SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

SUN-S-KT: This evening, 7.17 BUN-R1BB: To morrow morning, 4.59 HIGH WATBB : This evening, 1.7 ; to-morrow morning, 1.46

ARRIVALS.

Augusta, brigantine, 165 tons, Grey. fr°m Tahiti and Caroline Islands Vincent, cutter, from Tauranga

DEPARTURES.

Coronet, brigantine, for Tahiti, via Rarotonga Atalanta, schooner, for Napier

IMPORTS.

Per Augusta, from Caroline Islands —150^ tons guano, Combes & Daldy.

The cutter Vincent, from Tauranga, arrived yesterday. She biings as cargo—s bales wool, 300 sheopskins, 10 casks tallow, 1 harmonium. The barque Freetrader took her final departure for Newcastle, from Rangitoto channel, on Saturday. The schooner Atalanta sailed yesterday for Napier with a cargo of timber and general stores. The s.s. Mikado, we learn by telegram, is to sail from Port Chalmers to-morrow for Sydney. It is not yet known whether the English mail will be delayed for her arrival, or whether another boat will be substituted. The brigantine Coronet sailed yesterday for Tahiti via Rarotonga with a large general cargo, shipped by Messrs Owen and Gra ham.

The American brigantine Augusta, Captain Grey, arrived on Saturday evening from tho Caroline Islands via Tahiti, after a good pas sago of 25 days, with a cargo of guano. Captain Grey reports having left Caroline Island December 15th ; arrived at Tahiti on 19th; sailed next day; arrived 25th at Aitu take ; left same day for Auckland. Light easterly winds throughout the passage. Her cargo will be transhipped into the Hindostan. The schooner Columbia has cleared for Napier with 32,000 feet timber, 15,000 shingles, and a general cargo. The timber is Bhipped by C. A. Harris, and the general cargo by Ower_ and Graham.

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs Samuel Cochrane and Sons offered to-day the Rosebank property, North Shore. Bidding was spiritless and only one lot was sold, namely No. 15, which fetched £1 4s per foot. The old immigration barracks, Freeman's Bay was soldfor £29 to be removed at once.

AUCKLAND STOCK AND MINING REPORT.

Bank of New Zealand, £1G '7s 6d. South British Insurance, 455. f 1' Alburnia, (new issue), buyers, 5s ; selle 63 3d. Caledonian, £12 7s 6d ; buyers, £12 ss; sellers, £18r City of London/ 23g, 255; buyers, 24s Cd; sellers, 255. Crown Prince, lCs ; sellers, 17s. Cure, sellers 3s 9d. Old Whau, 80a, 77s Gd; buyers 77sGd; sellers 80s. Eureka Hill, Gs; buyers, 4s ; sellers, ss. Ruby, 4s Bd, 4s 9d; buyers, 4s Gd; sellers, 5s Gd. ,

DEATH.

ipEAP-BOK. —On Jamiary.ll, WiUiani Irvine Pearson, youngest son of A. Pearson, Cook street. The funeral wiU leave his ' father's residence, . Cook street/on Tuesday, at 3 o'clock. Friends please accept this invitation.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Closi! ah Under :— For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p m, and to-morrow at 10.30 am ands.3opm For Coromandel, on Wednesday next,*1 at 12 30 pm ' For Whitianga, Tairua, Tauranga, Opotiki, and Napier, via Tauranga, per Southern Cross, to morrow, at 3 p m For Tauranga, per Vincent, to-morrow, at 5 p m For the undermentioned places, per Governor Black all, on Thursday, 15th instant, as under :-- For Sandwich Islands. United, States of America, Canada, British Columbia, Central and South America, and British and^For.ign West Indies, atlo.3oa.in. For the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via San Fraiii.isco, at 10.30 a.m. Letters bearing late tee will be received nntill 11a.in For money orders, registered letters, and news papers, at 9.30 a.m. N.B.—A revised table of rates of po_ts.ge can be obtained at this office. Price, Cd each. (Signed) S. B. Biss. Chief Postmaster,

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

MONDAY. JANUARY 12, 1874.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, Fttf tho future in the distance,

And tli« pood that wo can do

Hopj? deferred had almost made the heart sick of every thing relating to the Waikato railway, and the event of Saturday l_u.t has come on most people with such a pleasant surprise that We hiirdly realise the fact, and feel disposed to question is it really so that the railway is being pushed on into the centre of Waikato. We do not hesitate to express our belief that the railway will be so extended as rapidly as it Is possible, and tha the General Government are awake to the fact, which has been familiar enough to all others, that this work i>. of paramount importance to the whole colony as it is to the province. Wo care not to enquire into the causes that have led to the delay in this work. It may have been owing to the lack of sympathy between tho Provincial and General Govern ments ; or this may have been a make believe excuse for the negligence. But of one thing we are sure that its ncgleot and tho general indifference shown towards the progress of our local public works had largely alienated the feelings of many in the province who had previously hailed the colonization policy as the hope of New Zea land ; and that by the zealous prosecution of public works, and the settlement of immi grants in the province, Mr Yogel and his colleagues will largely repair that waning popularity which was resulting at least in this province from the abortion of "coloni zation" to which we were treated. That there is some, kind of mystery hanging around this last spurt in railway extension it would be idle to attempt to disguise. Wo accept Dr Pollen's explanation that the starting of the work was "done so much more rapidly than he expected that ho is agreeably sur prised that within a week from the inception of the affair we are in a position to commence the work here." This agreeable surprise is shared by a good • many, nor will people enquire particularly either into the cause of the celerity, nor into the manner of its being carried out through the "Armed Navvies," who we are told " are workmen and not soldiers in any sense," provided it does not lead to delusive hopes and as.abrupt dissappointment The amount of solid substantial work to the credit of the Armed Constabulary leads us to believe that it is possible that this other military organization may be quite capable of coping with the difficulties ofja very easy piece of railway construction; ajid the fact of there being such a military organization will be the best, guarantee that the peace of the dis trict will not be disturbed during the pro gress of the works. When those works are completed we shall not talk of native troubles ; for w e do: not hesita,te to say that the first locomotive flying screaming through the! Taupiri gorge will for ever scare from Waikato the horrid demon of native.disturb ance. We do most cordially "congratulate the province on the event of Saturday ; and we Jiave only to express the hope that the rapidity with which it has come to pass, and the " 'agreeable surprise" it has given to the j General Government as well as to every one in Auckland, will bo but the fore taste of the interest which the General Government is now about to evince in the progreas and prosperity of the province.

In'our telegram columns appear later Eng lish telegrams via the Bluff conveying some interesting news regarding the Duke of Edinburgh's approaching marriage,1 and other European matters. From the Austra lian news it will be seen that the City of Melbourne was likely to be chartered to take the next outward San Francisco mail, in order that the Mikado might be docked on arrival at Sydney. In that: case the Governor Blackall, with the New Zealand mails, must leave here punctually to time. . Of this wo shall' no doubt receive more definite information by the Hero, now due. A committee meeting of the Newmarket Literary Association will be held. at the Secretary's house at eight p.m. on Tuesday evening to arrange for collecting subscriptions towards the hall fund, programme for meet ings, &c. Cruiokshank and Co. have received a telegram, per Alhambra, announcing that the s.s. Hero Was to leave Melbourne on the 3rd instant,, so that she would probably leave Sydney punctually on the 7th, and is therefore now due here.

The filling np of the loathesome hole called the Intake in Custom-house-street is one of those subjects which the Harbour Board dis cass at frequent intervals, but take no steps to accomplish. During the late hot weather the stench arising from this abominable nuisance has Leon fearful. Not only has this affected the immediately adjoining thoroughfares of Custom-house-street and Fort-street, but the horrid smell has tainted the air in Queen - street and Shortland-street. The fact of this pestiferous pit existing month after month, and year after year, without any energetic means being taken to do away with it, in spite of its perfectly well-known deleterious influence, is one of those difficult social problems which can only be solved by the application of tho touchstone of mercenary considerations. Now that the subject of water supply—a subject more widely recognised, but not of greater importance as affecting the public health is in a fair way of receiving attention, it would be making a good job of their sanitary improvements if out' authorities were to set to work at once to remove this disgrace to Auckland city. It may possibly make a few pounds difference iv the pockets of individuals if the filling ill is nested on at' once, but if left n>;; ie th 6 alternative to bo look^, J or j a £}j 0 breaking out of some tearful pestilence, A correspondent (" Bachcldr, Parnell") has been rau.iiig Reed ami Brett's Auckland Almanac with a great amount of pleasure, and desires to know who Jethro Tull was, mentioned in the calendar for September. " We," of Bachelor's Hall, have been discus-, sing the matter. One thinks he \ya. a poet, another a philosopher, bllt I consider him a myth. .Could you enlighten us, Mr Editor, and oblige Q. in the corner?" In reply to the enquiring "Parnell Bachelor " wo state upon nndoubtediauthority, that Jethro Tull was neither a poet nor a philosopher, nor a myth, but a practical English farmer and an hnnnsi. iil.iil. Tie was born, as the Ai.c_d._nd Almanac states, on the Stli of September, IGSO, in a village near Thames, Oxon, of well-to-do parents. lie re ceived a fair education for the time, took intensa delight in farming, and became famous as the inventor and indefatigable advocate of drill-sowing and frequcnt'hoeing, two of the greatest improvements that have evei; been introduced in agricultural. He was educated for the law, studied at the inner Temple, and was admitted a barrister, but an acute disease compelled him to re linquish a sedentary: life. Htf then went abroad, and during his travels noticed the ..gi'iculture of the various countries through which ho passed, and gathered much ex perience therefrom. On his return to Eng land he bought a farm at Shalborne, in Berkshire, where he commenced a long series of experiments, rind despite theopposition and ignorant prejudices of farmers around him he succeeded in producing remunerative crops from soils that had never produced crops before, and which had long been pronounced hopeless. He Wrote a valuable treatise on " Horse Hoeing Husbandry," which Cobbctt reprinted, and advocated in his Weekly Jler/isler. After many years of thought and toil, amid obloquy and scorn, Jethro Tull went to Italy, chiefly with the view of improving his health, and there he died j but the place of his death and burial have not been ascertained, so little was this public benefactor esteemed in his life. It was said of Tull, by a well-known writer—"His deeds, his triumphs were of the peaceful kind with which the world in general is little enamoured ; but their results were momen tous to his native land_ His drill has saved to it, in seed alone, tho food of millions, and his horsodioe system, by which he attempted to cnltivato without manure, taught the farmer that deep ploughing and pulverization of the soil render a much smaller application of fertilizers necessary." This evening, in the High-street Congre gational schoolroom, will be exhibited at half-past seven o'clock the now panorama of tho Arctic regions and whale fishery, com prising views illustrative of life in tho I'olar seas, exhibiting icebergs, animals, Esqui maux and their huts, with all tho varying aspects of nature in thoso chilly regions ; an account of the voyage of the " Fox," and Sir John Pranklin expedition. Mr Battley will accompany the scenes with a descriptive and explanatory lecture. There is a Life, Sick, and Endowment Assuranco Society in Ludgate Hill, London, well known to the writer, and which for twenty years past has been conduoted by Mr Henry Harben. This society employs thirty-six young women as clerks at rates of wages ranging from £32 to £60 per annum under a lady-superintendent. This office, the "Prudential," did its business hitherto with a number of youths, which it appears did not pay although they were em ployed at merely nominal wages, for boys aro prone to play [and want a deal of looking after. Mr Harben, therefore, prudentially and economically hit upon the happy expe dient of engaging girls, and the experiment is said to be so far successful. The Sir George Grey Cadets will undergo their monthly inspection this evening in uniform at tho Drill-shed, at half-past seven. Members are particularly requested to attend. The farewell tea meeting to Rev. C. and Mrs Waters : will take place this evening in the Edwards-street chapel. Tho acting and singing of tho gifted Gour lay family received due applauso on Satur- , day evening at the Prince of Wales Theatre by a large audience, and as there is no other entertainment just now in Queen-street we think the proprietor might safely amuse the people for at least another week. The Scotch Dwarf was very interesting in the recital of his adventures, and capital in the Highland Fling. Miss. Gourlay will take her benefit to-night, and present a new and excel lent . programme, including, for the first time in Auckland "The Loves of Dumbiedikes," and Jeanio Deans." "The Toy: Girl," "Put.ma in my Little Bed," (illustrated by beautiful living tableaux). The Scotch Dwarf in new saying and doings, and closing with the sparkling petite comedy, entitled " The Eights of Women." Humourous stories, old proverbs, new songs, duets, anecdotes, odd sayings, and funny doings. Messrs. Collier and McGowan are_ coming back to Auckland, and by particular request, before their final departure, will appear in public for six night's only, commencing on Monday next, at the Prince of Wales Theatre. This talented company will pre sent that lively and exceeding funny panto mimic " The House that Jack Built," which took London by storm on itfc first represen tation at Drury Lane, and continued to fill that theatre during the three months of the Christmas pantomimic session.. We need say no more at present, but shall be eloquent upon the subject at the proper time. Three cheers, for Collier and McGowan and their happy, associates. , • ; 7 To the Editor : Sir, —Could you or any of your numerous correspondents inform me when the Volunter drill-shed is to be relighted with gas. It 13 now several months since his Worship the Mayor promised that the gas should be laid on immediately. But still candlelight reigns supreme.-—Yoars, &c, KeEO9E?"E. ~ ■ The annual sermons in aid of the Melane sian Mission were preached at Trinity Church, North Shore, yesterday, by the Rev. B. T. Dudley, and the offertories collected in aid of the fund amounted to £8 10s Id,

-ilr Humphries will deliver bis promised lecture this evening at the Mechanics' Insti tute Exhibition. The unfavorable state of the weather prevented that gentleman from performing his self-imposed duty on Satur day evening, and it was thought advisable to postpone the lecture until this evening, when no doubt many persons will take the op portunicy of listening to an instructive dis course. The looked-for publication of the little volume "The Auckland Cricketers' Trip to he South" has been unavoidably delayed for one day. It will positively appear to morrow. A correspondent Writing to a home paper relative to the Ashanteo war now proceeding, says : —There is much golden treasure in Coomassie. On gala days the chiefs appear in the market place, their anils -so heavily loaded with nuggets that tlicy arc forced to rest thou, "ii the nocks of slaves. One noble who committed some crime offered a large ransom for his life, and finally his weight in gold. But the King cut off his head, and also took possession of his gold which just amounted in weight to that of the corpse. I have myself seen a coast native of no great importance with a thousand pounds worth of gold upon him, and most of that gold came from the mines of Ashantee. The AshJtntee army is the nation. When the order for the march is given, all aide-bodied men join their respective companies and leave the town, carrying with them a kind of meal as food. The women then parade the town, and if they detect a man skulking, beat him unmerci fully. In battle the generals occupy the rear, and cut down all those who retreat. If the battle is lost, they kill themselves. One suicide of this kind I witnessed on the Volta. .A battle took place between our allies and some allies of tho Ashantces. The latter were defeated, and the Ashanteo chief, who was present, threw the insignia of his rank into tho river, and then, sitting on a powder-barrel, blow himself into tho air. The return cricket match between the Papakura and Fap_-t<_itoi teanls came oil on Saturday in Mr Water's paddock, Ashton Farm, and resulted in another victory for Papatoitoi. The weather was anything but favorable to the occasion, the rain coining down during the whole time the match was being played. Nevertheless the players stuck to the work pluckily, and con sidering the state of tho ground and the weather tho play was very good. xMcssrs O'Callaghan, White, Curl, Wilson, and Lcwisson on the Papakura side and Messrs D. Donovan, Hamor, J. Martin, J. Donovan, and Gould on the Papatoitoi side rcceiued the encomiums of the spectators who were pretty numerous considering the some what unfavourable circumstances under which the game was played. Messrs J. Bur gess and I). Donovan acted as umpires, and Messrs I ley croft and Cole as scorers. The complete scores were : Papatoitoi, 71 . Papa kura, GS.

ANCHOVIES AND TOAST.

TUB AHIIANTEE WAR

Blooms vigorously, and the Government are doing the same kind of ridiculous things that they always do on these occasions—lavish ing money upon things that will be utterly useless, and neglecting the real wants of their men. The steamer that took out Sir Garnet Wolseley and his staff was such a brute, and so badly fitted that the cabins were all alloat during the voyage, and tho passengers were all ill when they landed—a bad start in such a climate. Then three ships have gone out with tho plant to construct an eighteen mile railway which will lead to nowhere, and which it is very doubtful Whether or not it can bo constructed at all in tho face of a savago foe, and in such a country. However it will not be for want of material if wo do not make mincemeat of the Ashantcos. Immense, quantities of stores continue to bo prepared and shipped. Largo numbers of the old flint and stool Tower muskets (Brown Bess) are being sent for distribution amongst our native allios, and buckshot is to be used in lieu of bullets as being more destructive in bush fighting. Some of Gotlings mittrailleurs are also to go in case of our fellows getting a chance at a mob of niggers. A new kind of illuminating shell is also to be tried, which, when fired at night into the air, bursts into vivid flame which illumines the country for some dis touce.and reveals the position of the enemy. THE PRESIDENT 01' THE AGRICULTURAL LEAGUE IN CANADA. Mr Arch likes Canada better the more he sees of it. The colonial authorities in tho dominion know their business well, and are making much of him from the Governor downwards. Ho has fallen in love with Upper Canada, and the fertile lands of the interior, and he writes that it is wonderful that so magnificent a country for settlement should have existed so long within a fortnight of England, to be so little known as yet. The Canadians are now push ing a railway into a very fertile district in the west, which will be shortly open for selection, and they propose to offer a free grant cf IGO acres to every bona fide adult settler. THE ADULTERATION OV DRINK. It seems probable that sufficient pressure will be brought to bear shortly upon the authorities to compel an alteration in the law with regard to the adulteration of spirits. ,It is a strange anomalous condition of things that we should take all sorts of pains to make stringent rules restricting the sale of spirits' to certain hours, but that we should take ho paina to discover of what those spirits are composed. At present our publicans are nothing more or less, in plain language, than licensed poisoners. Dr Sheppard, of CoburgJHatch, who has had great experience in the treatment of lunacy, has lately stated that; from 35 to 40 per cent of cases of lunacy are caused by drinking bad liquor. Alcohol, says the doctor, is not the apent, but the fusil oil and other noxious ingredients which are used for flavouring. Whiskey is bad said the Scotch parson, especially bad whiskey, and Dr Sheppard tells us that the parson was right, and that if publicans were compelled to sell a good genuine article wo should hear no more of dipsomaniacs and softening of the brain. People have long perceived that they are left at the. mercy of "the trade," but I don't think they will stand it much longer ; when the grocers and milkmen suffer, surely the:spirit .merchant I should not escape and be allowed to cheat and poison as he likes. THE TICHBORNE C-.E. It is not unlikely that the Tichborne trial may be the cause of Government being asked to legislate on the question of land titles with a view to providing such a statute of limi tation as shall prevent the recurrence of such a public scandal as the trial in question is .now fast becoming. The excitement exhi bited by the mob which assembles daily in Palace-yard still increases, and the force of police, although very large, is scarcely adequate to maintain order; indeed it has been, found necessary to capture some of the most violent of the mob, and fine them heavily. We have now arrived at the 122 nd day of this extraordinary trial, and have had some of the most important evidence for the defence. Without exception, however, the witnesses for the claimant, who / have given important testimony, have J been hitherto persons of exceedingly loose

character, and quite unworthy of credit. Moreover in dates they are, like their friend, uncommonly shaky, whilst cross-examina tion has generally elicited the fact that « they were not maintained at the defendant s expense they were making a very good thing out of the affair. A grog-shanty-ueeper named Louie, a Dane, who swears he was steward of the vessel which picked up the shipwrecked crew of the Bella, has been ex amined, but his story does not go down with the thinkers. Those who have care fully followed both trials from the com mencement, and ate educated and thought fill persons; have remained quite unmoved by any evidence yet adduced by the defence. A considerable party now entertain a theory which certainly has its strong points. These say that the defendant is a natural son of the late Sir James Tichborne, and that his mother was a sister of Arthur Orton ; this they say accoun. _ for a certain likeness to the family, whilst, at the same time it explains his love of Wapping ; also, they say this would pos sibly account for the non-production ol tne Orton women as witnesses on either svui. 1 give this theory for what it is worth. It has many strong upholders. SIR EDWIN I.AXDSEBK'.S FUNERAL was attended by larga numbers of people. He was Interred in the crypt of St. Paul s Cathedral, close by the graves of Lawrence and Turner. Amongst those present at the funeral as mourners were Lord Granville, Lord Houghton and Professors Huxley, Tindall and Owen. Six Royal Academicians acted as pall-bearers. The Queen sent a wreath of camelias to be placed on the coffin, inscribed " a tribute of friendship and ad miration for great talent from Queen Victoria." The Prince of Wales also sent a wreath. Bishop Claughton read the service, which was performed chorally, and on the Sunday following the Rev. J. A. Hessey preached the funeral sermon from the pas sago—" He hath made everything beautiful in his time." GUEEXSTONK.

LATEST ENGLISH TELEGRAMS.

PER ALHAMBRA AT THE BLUFF,

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S MAR RIAGE.

THE ASHANTEE WAR.

[Per Anglo-Austrailian Telegram Company.]

BLUFF.

This day. The s.s. Alhambra has arrived. She left Melbourne at live p.m. on the 3rd ; arrived at Milford Sound on tho eighth at six p.m.; left on the 10th at six a in,, and arrived at the Bluff at »evon p.m. on the 11th. She brings 55 saloon and 40 steerage passengers, and 250 tons of cargo for all ports. She sails for Dunedin at three p.m. to-day.

LONDON.

December 29 th. The Duke of Edinburgh has started for St. Petersburg. His marriage takes place next month. The Archbishop of Canterbury will per form the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh at St. Petersburgh, A distinguished party arc proceeding there. December 21. The fall in the prices of coal continues. Cape Coast advices to the 15th December states that Genoral Wolesloy, with 500 sadors andj inarinos, has advanced 70 miles towards Prah River pursuing tho Ashantees. January Ist. The steamship Somersetshire put into Valparaiso to repair damages received during a gale.

PARIS.

December 29th,

The French Government havo sent a cir cular to tho bishops concerning tho pastoral.

BERLIN.

Decembor 29th, The German Emperor is convalescent.

NEW YORK

December _!_Jnd

The survivors of the Virginias expedition havo been released, and arrived in New York on Decembor 30th. The Virginias while being towed to Now York foundered at Cape Clear.

PRUSSIA.

December 30th. The Prussian Order of Merit has been con ferred upon Thomas Carlyle,

MADRID.

December 30. A political crisis has occurred at Madrid.

CABLE UNPUBLISHED.

LONDON.

January 2.

The British outpost is now advanced to the Prah River. The Ashantees crossed in the greatest disorder. British reinforce ments have arrived at the Cape Coast, and are cruising for health. The march to Coomaste is to commence in January.

The revenue for the year 1873, is 775 millions, showing an excess over the es timates in 9 months of 2£ millions.

The Macoa coolie trade is abolished. Abdel Kader died aged 70. The order of Red Eagle has been conferred on Dr Dollinger by the Emperor. The New York papers fear that the coming winter will be the hardest ever ex perienced. Retrenchment is the universal watchword. Thousands of seamstresses and servants have been thrown out of employ ment.

The exports to New Zealand for the month were £399,000.

The Prussian Government are organising a flotilla of ironclads for the defence of the Rhine.

Mr Miall intends retiring from Parliament on its dissolution, owing to ill-health.

The Rev Henry Ward Beecher is expected in London.

The vexed question of opening the School Board meeting with prayer has been re opened. . The Lancet thinks the polluted air of the Court is telling on the health of jurymen in the Tichborne case.

Eight lives were sacrificed at Lambeth, in making preparations for Guy Fawkes Day. The Russian Government has presented tho town of Sheffield with a collection of continental cutlery.

AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

(PER ALHAMBRA AT-BLUFF).

THE CALIPORNIAN MAIL SERVICE,

MELBOURNE.

Saturday, January 3. . Governor Bo wen proceeds to Tasmania to day on a ten days' visit. Owing to the abolition of ad valorem duties in New South Wales notice of the abrogation of the Border treaty has been given by Victoria for the end of the present month, (The weather has been intensely hot, averaging over 90 degrees in Melbourne, and 112 in the shade at border townships. The

rain is very much wanted. Fruit and vegetables are getting scarce.; • The City of Melbourne is likely to be me uiy «' falifornian mads, so as chartered to take the Oaiirorn a to enve the Mikado an o%erhauj me Mikkdo was spoken, and averaged ten knots. A good race meeting took place on Wew Year's Day. Little Dick won the Mid- SUSthe Hb£ Phave been recovered from fh« Geelono1 boat accident. * A van containing eleven persons, women ant children, backed into the river. For tunately all were saved through the exer tions of four men present. An acrobat named Harris, whilst perform ing at the Coliseum Hall on the trapeze, fell thirty feet, and broke both arms, uud sufiied concussion of the brain. He remains inSn:!^g lady named White was drowned while bathing at St. Kilda. The outward mail steamer ISubia took 103,000 ounces of gold yesterday.

SYDNEY.

January 4 Mr Harley, member for Central Cumber land, is likely to be the new Minister of The' cabmen have struck owing to low aGoVernor Robinson, at the race luncheon, strongly defended the Turf from its denun ciators.

ADELAIDE.

January 3. Bridleway, the murderer of Burt, was hanged on the Ist. He displayed great lirmnets. . , Tiie Postmaster General, of London ana Adelaide exchanged New Year's greetings on the occasion ofj opening the new tele graph buildings, London.

COMMERCIAL.

Very little business r '-''ng, wheat os 81 to 5s lOd ; oats, >y at 4s 9d ; sugars good deman' c is ratner low in stock. The Ellora arrive -' on Ihurs day night.

TELEGRAPHIC.

This day,

LATEST THAMES NEWS.

GRAHAMSTOWN

Arrangements with regard to the settle ment of the claims of the Bright Smile for draining contribution arc bo far advanced that perhaps a start will be made again this afternoon. . ~.___ Tookey's mine is getting nice gold to-day from the hanging wall leader.

PROSPECTING THE TIKI DISTRICT.

COROMANDEL.

This day. The Coromandel Mail, while acknowledg ing the wisdom of prospecting the Tuhua district, strongly urges on the Superintend ent the desirability of prospecting the Tiki district where rich gold has been found in the creeks, but individual effort to trace it to its source in the hill has failed, though tried for years. If successful it would double the area of the Coromandel goldfield, and be close to the market of Auckland goods and produce. In a match between the Coromandel Wanderers and another Coromandel eleven, played on Saturday, the former won easily.

TAURANGA.

This day. The Elizabeth arrived this morning with Auckland mails to tho Cth.

LATEST SOUTHERN NEWS.

[From our own Correspondent.]

LYTTELTON,

This day. The St. Leonards sailed for London on Saturday with a cargo valued at £40,000 ; Fawn, for Newcastle. Arrived—Luna, from Wellington; she is engaged on a tour of inspection of the colonial light-houses. Mr Johnson, of Nelson, takes Mr Mills place as Collector of Customs. The latter goes round the various ports collecting information.

NAPIER.

This day. The Rangatira arrived from the South yesterday with 50 passengers. She sails to day for Poverty Bay. The want of steam communication between Auckland and Napier is severely felt. The Sonth is obtaining a large trade legitimately belonging to Auckland. Business in all shades is brisk.

[Per Anglo-Australian Telegram Company.]

WELLINGTON.

This day. The ship Electra is now ready to sail with a cargo of colonial produce valued at £50,000. Mr McLean approves of the action of the inspector of police in prosecuting the native disturbers at Horowhenua.

SUPREME COURT.

QUARTERLY CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

THIS DAY. .(Before his Honor Sir George A. Arney, Knight, Chief Justice.) His Honor took his seat at 10 o'clock. OOW STEALING. .Villiam Good, 51, a settler of twenty nine years' standing, was again brought to the bar arraigned upon an indictment charg ing him with stealing and carrying away the remains of a strawberry cow on the 18th of October last, the property of John Lamb, of Riverhead, \ '_) Prisoner pleaded not guilty. ~ 1 Mr Brookfield' reopened the case for the prosecution, and Mr Joy re-appeared for the defence* ; The evidence in this case having been previously taken it will not be necessary to repeat the details in full, but only such fresh facts its may be produced. It will be re membered that the unfortunate prisoner was put back for th<j purpose of awaiting a new trial in consequence of the stupidity or carelessness of a juryman, who answered to another juryman's name, and wrongfully filled his place. Mr John Lamb stated that some time ago 'he owned- a.strawberry cow, but which he had not seen for nine months, as she had been allowed to run with other cattle on Kumeu Flat. The cow was a valuable one, worth at least £30. '. "Arthur Deacon deposedrthat he resided i« the neighbourhood of the run at the time of the killing of the cow ; but now he lived at Newmarket. He had seen the skin of the. I cowv which was of the aame colour ; but he could'not'sweai' that it was the skin of Mr ' Lamb's oow,, . y u-..

To Mr Joy: There were ctti.-T 1 strawW_ 8 cows on the run, and many hundred header- 1 cattle. He was in the habit of Bcou___,« «£ 7' 1 run. which occupied two days, about once »■■"■ week. Be knew all the strawberry COWs "" I the run, but Mr Lamb's cow was unlike th« I others ; it was a shorthorn, with a pecoj^ 1 brand. ;■ John Dalton, bushman of the Ka.pa~-_.7l Heads, lodged -with Martin, who was con I victed of shooting the animal, and wai ■ 1 induced to follow Martin into the bush, g! I went with the simplicity of a child, and was I astonished upon being shewn a strawberry 1 cow, which Martin said was his, but he waa , 1 not simple enough to believe him. Martin 1 suggested that the cow should be 1 .skinned, and solicited witness's help f Not liking to disoblige an old pal ! I he stripped up his sleeves and went to work I in disrobing the cow, whiUt William ? (iood kindly held tho lantern. He suspected it was one of Deacon's cows, but Good said i that it was not. He assisted to cut up tie - i carcass, and helped to carry it to an out- j house on the premises of Good. The head '•■•'"' feet, and entrails, were left bchitfd, bnt 7 were subsequently put into two bags. J[ e held the bags. A portion was afterwards hove | into the creek. He had none of the beef, 1 His conscience troubled him ; ho could not rest, and so he went and told Arthur Deacon, £ and discovered.to him the remains of the ;; beast, covered with scrub, which had not I been cast into the creek. . To Mr Joy : He was locked up, but was i let free. He could not say he was an honest man: Bushmen are not particular. They are all honest till they are found out. His i mind was certainly uneasy about the straw- 1 berry cow. He could not sleep nicely with the cow on his conscience. It was heavy-like, indigestible, and fo forth. Re believed Good had a team of six bullocks, but they might not ;have been his. Bushmen y were such a rum lot. For instance it was , understood that Good and Martin were part ners, but since the strawberry cow business Good won't acknowledge him, nor produce * the deed. He was not a Greek scholar, but he was pretty well up to bush English; he knew a thing or two at aU events. He knew the cow was shot, for there was the shot-hole. He did not say the cow's throat ] was cut; but it was cut. Deacon did keep a liquor-shop, but he had a licence.^ He drank there occasionally. He was not drunk when blowed about the cow, but had his whack. He did not see Good after the Mon day ; he had enough of him, and had done all he could for him. He did not get any share of the meat; he might have had some, but his conscience would not allow it.

William Brown simply reiterated his evidence, stating that he conveyed the note from Good to Dalton, desiring "Jack not to lag his old comrado." ? Detective Jeffrey also repeated the/ ail ment he made on Wednesday .'last respecting his visits to the locality,"* toe dive into the water, the discovery i of the entrails in the bed of the creek, and how he fortunately escaped from sudden death by popping behind a tree while Mrs Good was pointing a loaded, rifle at his person ; also the account of the passing of the mysterious letter, and the final arrest of the three prisoners—Martin, Dalton, and Good, j | . . ; ~ James Loggie. also gave evidence, ;pp

Hl3 Honor, in charging the jury, infomwd them that as Good could not be convidiSl upon the charge of stealing it would be their duty to find him not guilty on that indict ment.

Mr Brookfield remarked that itjlwould rest with Mr Lamb whether or not the accused would be arraigned on the charge of receiving the beef, knowing it to have been stolen.

The jury, acting upon the advice of his Honor, immediately returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was acquitted.^ The conyicted prisoner, William Martin,.i will be brought up in the morning to receive judgment.

THE REV, DR. WALLIS ON SAB BATH DESECRATION AND SUNDAY TRAINS.

The Rev. Dr. Wallis preached yesterday,^ on "Sabbath Desecration," especially that connected with the railway. He selected as his text, Mark, 2nd chapter, 27th verse: " The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for thd Sabbath." He remarked,, int the outset, that this statement of Christtn. was one of those utterances, of which there"'. . aire many in the Gospels, remarkable for conl.; bined simplicity and profundity. II; was a* statement which. the most ignorant could understand and the wisest philosopher could hardly exhaust. Undoubtedly our Lcrd here, as at other times during hitf'V ministry, endeavoured to show the peopleV/ that in order to keep the Sabbath Day 11 aright it was not necessary to observe the strict ceremonial law which the Jews re farded as binding upon them; that the abbath, like all other institutions, was intended solely for the benefit of man, and must be so far subject to his necessities. He dwelt oil the benefits of the Sabbath rest as promoting the sanitary, industrial, and... religious welfare of mankind, arguing from the experience of slavery in America, and the failure of the change made during the French Revolution of a day of recreation once in ten days, instead of one day in seven, that the observance of a seventh day was better calculated to produce the largest amount of work and to more completely promote the health of the people than would one day in four, five, or six, or in eight, nine, or ten. He spoke of its advantages to society as promoting cleanliness, and intellectual im-, im provement, and the impossibility of keeping' '<■' 1 ' up religion even a_T imperfect as we now *" know it, without thif day. A:.ter shewing :':.%l these benefits to mankind proceeding 1J: directly from the Observance of the Sab- ■-■-■■;'>l batb, he, reviewed the history of the day from ; ' its institution at the, creation and its sub- ... sequent observance bythe Jews on Saturday in «> commemmoration of their rescue from Egypt. j He laid especial stress on the place it occupies in thfe ten commandments,, the only part of the scriptures received direct from the hand of God. He pointed out that its observance forms part of the moral law, apart from Hebrew ceremonialism, and enlarged upon the: New Testament teaohing with reference to it and the mode of its observance in the j >' early days of Christianity. He shewed that 7 although freed from' Jewish ceremonialism it was incumbent upon us in order to observe the Sabbath aright, to devote itmainly to the service of God in His appointed way, and to the contemplation of the wonders of His creation and His infinite goodness. Works of necessity and; mercy were not inconsistent however with the right observance of the Lord's Day. He would not consider it wrong either for a minister fond of music, after his mind had been unstrung by two or three services, and feeling depressed, to restore his nerves with a little music after the - labours of tlie day: Nor did he think it wrong for a working man closely confined at business all the week to go out in the fields with his wife and family on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the fresh air, the beauties and sweet influences of nature. The reverend gentleman then referred to various forms of Sabbath-breaking. The way some people acted in relation to Sunday might be compared to a .man who col- ' looted all, the filth, and dirt of hfe garden Q. and thrawit into his best room. They aathered "Tl the gosßip and filth of tho week «£ spread it M

THE BVBNIKG 'STAfc, MONDAY^ JAftXTAR? 12 18*4



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