what steps should be taken to do honour to His Excellency the Governor and Lady Bowen. I think the public will agree with me that such a duty is more properly undertaken by the Chief Magistrate of the province than by ?ny private individual, as foolishly suggested by your morning con temporary.-—I am, &c, Citizen.

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST SOUTHERN NEWS.

(PER ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAPH COMPANY.! MR. BROGDEN'S STEAMER. AUCKLAND AWARDS AT THE. CHRISTCHURCH EXHIBITION, THIRTEEN PRIZES AWARDED. DEATH FROM TYPHOID FEVER. STRIKE OF COAL MINERS AT DUNEDIN. CHRISTCHURCH. This day. The awards for the Christchurch Exhibi tion were made yesterday. The Auckland prizes did not include any silver medals. Bronze medals were awarded to Price and Co. for flax machinery ; to Ellengham and Domwell for preserved provisions ; to Kohn Brothers for jewellery. First-class certifi cates were awarded to Hunt Brothers for phormium; R. Walker for kauri gum- Second class certificates to F. White for minerals ; R. Neale and N. Ohlson for sauces ; Warnock Brothers for soap ; Williams & Co., for blacking &c. Altogether there were fifteen Auckland ex hibits, and the awards made to them were four bronze medals, four first-class certificates and five second-class certificates, making thirteen prizes. Royse, Stead and Co. report wheat coming forward slowly; buyers, 4s to 4s 4d p^ bushel. The quality is inferior. Oats are much discoloured. Samples that are coming forward are in demand at 2s to 2s 2d per bushel. Barley is unobtainable ; 6s 6d per bushel is offered for good samples. Flour is plentiful, and is emoted at £11 per ton.

WELLINGTON.

Saturday. The Patteson brings fourteen passengers # She left Sydney at midnight on the 15th inst., and steamed twelre knots an hour. Mr Brogden is to have a grand picnic on board on Wednesday. She leaves for Auck land on Thursday. A motion was carried at the Intercolonial Conference for a Customs union for revenue purposes only. The question of light-houses was referred to a nautical committee. A committee reported in favour of increas ing the strength of wines admitted at a shilling duty to thirty-five degrees. The Conference also made recommendations on the following subjects:—Remedies against absconding debtors and criminals, diseases in stock, Fiji Islands, colonial statistics, &c.

The Hons. Messi_. Vogel and Reynolds have addressed a memorandum to Mr Parkes> Premier of New South Wales, regarding Webbs' line. They offer a service from New South Walea without any subsidy except payment on letters.

The Albion has arrived from Lyttelton with the crews and boats for the interpro vincial regatta. She sails for Nelson to-day The s.s. Phoebe sailed South on Saturday m

GREYMOUTH.

This day.

All Melbourne vessels are loading with a return cargo of coal. The Sarah and Mary is full, and sails to-day.

The s.s. Rangatira has arrived from Wel lington, and is loading with coal.

TIMARU.

This day. Wheat is quoted at 4s per bushel. Oata ls 9d to 2s.

Grain is coming into the market rapidly,

OAMARU.

Th;s day. A fine harvest has been safely gathered. Wheat is quoted at 3s 9d to 4s per bushel. Barley 4s 6d to 5s Gd per bushel. Oats, A ls lOd to 2s.

PORT CHALMERS.

This day. The s.s. Taranaki sailed at noon yesterday for the North.

The Charlotte Gladstone is alongside the railway pier. Wm. Preston, one of the passengers, has died at Quarantine Island of typhoid fever.

DUNEDIN.

This day. The coal miners of Kaitangata have struck for higher wages. An Early Settlers' Association has been formed. They will celebrate their formation on March 23.

NAPIER.

Thursday,

The Daily Telegraph strongly condemns the partiality shewn to the morning papers by the Press Association who hold news back from the evening papers in a most barefaced manner.

_M__ IT3TON& STAB, HOLIDAY, CTBIttJAItY H f 1873.



T COSGRAVE & C O.'S SALE OF DRAPERY & CLOTHING COMMENCED ON SATURDAY, FEB. 1, The Public are requested to inspect the Goods as the Reductions are Genuine. JELLING OEE! DRAPERY! DRAPERY? B. CASS, CHEAPSIDE HOUSE, 22 2, QUEEN STREET. DECIDED BARGAINS. B. CASS. GREAT REDUCTIONS FOE THREE MONTHS ONLY AT THE AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPANY, 194, queen street, Next Door to Savings,' Bank. Cartes-de-visitc reduced from 16s per dozen to 13s 6d. Maori Celebrities (largest steck in New Zealand to select from), reduced from 12s per dozen to Gs. Views from all parts of New Zealand reduced from 12s per dozen to 6s. Enlargements from Cart<-.-i-d<:-vi.-:iU- to Life-size, plain or beautifully finished in Oil or Water Colors, also reduced in price. Large Stock of Photographic Goods and Apparatus, Magic Lantern Slides, Stereoscopic Slides, _c, greatly reduced. J, McGARR IGL E, Manager. UNION BANK OE AUSTRALIA. [Established 1837.] PAID-UP CAPITAL ... £1,250,000. RESERVED FUNDS ... £400,000. \ NOTICE TO PROPRIETORS. rriELEG-RAPHIC advice having been received that a Dividend at the rate of 13 per Cent, per annum for the half year ending 31st December, 1872, on the Paid-up Capital of this Bank was declared at the Meeting of the Proprietors, held in London on the loth January, Proprietors registered in Christchurch at the former date will receive their Dividend Warrants on application at the Bank's Offices, Hereford-street, Christchurch, or through any Branch of the Bank in New Zealand. (Signed) JOSEPH PALMER, Chief Officer for New Zealand."



We are requested by Mr Hayman, tobacco nist, to call the attention of the public to his De La Russia cigars, the first of the brand ever imported in the colony, also other new brands per Nebraska.—Advt.