SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

fll<3H WATER—ThI« afternoon, 63; to-morrow aiort'ng. 619 BtTN SKT-Thls evonlns, 646 BUN KISE-To ,Worrow raondnfc, 5 fy MOON'S AGE—New Moon, 25th, 6pm

ARRIVALS.

iLlewellyn, thi. HdKliivray, from Levulja Wncent, cuttev. *om Tsuranga Eow«d?», ss.ffKKiTiuiranga #S Kil&n, b s a torn "Wanganui

DEPARTURES

<3o.Ahas.Si, tot Raglan and Waitara

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

jmotsj'CW York—Marathon, barqae, early .(t^or London-Qlty of Auckland, ship, about Feb. 25 Wor london-.Carnatic, ship. Glenlora, barque, early mar Pamo^^.jjartha, barque, early; Anne McLeod, schooner early or °T,dney-Syren brig, early &<>* briganiine, early i)C v* Kaipara—Hinermoa, schooner, early

VESSELS EXPECTED.

City t>f Melbourne as, from San Francisco, 29th inst QrWiada, PMSS, from Kandavu (English Mail), 27th inst Blanche, schooner, from Karotouga Brrdirk Castle, ship, from London ; sailed 14th De Salisbury, ship, from London ; sailed 15th Nov Edinburgh Ca.tle, ship (VGMQ), from London, sailed November 16. tfesrica. barque, f*om New York ; sailed 2nd Jnno Batavia. barque, from Melbourne; sailed 4th Feb. Annie Lews, barque, fr m Dunedin, early Sthel, bricrantine, from Melbrurne, early YiaioD, brig, from Samoa, early Ityno, brteantine, from Islan^ ew ly Belpna, brlgaTitino, from ?^ m ' o i esr i y JR. TV. Tucker, sohooi"~j r , from Melbourne lioch Lee, schoone:, { rom the Islands, early dauntless, Bchoo n6ri from X-atitla, schooher, from the Islands ■Wdith, schooner, from the Islands Peerless, schooner, from Is ew Caledonia, early Canterbury, schooner, from New Caledonia Migic, cutter^From Penrhyn Island Ocean Ways, schooner, from Fiji, early For London direct—City of Auckland, ship, Saturday

EXPORTS.

Per Ann Mcteod for Samoa ; 3 hogshoads earthen •"W»re 2 casks classware. 12 mats sugar, 200 tins bis cuits 200 tfo flour. lf>o sacks flnur, 200 bags flours, 1 bale flour.—Cruickahank and Co, agents.

Captain McGillivray reports sighting a barquo in the offing bound to Auckland. She will probably turn out to be the Fatnvia from Mrlhourno.

The ps Bowena arrived from Tau>anga this morn- Ingl ■with caigo and passengers. The barquo Ardvar lias commenced unloading. .As the heavy packages of iron for the Waterworks come to hand a good deal of interest is evinced in their removal. The b b I.lewellvn arrived from Levuka last evening shortly after 5 o'clock. She left port on the 17th inst, and had a f»ir passage with the excep tion of the two first days out when is blew a S.E gale. She brihgs the following passengers :—Miss Ada "Willis, Captain Sewell Mr TV. Weston Mr Brwlley, Mr R Young. Her cargo consists ot maize, sugar, *c. The s s fit Kilda arrived in the Manukau from "Wanganui earh this morning, A barque is signalled as we go to press. She will probably turn out to be tho Batavia from Melbourne, now twenty days out. The schooner Ann McLeod cleared out to-day for Samoa with a gßneral cargo shipped by Cruickshank and Co. The as Llewellyn is advertised to sail for levuka direct on Tuesday next Tho s s. 8t Kilda will leave the Manukau for "Wan s£nui to-morrow, at 12 o'clock noon. i The lwqua, Thnmas Brown, cleared to<day for Eobart Town with 17,000 feet timber, to be "shipped at Wangarca. Tha ship City of Auckland is taking in the last of her London cargo from the Mary Melville She is to total away from tho wharf to-morrow and will sail, weather permitting on Saturday mnrning The schooner Belle Brandon cleared out to-d»y for Wantraro* with a nmcellaneoui c.r«ro. The schooner Corone'. cleared oat this afternoon for Barotonea with a general tradw ca'go. shipped by Owen and Graham and Crnickahanb and Co. She aails to-morrow. Pas^en^ers: Mr and Mrs John Cruickshank and child and servant.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE. AUCKLAND

Mails wiu Close as follows:— For Thames to-morrow at 1130 am and at 530 pm For Coromandel to-moirow at 11 30 am For Wangaroa this day at 4 30 p m For London (direct) per City of Auckland to-morrow at 4 pm For Wbitianga, Tnirua. Orotlki, and Napier via Tau ranga, per Kowena, to morrow at 4 p m. For Taranaki, Southc-rn ports, and >irtralian Colonies, per Phoebe, on Saturday next, at 8.15 a m For Aitutakl on Saturday at 430 pm ForWaiwera. Wahurangi Matakana. Te Arai, etc, per Annie Milbank, on Saturday at 10 a m For Aitutakl on Saturday at 4 30 pm For Napier-and Southern provinces, per Granada, four hours alter arrival (Signed) (3. B. BIBS, Chief Postmaster.

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening news, The Morning News and The Echo.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1876

For the cause that lacks assistance, For Ite wrong that needs resistance, I-'or the future in the distance. And Hie t^ood that we can do.

We are naturally very much interested in watching the progress of the young colony of Fiji, with which intimo,te commercial rela tions have now been permanently established, and latest advices show that the pathway to greatness in the case of the latest jewel won for the British Crown is by no means 11 luminous." The financial difficulty is the great rock that threatens to shipwreck the little state ship, and Fiji has no Sir Julius to raise the wind. The existing and pros pective position of the group is thus gloomily pictured in an issue of the Fiji Times received by the Llewellyn yesterday :—

"If it be true that the source of all wealth of communities lies in population and labor, then indeed must this colony be in a most deplorable state. The white residents, com paratively a handfull, diminishing instead of increasing ; the natives numerous indeed, but slothful and indisposed to work. Nor does the tenor of legislative enactment secno at all calculated to remedy this state of mat ters. In place of encouragement to settle ment, taxation unheard of, and altogether preposterous as compared to the neceessitifs and resources of those from whose pockets it is to bs taken, prevails; and instead of a feeling of security and well-founded belief that existing interests, ponras they may bp, will be respected, uncertainty and doubt exist and paralyze the efforts of those who, despite all discouragement, would fain be up and doing."

With the blessings of enlightened govern ment, has come the pinch of taxation, and independent planters wince under the sensa tion. Ofle of the chief attractions to settle ment in the early days of colonization was the freedom of the Group from excisemen and the consequent cheapness of gin. Many of the pioneer Fiji settlers took full advantage of their privileges even to the extent of con tributing in their own persons to the forma tion of the primitive, but now extending cemetery. This was more particularly thecase with the free spirits who gathered at Levuka ; but the planters likewise found cheap living as well as cheap labour, necessary conditions to success. " Touch the true Briton on his pocket if you wish to rouse the slumbering lion," is a proverb which the tendency of popular opinion in Fiji jnsfe now is exempli fying j there are, however, special circum stances which lend force to the complaint that the high customs tariff adopted by the Executive Government i^ oppressive and unequal. The natives are indolent, and with a true philosophy which, except in its meaner developments, the restless spirit of the Caucasian seems unable to adopt, they see no beauty in toiling so long as a bounteous nature furnishes the few simple necessaries of life. At their doors, or the places where doors should be,' the tax - gatherer calls in vain. Coin, they have none; and to tell them that produce will be taken instead, as the G-overnment have deter mined, affords no particular stimulus to industry, but rather furnishes a very good reason why they should just do no more than is barely requisite to supply themselves. Hence, the few whites have thrown upon them the whole burden of sus taining a Government in which they have no voice—for Fiji, as a " Crown colony of a severe type," knows not representative institutions nor responsible Government. But we must admit an amount of 'poetical justice in the escape of the natives from contribution towards the support of a white Government. The natural man is enmity against Government of any kind, and the majority of these Fijians would much sooner there was not a policeman in the islands than that they should, be called to account for their misdeeds, and be made to pay for doing it. What the ultimate solution of the diffi culty will be, it is impossible to predict —perhaps the all - prevailing power of grog, which smooths the rough road of taxation to more enlightened people. A heavy duty on rum, and the establishment of shanties in native districts, may be the statesmanlike measure which will enable the natives to drink Fiji out of her difficulties, as England's brave sons drank their coun try out of the Alabama award. Whatever the solution is, the prospect of squeezing £5000 a year out of the embarrassed colony for the San Francisco service is not a cheering one, and we rather fancy that for the settlement of the mail difficulty our Premier will have to " try again."

In consequence of complaints from One hunga and Otahuhu that the edition, sent there excludes the late city news, we shall, in future forward the town edition to our agents in both places. This will, of course, render the delivery .later. Subscribers in Otahuhu will receive copies by the 5 15 train and the Onehunpa papers will be forwarded by the five o'clock 'bus.

A son of Mr Patrick Darby's is about to proceed to Ireland for the purpose of study ing under thi Archbishop of Cashel with the intention ofjentering holy'orders.

We notice that Mr R. T. Wheeler, of Dunedin, haa opened a central agency in Auckland for his paper, the Illustrated New Zealand Herald. Although this paper is comparatively unknown here, it has a circula tion of five thousand copies monthly in the South. With Mr G-. T. Chapman as central agent, and Mr George Kelly as business manager for the province, a good business may be anticipated by the enter prising publisher.

The news by the Llewellyn, from Fiji, is unimportant. A commission has been appoin ted to report on the best site for the seat of Government. The Domain ponds, which have long been in a stagnant and filthy state, are ' fi j nf) cleansed of their impurities. Vb.e ftuw ie St! • «ayS^ itrThe ponds are unuergoiP a f,fa m c f cleansing* a good deal 01 Vrttf being taken out of them * * * llofc before it was wanted.'* The first ques tion suggested by the Cross paragraph is : Is the mud good except for eels ? and the next, what is the mud wanted for ? Does the Cross want the mud for plastering purposes, or to throw at some independent supporter of Sir George Grey, who will not On dirty Mammon doto, Nor ever taku a bribe For his yAq, boys, vote. Sir, —To decide a bet, did the Jesaie Hen derson run in the schooner race in this year's regatta ?—Yours, &c , W. W. [The Jossie Henderson won the race referred to by our correspondent.—Ed. E.S.] We understand that there is no prospect of another race between the Peerks3 and the j Secret. The arrival of the JVJary Melville and the departure of the Ann McLeod give Captain McKeczie so much to do that ho has no time to waste in racing. The final heat of the boat race which was to decide the possession of the Mayor's Cup, came oil last evening at half-past five o'clock. The competing crews were "stroked" by Messrs Ciark and Jones, and tho boats used were the Colonist and Manukau Maid. The course involved two turn 3, which produced as many fouls, thereby detracting much from the interest of the racing. After a game struggle, in whinh the bo its were aloDg side one another till close home, the Manu kau Maid and Mr Jones' crow won by a clear half leD&th. la spite of the drizzling rninj tho race wa3 watched intently by a large number of spectators. The names of the crews were : —Manukau Maid—W. Mason, (bow) ; D. Tonks 2; A. Yates 3 j W. Jones stroke; A. Tonks (cox). Colo nist—-L. Yon Tempsky (bow) ; It. Peacocke 2 ; D. Brigham 3 ; R, M. Clarke stroke ; H. Smallfield (cox).

We notice that the Bay of Plenty Times is advocating the establishment of a tele graphic station at Mercury Bay. The export trade from the B»y is stated to be £70,000 a year, and vessels arrive from, the South and all the colonies*

Telegrams from Wangnrei lately informed us that a, native named Koreama Te Peke, has determined to proceed criminally against Mr Millaia, of the cutter Enphemia, on a charge of taking large quantities of peaches from Ngunguru, near Wangarei. Yesterday Constable Gillies arrestrd Millais in the neighbourhood of the Kaipara Heads, and brought him to the Police Station to-day. The case will come on in the morning.

To the Editor: Sir,- Cau any of your numerous readers inform me the name of tha author ot " Whitejuans," "Owen Ludor," and other works by the same author. I cannot ascertain at the Mechanic's Institute or elsewhere as nobody seems to know. — Yours, Ac, J.S.

We notice that John Bryce, Esq., M.H.R., the senior colleague of Sir Julius Vogel in the representation of Wanganni, nas come to town for the purpose of welcoming and con ferring with his fellow-tneraher. Th«re are many subjects connected with the Wanganui District on which Mr Bryco could afford Sir Julius Vogel valuable information, and he will doubtless do so. Bui; Mr Bryce has another object in his visit. The Wonga nui people having elected Sir Julius, want him to come up and hold forth on things in general, and that odd £100,000 in particular, which, with touching and child-like simpli city, they think he is going to get for them. Sir Juiius owes something to Wanganui people, and if he survives the banquet, and the deliverance of his speech thereat, he should hie him to "the banks of Petre Water" forthwith.— Post.

The Italian likes to talk better than any thing else in the world. He likes also to try to sing. Every body sings, or thinks he does, and is always bellowing opera airs, or snatches of some patriotic songs. There is, probably, no such place in the world for music an the Grand Canal, in Venice, after dark. The Italians, at leasb those who en tertain us, appear to have do notion of har mony, and they all, with few exceptions, have strident, uncultivated voices. Noise is their strong point. A man will open his mouth oft in the stilly night, and let out a volume of sound which would make a bull of Bashan drop his tail between his legs and See. These are the bellowinga of the night. Often, halt a dozen are howling together, evidently trying to destroy the s-me tune. It; is rare that you hear a pleasant voice—a rich basso or a soft tenor, and the women almost invariably sing iv shrill, nasal tones, what you would call squawking. There is a landing and a little square opposite us where the young bloods are wont to assemble on pleasant nights, and sing and howl till day break having spent the early part of the evening in roving up and down the canal doing the same thing. .Mjre than once I have heard their dissolving chorus as the sun rose. They may have kept four hundred people awake all night. In any other city they would have been silenced, for the po lice would braw a line somewhere between serenading and murder. And it is murder to deprive a fellow-being of sleep night after night. Bat: here they are never disturbed I rlon'b know to what leDgchs they might go before the police would interfere.— C. D. Warner in Hartford Courant Dr. Fayrer thinka it probable that, on account of the general disarming of the na tives after the Indian mutiny, the number of tigers has increased rather than diminished of late years. Their ravages are certainly aoalling. Captain Rogers says that iv Lower Bengal alone, during the six years endiDg in 1866, 13,400 human beings were killed by wild animals, while Government reports state that during the same period and in the same locality 4 218 of the above fell victims to tigers, while 4,287 were slain by wolves. In the Eangpore district *alone, the yearly losa of life is between fitfy-five and |sixby. The exploits of individual tigers are even more remarkable. We read of-one tiger which in 1867, 1868, 1869, killed respectively 27, 34, and 47 people. Once it killed a father, mother, and three children, within a few moments. This dangerous^ brute killed 27 persons in the week before it was shot. An other tiger destroyed during 1856, 1857, 1858 an average of 80 persons annually. A third tiger, in 1869, slew 127 people, and stopped up a public road for several weeks, till killed by a British sportsman. So great is the awe which this tyrant of the jangle in spires that whole villages are sometimes deserted and all cultivation stopped. A Go vernment report informs us that in the central provinces " a single tigress caused the desertion of thirteen villages, and two hundred and fifty square miles of country was thrown out of cultivation." The inhabi tants of India,especially the Hindoos, believe the tiger to be the abode of an evil spirit, and many would not kill him if the could, for fear of subsequent mischief. So great a dread in some parts of the country is felt by the peasants of his supernatural powers and malevolent disposition, that they either avoid naming him at all, or speak of him as " the jackall'r or " the beast." There is almost a universal belief that his flesh, espe cially' hi 3 heart, if eaten, produces courage and strength. His whiskers, claws, and fangs are also religiously preserved as potent charms.

A very interesting meeting will take place to-morrow evening in the Choral Hall. Those who attended the delightful perform ance of Church music at the Synod meeting last. October, will be glad to have another opportunity of listening to a similar perform ance. The programme comprises many novelties including a setting of the Te. Deam to Gregorian tones. The occasion is the annual meeting of the Diocesan Choral As sociation. Crom whose ranks the vocalists will be selected.

Tho Society of Artists announces through our columns the holding of the first black and white exhibition in Auckland. The pri ml7y onjeoto of having an exhibition of worke Of art of any kiiid are io bring to light talents which Would, otherwise be hid den, and to foster their growth. The de velopment of a pure taste, and by placing the contributing artists in competition, to produce emulation amongst themselves ; by these means the artists not only improve in their practice, but by comparison of their works are enabled to discover their own defi ciencies, and thus gather more distinct or correct ideas of what ia beautiful or sublime in nature, and how moat faithfully to repre sent it. Now seeing that talents of the highesb order are frequently found in the labourer's cottage, the workshop, and elsewhere with persona who have fen labour all day, it is manifest that they can haVe Very little spare time to deVote to artistic studies —and that little probably after sun-down —it follows consequently that they are debarred from executing effective drawings in color, not having sunlight to work in, yet notwithstand ing this they can readily draw in white and back by ttis light of a lamp, and it is for persons so situated, as well as for others more favourably circumstanced, that these so called black and whiteexhibitionsaredesigned The one now advertised is subject to the Society's regulations, and the works may ennsist of drawings in pencil, India ink. sepia, charcnal, crayon, etchings, etc., and a portion of the room will he reserved entirely for the productions of juveniles.

A generous benefactor, living in the district of Wnnganui. New Zealand, has forwarded, through the London branch of the Bank of New South Wales, £500 to the National Lifeboat Institution, to establish a lifeboat on the Scotch coast. He requests that the life boat may be named the Peep-o' Day, and the gift entered as from "A Scot Abroad."

About six months ago Mr A. R. Ure brought down to Otaero from Melbourne two pairs of minahs —an Indian bird, whicb is a most industrious grub destroyer, and which, throueh the ffF"rts of acclimatizere, ia now very plentiful about Melbourne. The minahs work most perseveringly from mornincr till nipht picking up crubs on the green. They are the reverse of timid, not being much afraid of pasners-by ; they now attack the starlings and on a little black dog belonging to a well-known gentleman in the neighbour hood, they malm periodical descents, light ing on bis back, and before ho can bite them, starting off and leaving him minus some of his hair.

Our readers will be deeply interested to learn that Mr Sckonaia Tunhetoka has been Graciously appointed by his Majesty the King of Tonga to he Minister of Police in his dominions. Further, that Mr Kaliobasi Malubn is to be the Minister of Lands, and Mr William Macalinaki Clerk of the Supreme Court. If these formidable names don't strike terror into breakers of the law, the Tonga criminals must be of a hardened type.

To the Editor : Sir,—Can you inform me how it is that in the account given in this morning's Cross —l observe no notice at all in the Herald -of} the Rowing Club's Gig rane yeaterday and previous days for 1 the Mayor's' Cups, no mention is made of the names of the winning crew nor of the others which competed. Is it because a crew of young fellows under twenty-one years of ace in the first heat beat the captain of the club and his picked crew, and yesterday beat the winners of tho cecond heat, to whom he was favourably disposed.—l am, etc., Honor, to whom Honor tr-Due.

An American contemporary laments that " delirium tremens has almost disappeared from our community," and says : "Itif now a very rare spectacle to witness an individual labouring in a fit of good old-fashioned deli rium, such as we used to witness so often in our earlier life and in the Eastern States There is certainly abundance of drunkenness, and the number of drunkardsisnot diminish ing. Men and womnn die of all sorts of diseases directly attributable to alcholic drinks. But for the snakes that used to get into the drunkard's boots, the monkeys that invaded his brain,the cat that grew upon his hearthstone to the size of the tiger, and all the quaint and carious animal forms that created for the victim alternate amusement and terror, we hear in thcs9 later days but little of. It is certainly observable that time has wraught great changes in the drunkard's career. We remember in the days of our boyhood a score of old topers, their Bardolphian noses resembling the fruit of the cactus, who were drunk every day and had been so within the memory of the generation ; they lived to good old ages, had the delirium tremens half a dozen times, and finally died ripe in years. It seemed as though they were preserved or pickled beyod the'possibility of premature decay. Now, when a young man enters upon a course of dissipation, he grows pale and thin, instead of old, fat, and rosy; in five years he is a wreck'; in five more he fills a drunkard's grave. Our theory in reference to this matter is the difference between the liquors of the present day and those of the olden time. Now all liquors are adulterated, and bring with their use horrors undreamed of in the olden time ; a decay of faculties and premature death ; softening of the brain, paralysis, a shattering of the nervous sys tem, destruction to the coatings of the stom ach, insomania and want of appetite; all these and a hundred other forms of disease are substited for delirium tremens. It is said that nineteen-twentieths of the liquors con sumed in San Francisco are made of deleter ious and hurtful drugs."

English Cablegrams,

LONDON,

February 22. New Zealand flax is steadily rising in price.

Australian Cablegrams.

Deputation of Bankers

[Per Press Telegram Agency.]

MELBOURNE.

Wednesday,

A deputation representing all the banks except the New Zealand waited upon the Treasurer and submitted a representation on the injurious effect caused by the proposed Income Tax on Banking pursuits. Arrived : Arawata.

ARRIVAL OF THE HERO.

Sydney, February 23,

The Hero arrived last night. She spoke the steamer Hauraki on Monday, from Auckland to Sydney. A private telegram announced the arrival of fche La Hogue at London. Wheat, quiet; and bran, lower. A great tornado passed over Bowen (Queensland), on Monday. Houses were blown down, and a number of persons seriously injured. Heavy rainß also fell.

Melbourne, February 23. The brickmakers ab Echuca have struck for an increase in their wages., The Assembly is discussing an Income Tax. Considerable opposition is offered to the pro posal.

A man, named Levy, has been committed to trial for beating his wife to death at Ararat.

Adelaide, February 23

The bodies of Mrs. Gordon and child, lost in the bttsh, have been foiind. The deceased had been travelling in a circle of twenty miles.

MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN.

His Excellency the Governor yesterday received the following telegram from Lord Carnarvon, Secretary of State for the Cob' nies i

v London, 2'lst February, 11.20 a.m. " Wakapuaka, February 23, 9.46 a.m. '' Governor, Auckland. "I have received your telegram, and heartily rejoice in the accomplishment of this important work. " The Queen commands me to express her satisfaction at the establishment of a fresh bond of Union with her loyal colony of New Zealand. " (Signed) Carnarvon."

ENGLISH TELEGRAMS.

The Queen's Speech.

The Duke and Duchess of Edin burgh. WELLINGTON". ' (Per Press Teleeram Agency.) This day. The barque Malay, from Hobartown, brings the foilwing aditional items of English news under date : — LONDON. February Bth and 9th. The Queen's speech at the opening of Par liament referred to the existence of cordial foreign relations, reforms in Turkey, pnr chase' of Suez canal, and the visib of the Prince of Wales to India. Bells are promised for the establishment of an ultimate tribunal of appeal ; for the amendment of the Mer chant Shipping Law, and legislation on universal and primary education. The Duchess of Edinburgh will proceed to Busaia. In Spain the Alphonsists are masters of Biscay and Olava. The Duke of Edinburgh takes command of the Sultan for a special cruise. Both houses of parliament voted the ad dress in reply. Explanations occurred on the action of Government in supporting Count Andrassey'a note, and also respecting the purchase of Suez Canal shares. Gladstone approved of the Bupnort given to Count Andrasacy's note. The Australian news of corresponding dates is of little interest.

DISTRICT PRIZE FIRING.

The second set for the district prize firing waß completed to-day, distances 200, 400, and 500 yards. Major Gordon commanded. Vol. Stirling, 56 ; Vol. Wall, 51 ; Vol. Mears, 49 ; Serjt. Saunders, 47 ; Vol. McKeevy, 47; Vol Broderick (Otahuhu), 42 ; Vol. Gould, 41 ; Vol. Taylor, 40 ; Vol. Hill, 40 ; Vo). Hewitt, 32; Serjfc. Kitchen, 32 ; Vol. Fady. 31 ; Vol. Molloy, 31 ; Vol. Eraser, 27; Vcl. Doherty, 25; Vol. Jaa. Molloy, 24 ; McEvoy, 22. Second Set District Pjuze Winneks. Pts. £ b. d. Moss, Victoria Co. ... 60 ... 50 0 Sakey, Navals 50 . . 4 0 0 Stirling, Engineers ... 50 ... 3 0 0 Mason. Victoria ... 55 ... 2 10 0 Self, Victoria 54 ... 2 10 0 Hunt, Navals 53 « 2 0 0 Waito, Navals 53 ... 2 0 0 Little, Hobson Co. ... 53 ... 2 0 0 Carson, Hobson ... 52 ... 1 10 0 Wall, Otahuhu Co. ... 51 ... 110 0 Kady, Vi^oria Co. ... 51 ...10 0 Gatland, Victoria ... 49 ... 1 0 0

The San-Francisco Mail.

ANCHOVIES AND TOAST,

[From our London Correspondent.]

London, December 16. WOMEN SMOKER 3. The more worthy sex is moA ring ahead. The other day I travelled up to Birmingham with a lady %vho wore spectacles, carried a lot of music, seemed about thirty years of i age, and looked eminently respectable. Pre sently after leaving St. Paneras Btation Bhe drew from her pocket a cigarette case well filled, and offured it to her male travelling companion, sayiDg in a rather grieved tone that she could not smoke in the middle of the day. I don't know why ladies should not smoke, of course, I think the elegance of man ner with which the ladies in Florence smoke, is perfectly charming, and it ia a mere matter of fashion. Still it does seem rather fasb at this date of the world's existence. Happily we are not so fasb as the Viennese ladies. In that gay and festive city the ladies have formed a "Veteran Club" for the wiveß of Austrian officers who have seen active ser vice. The club is both social and beneficiary and one of the rules drawn up by the ladies themselves excludes members from participa tion in medical relief in certain cases which could only be produced by the grossest im morality. THE COLLISION WITH THE QUEEN'S YACHT. The nation has not been annoyed for years by anything so much as the enquiry into the ciroumstances of the collision between the Alberta and Mistletoe. The matter was, if you remember, in consecmence of the dis agreement of the jury, deferred to the winter assizes, and the other day the jury were brought before Baron Bramwell, and charged by him. lam sorry to say that, if reports be correct, Baron Bramwell told the jury that they must " remember the Queen would be greatly pained if a verdict were returned against Captain Welch " This is coming it rather too strong, and there has been a great deal too much of bringing the Queen into the affair. Her Majesty had no more to do with the matter than you had. She did not steer the Alberta, neither did she regulate her speed. Every obstacle has been thrown in the way of fair enquiry by the authorities, and a temper has been ex hibited by the officers of the vessel not at all in accordance with British ideas, though' perhaps they may suit those of that Royal pauper Prince Leiningen. The jury were unable to agree a second time, and were dis charged, and now it is to be feared nothing more will be done. People are curious to know how many of the jury were Her Majesty's tradesmen. Then Commander Fullerton fell suddenly ill at the outset of the enquiry, so Mr Hey wood and his counsel lost a valuable witness. The enquiry is enor mously expensive, and of [course the nation will have to pay the piper. So much for rank and influence even in free England. If Welch had been master of a P. and 0. steamer he would have had his certificate cancelled. If he had been Jack Oakum, 'of the tug. Polly, he would have lost his certificate and got six months for manslaughter. ANNA MARIA AND PRESERVED MEATS. Although a large amount of prejudice is still to be found amongst the ignorant classes againsb preserved meats, they are so far established in the public favour that each year must see an increasing demand for them. A great deal of the prejudice is fomen ted and maintained by the butchers, who, fool ish fellows that they are, choose to set their faces against everything except fresh meat, in stead of, like wise men, improving the occa sion and dealing in preserved meat' as' well as fresh. But no ; they delegate all such

"offal" to the g™e« 7h^£* ifc?°nk thing by the sale of it. Very little sa«J«£ is now used in the navy. The turned^meats are cheaper, better, and more P"W& Tallermahn publishes a monthly journal devotfed to the Australian meat interest and. from the modes of dressing the inert des. cribed in it, ttfttty people have dhovered that there are worse t«fl# ttf h*e oilman New Zealand boiled beef. la my O**«™> ( trouble with the servants at first. They uould not eat the carrion aaithey called it. It was made up of all sorts of cats aid dogs and such like rubbish, and the ««g not believe that any one would "spoil good meat" by putting it in tint. They would not eat it. It happened that I changed the brand in changing grocers, md then an idea struck me. The first tin I had I told the cook it was especially for my own use, and was not to be eaten in the kitchen. The consequence was that after a day or two when I said they might have acme of my breakfast dish, they eat erery scrap thereof, and I find no difficulty now in getting them to eat any brand I may buy. There are signs, however, of strong competition in meat. America sends large quantities from Texas and the western states, but it is not equal in my opinion to the colonial preparations. A company is being formed jnst now to import live meat from Texas, arid it is fully expected to pay at the rate of 30 per cent. A cargo of frozen meat also arrived the other day in good condition from New York, so that it is of the last importance that the quality of your meat should be kept well up to the maiROMAN CATHOLIC CONVERTS. . For some time back we have been hearing a good deal about perverts or converts, or whatever you like to call them, to the Church of Rome, but we hear very little of "reverts." Now, it happens oddly enough that there are about as many of one as of the other kind. For instance. Mr. Gladstone's sister, who went over during the Oxford movements and was a raoßt enthusi astic wo'ker for the Roman Church, came back again very unostentatiously. Sir John Simeon, M.P. for the Isle of Wight, was a pervert, but died in the faith of his fathers, and his son who was educated by "Father New man is a leading Protestant layman. A son of Dr Arnold went throueh the same double performance. Mr W. G. Palgrave, an Angli can, turned Romanist, then Jesuit and finally Mahometan. Mr C&pes, an Anglican parson, became a Romaish priest, but afterwards re sumed his Anglican orders, and Mr Ffoulks followed suit. It is no secret that the Mar quis of Ripon repents his step and wishes himself well out of it, and there are whispers, that even the Marquis of Bute will chop round snddcnly some fine day. The reason we don't hear mneh of these things is simply that people are ashamed of themselves when they are discovered in a blunder, and so they prefer to take up their old faith, without; any noise, and also that the Romanists take good care to send paragraphs round all the papers, when they get a respectable convert, whereas they take jolly good care to say nothing of their losses. ARMY REFORM. One of the most important itemß of news of this month is the Army Mobilization scheme, promulgated on the lat December, and which is to be carried out at once. The principle oh which this scheme is founded is ample provision for rapid and orderly con centration of troops to meet an enemy who has succeeded in effecting a landing on our vulnerable shoreline, the South coast, within a radius of SO or 90 miles of London. By its meanß an enemy would have to fight a de cisive battle pomewhere along the line of the North Downs, and judging from the disposition to be made of onr forces, it would peern as if our military strategists regarded that famous brochure, the battle of Dorking, as an almost prophetic work. Under the new dispensation each army corps is to consist of 23,037 infantry of all ranks, 3.480 cavalry, with 3,306 horses, and 1* batteries of horse and field artillery, with 1258 engineers, including pontoon and tele graph train. To each division is also to be attached 300 military police, 3,185 officers and men, and 418 horses of the medical department, 369 of the control department, with 418 horses and 99 waggons, in addition to a butcher and baker train, requiring 541 officers and men, 378 horses, and 77 waggons. An army corps complete will thus muster 20.228 of all ranks, 10.585 horses, 1,410 vehicles, and 90 guns. There are eight corps included in the scheme, but only the first or I Colchester Corps is composed solely _of I regulars, the idea being in case of an invasion to instantly clap this corps on board trans ports and effect a continental diversion. The Second or Aldershot Corps has two divisions of regulrs and one of militia, and the Third, ot Croydon Corps, only one of regulars. The, Fourth and Fifth Corps have only two brigades of regulars, and the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth only one brigade each. These are very small proportions, and there is a very strong feeling in favour of increased army expenditure Wo fully expect next session to have some proposal of the kind from the War Minister. MONSTER GUNS AND EXPENSIVE CHARGES. Talking of matters military reminds me of the 81-ton gun, with which experiments have lately been made. The Inflexible, now build ing at Portsmouth, is to be armed with four; of these monsters. The value, of such a gun is £15,000, and the cost of powder and shot, etc., for each discharge is £25. Some 250 pounds of powder is used for a charge, and the chilled iron projectile nealty turned and fittedj with brass studs, weighs 1250 lbs. A broadside from the Inflexible'will therefore cost £100. This is rather a contrast to the old style of thing. One of Nelson's ships carrying 110 guns, 32-pounders, would only have costs £2,200 for the whole of her arma ment, and a broadside from such a ship would have cost only some £14. It will not do in these days to throw away a shot. Greenstone.

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before R. C. Barstow, Esq., R.M.)

DOWNWARDS.

William Donovan, of Killiballen, George Atkins alias Bumpkins, and Charles Norris were severally charged with being drunk last night. Donovan was fined 10s and costs (2), Atkins was fined 5s and costs, and Norris in the same amount. BOOTS AND BEEF. James Kelly was charged with stealing a pair of boots and 41ba beef, value 7s, the property of John Hughes, on the 23rd inst. The prisoner, an old man, said he took the beef but not the shoes. Mrs Hughes, wife of John Hughes, super intendent of the Fire Brigade, deposed that yesterday morning she heard a noise in the kitchen, and on going there she saw the prisoner taking her husband's boots and hiding them under his coat. He was hurry ing away when he dropped the beef, which he must have taken out of the safe. Mr Hughes said that, hearing bis wife crying out for help, he went to the spot, and saw his wife holding the prisoner. The boots found upon him were his property. The old man said he had no witnesses to call, nor had he anything to say. His Worship, on looking over the list of j convictions against the prisoner, found that he had spent 45 months in prison, and that he had been convicted eleven times of lar ceny. His Worship regretted that he could only give him six months' imprisonment with hard labour. SAILOBS OS BOARD. The aea, the sea, the open sea, The blue, the fresh, the ever fret.

John, Black, Jonn McKane, andCWi. m Norria were charged with a breach ©{ Merchant Shipping Act by wilful fa?-1 obedience of lawful commands on board ft* ft schooner Fairlie on the 23rd inst. it Prisoners pleaded not guilty. Captain Si orris deposed ,\' '■■ - , shipped at Sydney and signe^T^j^ 5 &- ---3 months. Yesterday morning »6<jo'clock W the chief mate informed him that the tb B men had refused to do their duty ; he ca jic? them on deck when he asked the'ru to « hZ to," they said they had had nothing to^ I and could not work on an empty Btomanh ft They still refused, when he fetched the «£" i geant of the water-police; still they refmd ■ ;o work; he then gave the men in charge U refusing to work. f | William Herbert Bass, mate of theT?aitl« deposed that he called the men to their work' but they refused, but did not state the reason of their refusal. "" | John Black said he wanted his breakfast P and went to the galley, but could find tto y \ John McKane said there waa no tea had. • •-?.; Charles Norns said there was not a bit of I tucker to be got. , '■ ." The mate said he told them there ft. ! breakfast for them in the galley, if theyJij^ to go after it. 1 Serjeant Martin deposed that he was Bent I for; the mcii aaid they had no food for 24 I hours ;he took ■fchem into custody; could not ; speak about their provinions. Mr. Russell thought one of the prisonerl. I should be allowed to make a statement. The men said they would willingly]^ 1 done their work but they could not work I without food, and tbis they could not proe We | as the ship's cook was away on the drink. His Worship thought the men had no| J been courteous to the captain, which been the cause of this trouble; he mast I order them back to the ship. • ;; \ The Captain said he wished the VKa^ have some punishment,, especially Norn's I who waa a continual trouble to him, 3j p was certain that breakfast and tea weretyo. I vided for them, but it was their own f,^ § that they did not have them. The Court sentenced them to one week', imprisonment with hard labour, to paycojtj I 9s each, and at the expiration of theM&^j J to return to the ship. "■■■'■■■', CITY RATES. A long list of city rate defaulters '«, presented at Court, but most of them wetj \f settled outside. < L I Mr J. B. Kussell appeared for thejiCfy Council. Judgments for plaintiffs were given in the . I following cases on the evidence of Mrfla t . | rop. James Hamilton, claim £3 10a, !obata 18s Gd ; Henry Carrol, claim £1 sa, cosfe I 18s 6d ; Christopher B. Smith, claimJE2 lo«, | costs 18s Gd. w i»v This was all the business.

THE CRICKET MATCH.

The Auckland and Thames contest yesidjy terminated in favor of Auckland by an inmngj and eight runs, the total of Auckland's j one innings being 105, and the ThameßitwoJl, A cricket field forms a source of enjoyment worthy the pen of old Isaac Walton, and

abounds in picturesque associations. Not a more agreeable retirement can be found hi 1 the suburbs of Auckland than the Domain cricket ground. It is one of those "sleepy hollows" which need the genial pen'of» 1 Washington Irving fully and adequately to describe. It was pleasant yesterday to lounge upon the sweet green grass, supported by the stump of a middle-aged tree and witness the j contest between the chosen men of Auckland '_ and the Thames, and occasionally as one vai I "caught," another "stumped,"and another " outrun," to send the message by the I pigeons to the Stak, while the little boys children of nature — exulting, clapped their small hands, exclaiming, "There,he j gofls, another Star pigeon." We need not ! dilate upon the special merits of the cricket ers, which are too well known to requirt , immediate comment. The day waß very! favourable, the cool breezes were acceptable, \ and nature altogether was in an agreeaWs mood. Cricketers are sometimes less sucwa- - 1

full on strange ground than on grotrod^ j their own, and. this might have beentiejfeiM with the Thames men, who did not sewr quite at home in the Domain. Wardell, in- • deed, was the only man who made a fespect- N | able score, while among the United, Lynch s made 17, Yates, 17. Dufaur 33, and Buct f land 0. Masefield, like a Wolrerhamploa J man, stripped evidently for play, but he unfortunately was the. last man in.-Mom". I ford's hand seemed to have forgotten jk v: cunning ; he was stumped out without gun-. > ing a run, unlike his. Middlesex exploits J of twenty years ago, and oh! was the ci- ! clamatien attached to his name. Mumford . however, has done good work which possibly j will be repeated in the future. Neat to the scorers and Hamilton's peach and lemonade, ;, tent, were interested lookers on, and in the | distance, with a bat in one hand, and a Jw guinea meerschaum pipe, with silver chain, in the other, was a man in"ye»ri, once of the Commercial Eoad, Londoi, who : was watching the game with the feelingaoi early days, and puffing his mild tobacco with youthfnl zest, The meerschaum *v , the old cricketer's fancy, and_ what ill I money in comparison to) the Turkish pife'sof peace? Several ladies were seated under; the trees, with babiesin their.arm», enjoy ing the scene with sportive tenderaess, Md waiting apparently for the issue of' tto second innings of the Thames tien^ -P thU moment, Nature seemed to say . "G»T* over boys," and the sky became otercMt with threatening clouds, the last pigeon wasstarted, the lain came down freelyT*l"l at five o'clock the domain cricket ground W*S cleared of its bußy occupants, silenoe w«,M*,. stored and evening resumed her ancienfcsolitwy reign. The men then retired to the Thama Hotel where THE SUPPER ; awaited them, but to which our reporter wtf not invited. This repast, it'is saidi'wal' plenteously spread by Mrs Grattan, andgava ample satisfaction. Mr Dufaur occupied tne chair, and the several loyal and patnow toasts were successively given. The wnoW scene was one of gladness and good feeding concluding with " Auld Lang Syne." j; ~m _ ________■«—i™^——a ' '"'

A Girl Gored by a Cow.

A rather serious occurrence took place »» Mr Greenwood's farm, Mount Albert yewr; j day. On the previous! night, a Hereford cow, which was purchased from a setfcler<« | the Great Barrier, had calved in a clump « scrub in the paddock, and Mr GreenwpM . accompanied by a man called Joe, went down to take away the calf. In order toao ; so they drove the cow up with the intention of shuttng her in one of the ;outhouiieJ. While thus engaged theanimal madearaßß»» Joe, capsizing him-and breaking a rake u» - his hand, but not otherwise doing senoM damage. When the beast was approaccing the outhouses, the Bervant girl n*f^ Catherine Wilson, who had been warnedl » keep out of the way, came out of, the s'aH]°' where she had been milking, and polled to door close after her. The cow made a rosnJ« her at once, and forcing one of i**,* 10"" through four plies of clothing, and $om» inches into the flesh of the back paWt<» the girl's thigh, raised her several^ from the ground, inflicting a deep *a» very painful wound four inches long^ s^ ■ Greenwood rushed forward and beat tne co over the head with a Btock-whip, tans pw venting the brute from committing nuw* mischief.' The girl was carried into «w house and Dr. Young sent for, who b»nd*geQ ■ the wound. We are glad to learn that wo injuries are not considered dangerousana girl will probably be, about again W or four weeks. The cow was sold to f^ Greenwood as a quiet milcH cow, but e^ evidently been allo-0.-l to run in the busu the Barrier. E-;,-.,,' r- Ml^' nef ?i. 2 animal ib a vivxaaUc ..»,, Nottt <wx v mUker. > |

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