SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

~ . Tips Afternoon, 11.6 HIGH WATER--J To-morrow Morning, 11.27 SUN SET.—This Evening. 7.8 _ SUN RISE.—To-morrow Morning, 4.40 MOON'S AGE.-First Quarter, 13th, 9.13 a.m.

ARRIVALS.

Ilawoa, s.s., Wheeler, trom Tauranga anu lu_ WoloSga. barque, Captain [Chichester, from Adelaide

DEPARTURES.

Rowena, s.s.. Sellars, for mercury J_say _.___. Tauranga ..,,_. ~, , Hinemoa, Government s.s., Fairchild, for wei iington Queen,, schooner, Jones, for Hokiansra lona, S.S., Farquhar, for Northern Ports

IMPORTS.

Per Wodonga from Adelaide : 3128 sacks wheat, 12 cases wine.—Master, agent. The barque Wodonga from Adelaide, Avith a cargo of wheat, arrived this morning altera passage of 18 days. . , _ Messrs. Crmckshank & Co. have received a telegram from Melbourne informing them that the Hero was to leave Melbourne on the 14th, em^_i^ofNov.fflft.rep«»*, the following casualities: The Cutty Saxk, bound for fSydney, collided with a vessel un known, and put back; the Chile, for Auckland, collided with the Osprey, and put back.; the Celestial Queen, for Nelson, colbded AVith the- Wanabeck, and put back to Portland. _ p- The p.s. Enterprise, yesterday, received her neAV boiler from the Queen-street Wharf. It is more powerful than the old one, and will enable her to travel at a faster rate of speed. The boiler has been built by Mr Hawkeswood, and is one foot longer than the old one. Messrs. Sims& BroAvn have been engaged renovating the hull of the vessel at the North Shore. She has received a neAV keel and kelson, sundry nevv frames and stringers, been refastened from keel to gunAvale, and recoppered. Her passenger accommodation is also improved and enlarged. By to-morroAV AA*eek she is expected to be ready to resume her running to the Thames. The s.s. Hawea arrived from Tauranga and the South shortly after tAvelve o'clock last night. Her latest Port Chalmers date is the 4th instant, Lyttelton sth. Wellington 7th, Napier Bth, Poverty Bay 9th, and Tauranga 10th. Passen gers : Misses Hayes, Forbes, and Gosset Mrs Dent and family (3), Mesdames Robertshaw, Parker, Duncan, and Gosset, Messrs. Spam, McCoy, Dean, Irvine, Steen, Phillips, Morgan, Johnston, Cbatfield. Goodall, Coleman, Wood ward. Simpson, Witt, Enoka te Wanaki, five steerage, and three for Russell.—Henderson and Macfarlane, agents. _ The 3-masted schooner Ellerton is to load at WangapouaAvith timber for Lyttelton. The brigantine Omaha sailed early this morning for the Chatham Islands with a full cargo and the following passengers :—Mrs Beamish and child. The ship Famenoth is steadily progressing with her loading. It will be a race whether she or the City of Auckland gets away first. The Governnment steamer Hinemoa left the Manukau for Wellington yesterday afternoon. The schooner Queen sailed last night tor Hokianga Avith a general cargo. The schconer Nellie is to call here on her way from the Thames to ship 150 barrels of gun poAvder for Napier. . , , The ship City of Auckland is expect _d to be a, full ship in less than a fortnight's time. She is announced to sail immediately after the holi days. . _ Tbe New Zealand Shipping Company an nounce that the iron clipper ship Loch Fleet, 713 tons register, will be their next sbip for London after the City of Auckland. She has already taken in a portion of her London cargo at Lyttelton, and will leave that port for thi. in a few days. The Loch Fleet is a sister vessel to the Loch Urr. /•! ; The s.s. "Wellington left Onehunga at 12.30 to-day. Passengers: Mr and Mrs Wood and servant, Mrs White, Mrs Latham, Miss Bell, Messrs Gunn, Hungerword, Mf>rtin, Robinson. Norman, Dalton, Mooie, Bentley, Courtney, and 7 steerage.

COMMERCIAL.

At E. and H. Isaacs' sale of ship-chandlery to-day the trade was well represented, and considering the present overstocked state the market, fair pricesfjAvcre obtained. Every line Avas quitted, it being quite an unreserved sale. The auctioneer mentioned at the close of the sale that the schooner Christina would be offered to-morrow at 11 o'clock.

BIRTHS.

[The price for inserting birth notices in this column is reduced to one shilling; other notices as before.] .

DEATH.

HARLING.—On the 6th December, at the re sidence of his parents, College Road, Frederick Joseph, infant son of W. and M. Harling, aged 5 months.

RICE.—On the 11th December, at Mount Eden. Emily Mildred, third daughter of Vincent Edward and Emily Rice, aged 3h years.

PORTER.—On the 10th instant, at Newton Road, Mary Ann Porter, the beloved Avife of George Porter, aged 38 years. The funeral will leave he-* late residence at 3 o'clock to-morroAV afternoon. Friends please accept this invitation.

DUNWOODIE.—On the 11th December, Mary Ann, infant daughter of Andrew Dunwoodie. The funeral Avill take place to-morrow after noon, at 4.45 p.m.

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

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1877.

for the cause that lacks-assistance, For the wrong that needs tesistancti For the future In the distance, Aiid t__3 £ood that __■ c_» do.

" As it is atheism and blasphemy in a creature to dispute Avhat the Diety may do. so it is presumption and sedition in a subject to dispute Avhat a King (or Governor) may do in the height of his power."—King James I

The legal and Constitutional exercise of the royal prerogative is a matter which fundamentally affects the liberties of the people of Great Biitain and the colonies. The student of history, looking back to tho days of the Stuarts, when the King claimed to rule by right diA'ine, and imprisoned, robbed, degraded, or beheaded subjects at his mere personal caprice, or to humour the whim of some intriguing harlot of the palace, can realize the great struggles and sacrifices by which arbitrary and tyrannous powers have been wrested from the Crown, and the supreme authority of the State trans ferred to the Parliament and the people. It cost one notorious royal tyrant his head, and another his crown, ere the people Avere completely released from the semi-barbaric shackles of feudalism, A.-hen the common people, the bone and sinew of the land, the toilers and spinners, were regarded as mere serfs of the great and poAverful—as a sort of inferior being, a villein, whose lands and tenements were held only by base service, and who belonged body and soul (if soul he had) to his lordly master. Even that much belauded "Good old Farmer George," who slaved at his desk like a common clerk, meddled and muddled in the most insignificant detail of state routine, and dined off mutton and turnips, made an attempt to restore the kingly prerogative to its former despotic character. King George in his insane fits dismissed Ministers, threatened and bullied Parliaments, forced disastrous Avars upon his Ministers, and heaped gigantic debts upon the nation. But in the course of a lonic struggle betAveen the CroAvn and Parliament the " vox populi,quce vox tlei, has asserted itself, until in our day, accord ing to Hearn, " the poA.*er of the Cioavu is exercised by the advice of responsible Min isters, in a constitutional manner, and for legitimate objects."

But although the question of the exercise of the royal prerogative has long since been practically settled in Britain, it Avould ap pear that in the colonies an insidious attempt is being made on the part of a certain clique of persons styled "Governors" to set up prerogatives, which in the mother country, have fallen into desuetude; and unless the colonists speedily aAA*ake to a proper sense of their constitutional rights, there is imminent danger that precedents will be established dangerous to the liberties of the people, and likely at no very distant date to shatter the Empire. The v*italquestions that are being forced upon the people are these : — "avlio rules in the colonies ? Are Aye living under an autocracy, orasystemof responsible Government ? Do the people rule themselves through their elected parliaments, or are the Governors absolute dictators responsible to no authority but DoAvning-street ? These great questions have recently engaged the attention of the people of the neigbouring colonies, where a vice-regal clique has been working with the common aim of self-aggrandisement, and of placing itself above and. beyond constitutions. The same insidious and. organised attempt to undermine the liberties of the people has apparently spread to NeAV Zealand, where we find the Marquis of Normanby adopting the unseemly role of a partizan, and repeatedly rejecting the advice of his responsible advisers, and that in a manner which is designed to humiliate and em-' barrass them, and, as we shall presently sheAV, in defiance, not only of the Constitu tional usages and practices of the Con stitution Act under which he is sworn to govern, but also of the Consti t tion of the Empire. Apparently these governors and their patrons in Down ing-street have not yet fully realised that these are no longer CroAvn colonies, but free colonies in as full enjoyment of re sponsible Government as the mother country itself. Formerly in CroAvn colonies the fiat of DoAViihig-street a. as supreme. It exercised unquestioned authority by the influence of nominee agents styled Governors, who, with the aid of dominant local interests, contriA'edto govern according to the political gospel of some Secretary of State for the colonies. The experiment avus a woeful failure. " England" remarks May, in his Constitutional History" " ven tured to tax her colonies and lost them ; she endeavoured to rule them from Downing street, and provoked disaffection and re bellion. " The first step towards remedying the blunder was the establishment of responsible Government in Canada, under Lord Elgin, in 1847. Since then, writes May : —

The Governor, like the SoA'^reign whom he represents, holds himself aloof from and superior to parties. He governs through constitutional advisers .vho have acquiied an ascendancy in the Legislature. He leaves contending parties to fight out their own battles. * * As the re cognition of this doctrine in England has practi cally transferred the supreme authority of the State from the Crown to the Parliament and the people, so in the colonies it has wrested from the Governor and from the parent State the direction of colonial affairs.

Has His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby yet recognised or respected this important constitutional doctrine ? Has he held himself aloof, for instance, from the late AtkiilSQU Ministry, and left contending parties —- '.c Grey party, the Atkinson party, tho Middle party, and the Jump-Jim-OroAV party, who float oetween tho middle and the two extremes —to fight out their owu toatUea ? These

questions will be discussed at length when we come to revie.v the Governor's action in the recent correspondence regarding the elevation of Mr J. N. Wilson to the Legislative Council, the advice tendered by his responsible advisers to dissolve parliament, and more recently still, his point blank refusal to veto the Land Bill— in Avhich the Canterbury clique, by per sistent ng log-rolli and corruption, had contrived to insert clauses reneAving the leases, and preventing the operation of the deferred payment system in that Provincial district, in direct opposition to the policy of the Grey administration. Apparently the Marquis of Normanby, in common with the other members of the Colonial-Vice- Regal - Self - aggrandisement - and ultra-Constitutional Company (with branch offices in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zea laud, and limited liability), have ignored the maxim laid down •in "Todd's Parliamentary Government," that "In the colonies where Responsible Government has been established the direct authority of the Governor is A*ery limited aud circumscribed." These high and mighty agents of DoAvning-street, in the plenitude of certain Royal instructions (Avhicli, as Sir George Grey has riroved, are defunct, obsolete, and absurd), aa-ouM exercise "direct authority" as wide aud unfettered as that of the Shah of Persia, instead of submitting to the direction and control of that machinery which more or less adequately represents the existing sentiments of the people. The Governor of Nevv Zealand, in frater nal alliance with the other grandees over the water, have, according to Sir George t \ ve j —and we should take it as a personal favour, if someone would name a more ex perienced and competent judge—during the past feAV years been attempting to set up a kind of bastard prerogative, a monster alike unknoAvn to the Constitution, andrepugnant to every idea of British liberty ; and the practically undisputed use of these ursurped powers and privileges, unless timely checked by the sovereign will of the people, threatens to grow into hard and. fast precedents, that may cost more than we in this generation wot of to abolish. This is Avhat Sir G. C. LeAvis, a man Avhose knowledge of the official machinery was sur passed by feAV in his day—said of consti tutional precedents

"When certain practices or usages, though not legally binding on any part of the community, have been constantly observed, both by the governors and the governed, they are properly styled constitutional; and any measure or practice contrary to them is styled unconsti tutional."

Iv other words, if you allow a certain number of people, illegally and Avithout in terruption, to drive their coaches and horses through your private property for a certain period, the trespass becomes a legal entry, and the path used on sufferance a public road. Of course, the Marquis of Normanby, Avbo is a member of the Privy Council, and many other high and mighty things which cover half a page of the " Gazette"— and in the language of the auctioneers are "too numerous to particularize" — brushes on one side the precedents and arguments of Sir George Grey as unAvorthy of his august consideration. But, as Bage hot remarks, " It is idle to expect a man whose place has been fixed to have a better judgment, than one who has l_A*ed' by his judgment;" and by the same useful faculty raised himself tb higher positions as a Colonial Governor than the Marquis of Normanby deserves to occupy—as Sir George Grey has done. The Marquis has probably had the greater part of his thinking done for him by others. The ways of his governorship have been Avays of pleasautness and all their paths peace. He has never been brought face to face Avith great and novel political problems, never had the task of framing, moulding, watching and tending, the groAvth of a neAV and untried constitution in a neAV country, and amongst a ne\v people ; never had to grapple .vith the difficulties of a sudden na tive rebellion with inadequate means at his disposal, a hostile party at home, DoAvning-street, Exeter Hall, aud other elements of weakness abroad—and doubt less, it has been a very merciful dispensation of Divine Providence, for the Marquis, as well as for the colonies over Avhich he governed before his advent in New Zea land, that they have been spared such critical trials as above mentioned. The Marquis of Normanby is just one of those colonial Governors so felicitously des cribed by Bagehot in the folloAving extract :

"A colonial Governoris a ruler who has no per manent interest in the colony he governs; who perhaps had to look for it on the map when he was sent thither; who takes years before he really understands its parties and its controver sies ; who though without prejudice himself, is apt to be a slave to the prejudices of local people near him; who inevitably, and almost laudably, governs not in tho interest of the colony, which he sees and iB sure of. The first desire of a colonial Governor is not to get into a " scrape" — not to do anything which may give trouble tolhis superiors—the Colonial Office—at home, which may cause an untimely and dubious recall, which may hurt his after career. He is sure to leave upon the colony the feeling that, they have a ruler who only half knows them, and does not so much as half care for them. We hardly appreciate this latter feeling in our colonies, because we appoint their sovereign: but we should understand it in an instant, if, by a political metamorphosis, tho choice Avere turned' the opposite way, —if they appointed our Sovereign. We should then say at once, " How is it possible a man from New Zealand can understand England ? how is it possible that a man longing to get back from the antipodes can care for England ? how can we trust one who lives by the fluctuating favour of a distant authority . how can we heartily obey one who is but a foreigner with the accident of an identical language ? We shall continue this subject at the earliest opportunity.

The appointment of Henry Tacy Kemp, Esq., J.P., is recorded in the General Government Gazette.

A grand organ recital will be held on Thursday next in St. Mary's Church, Parnell, to which the public will be admitted free of charge. The programme^ which appears in the Star, promises a rare musical treat, consisting of solos, trios, choruses, and anthems, wedded to the music of such eminent composers as Haydn, Barnby, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Wagner.

To the Editor : Sir, —On the 7th instant a paragraph appeared in the Star, calling attention to a break in the line of asphalt in Shortland-street, which caused numerous persons to fall. I regret to say that the notice has beeia unheeded and unremedied, and yesterday several persons fell on the pavement. The termination of the as phalting inclines on to the old, and, for what reason I cannot tell, a feav yards are left unasphalted; at this spot, being very slippery, the accidents occur.—A. H.

We learn that a paragraph in last evening's Star with reference to the doings of a European at Kawliia has been supposed to apply to Mr M. O'Connor. Mr O'Connor, however, states that all the material points in the paragraph can have no application Avhatever to himself. In the first place he is not identified with any Victorian capitalists, he has never been at Kawhia, has never carried any flag into the King Country, and has not advanced £300 to the natives. Consequently the paragraph can have no reference to him whatever. Mr O'Connor's bona fides and standing are vouched for by several gentleman of influence in Auckland, and he has in his possession letters from the Tate Sir Donald McLean and others testifying to his good intentions. Mr O'Connor further states that if he were aware of any European being at KaAvhia or in any part of the King Country engaged in mischief he would proceed at once to the King Country and use his influence to have the person ejected.

Mr H. Milburn- pianist,} writes desiring to thank the assemblage at the Albert Hall last night for the subscription of 6s lOd raised among themselves to pay him for playing at the dance, Mr Glover having re fused to pay either the 10s agreed upon for the night's performance or for the dance which he had announced afterwards. Our correspondent also regrets the unseemly scene that occurred after the performance, and the turning out of the lights, with which he had nothing whatever to do.

To the Editor : Sir, —Your reporter hav ing made a slight error in your last night's issue of the Star in stating that the missionary meeting in Albert-street was conducted by me, permit me to state that it was Mr Coupland, and not myself, who presided at that meeting. The speakers Avere the Revs. R. Taylor and Garlick. — Yours &c., F. J. Bennett. The Melbourne correspondent of the •-Argus" writes : The last canard is, that Osman Pasha is no other than Marshal Bazaine. That a traitor should be also a renegade is in itself, of course, by no means surprising; but then this Osman has military skill. Bazaine, it is true, was victorious in Algeria—it is easy to break eggs with a stick—but he did not give a good account of himself in presence of the Germans. Bazaine is fat, and the Turkish generals are fat, therefore Bazaine is a Turkish general—QED. Before closing this subject, permit me to relieve my conscience, which (for a journalist) is an exceptionally tender one. I have never loved the Turks, yet I must needs allude to a Muscovite --atrocity" unknown, or at least uncom mehtedupon, bytheTurcophiles themselves. It is stated on good authority that in certain districts of Bulgaria the Russians have com pelled the Turkish women to exchange their garb for that of female Christians. If that means there, as here, a dress so tight at the hips that they can hardly put one foot before another, and so long in the skirts that they have to carry their tails on their arms, then it is very cruel. Mr Swanson, in a speech during the late session referred to Mr Sheehan as follows :— "For instance, see hoAV Mr Sheehan'got the land for the Kaipara Raihvay. Nobody could induce the natives to give up the land for this raihvay, but the honorable member for Rodney got into a boat, went up the river to the Maoris, smoked a pipe with them, slept there a night or two, talked the matter over, and got the land for nothing. He is a Maori himself, born here. He speaks the language as well as a native. He knows their ways, and has a great amount of influence with them."

Respecting the NeAV South Wales general elections, the "Sydney Evening NeAvs" of the 7th inst. writes : "As far as can be made out from the political antecedents and public professions of the members elected for the new Parliament, the result, from a party point of vieAV, is the return of—Minis terialists, 25 ; Oppositionists, 34 ; doubtful 10 ; the Speaker, 1 ; elections undecided— Bogan and W. Goldfields, 2 ; double return —Sir John Robertsou, 1 • total, 73."

An English gentleman, who is greatly interested in the Turkish war, until lately thought everybody else was as interested as himself. How he was undeceived is amus ingly described by the London " Examiner." He told his servants that every day at noon they might take the newspaper from his study to the servants' hall. A few days afterward, in passing by the hall, he heard the cook reading something to her com panions. ** Ah ! can't keep away from the war news, I see, any more than myself," was bis joyful exclamation upon seeing the group. The cook blushed, and then said, " It isn't exactly the war neAvs I'm reading, sir • it's about an Irishwoman biting a piece out of a ScotcliAvoman's face, to keep her quiet."

In the event of a dissolution of Parliament it was intended that Sir Thomas Tancred should oppose Mr Wakefield for Geraldine, and Mr BesAvick would have opposed Mr Stafford for Timaru. Mr J. M. Perrier'. connection with the "New Zealand Times" being about to cease, the directors propose to re-organise the entire staff, and not a moment too soon.

At the Supreme Court, Wellington, a Maori named Te Hari Wiremu Kauria was found guilty of having in September, 1875, bitten pieces out of and gnawed the fingers and thumb of Constable John Walsh. This same cannibal had also escaped from the lock-up at Gisborne in the same year. J|gAt the Presbyterian Assembly at Welling ton yesterday it was agreed that circulars be issued respecting private and family religion, demonstration of ordinances, and irreligious social customs. The finance report shewed a credit balance of £3,153 17s Id. The trustees recommend the invest ment of the funds in property of prospe tivelv increasing value. There being £600 available for widows and orphans, and Rev. D. Bruce reported that during his travels he had collected upwards of £600 for the fund. Ministers were instructed to make the first annual payment of £5 by the 30th September, 1878. Ministers who are contributing to such schemes in connec tion Avith some home churches are to have the option of exemption.

A private telegram received in Sydney from New York, reports that a bill repeal ing the duty on wool is under the considera tion of Congress, and will probably become law.

A domestic tragedy has occurred at Balclutha. A saAv sharpener named Wm. Stevenson discovered on awaking in the morning that his wife had left their bed. He made search and found her lying dead in the passage with her throat cut right across ; the fatal instrument, a razor, lyiug beside her. She had previously attempted to commit suicide.

The Christchurch cricketers have selected the following team to contest the lareuls with Auckland during the Christmas season :—Nealson, Corfe, Moor, Goodly, SAveet, Ollivier, Watson, Lee, Ashley, Firth, and J. Fowler.

At the Police Court, Timaru, yesterday, Mr Bull, proprietor of the " Timaru Times" was charged on two criminal informations for libel against Judge Ward. The alleged libels were published in the ** Times" of September 12 and Oct 18. The charges were heard before Mr BesAvick, R. M., and tAvo J.Ps. Copies of the above-dated papers were tendered as evidence. The defendant offered no defence and was com mitted for trial at next criminal session. The alleged libel was contained in articles published in the -'South Canterbury Times" about two months ago, and referred to certain advice which was said to have been given by Judge Wanl, and which amounted to an evasion of the Stamp Act. The Avhole affair arose out of certain evidence that was given at the hearing ot the " Waka Maori" libel case. Mr Ball had the option of apologising and paying £100 as a donation to the Timaru Hospital, but he positively declined to do so, or admit that anything that appeared in his paper referring to Judge Ward was libellous.

A meeting of the cricketers of Auckland was held at the Thames Hotel last evening, for the purpose of considering the projected visit of a Christchurch cricketing team to Auckland. There was a very good at tendance, the chair being occupied by Mr A. E. Whitaker. A telegram which had been received from Christchurch was read by Mr W. W. Robinson. It was agreed that the Christchusch challenge be accepted. A Management Committee was elected, consisting of Messrs. A. E. Whitaker, D. McDonald, L. Coupland, W. F. Buckland, J. Coates, W. Philson, and D. Lynch. A Selection Committee was also appointed, consisting of Messrs. A. E. Whitaker, H. F. W. Colson, and R. Yates. We trust that a good team will be selected as speedily as possible, so that they may be able to practice as much as possible. The match will be awaited in Auckland with the greatest interest.

At a meeting of the directors of the Coromandel Gold Mining Company held yesterday, Mr R. Burke was appointed manager of the mine, and was authorised to purchase the necessary tools at once, and commence work on Wednesday next. Operations this week are expected to be confined to fixing the top of the shaft, and arranging for the sinking of a shaft, to intersect a reef, Avhich traverses the Com pany's ground from the Union Beach mine. The area belonging to the Company, which consists of about 11 men's ground on the goldfield, and eight on private property, is enclosed on two sides by the Golconda, Palmerston, and Loina amal<ijainated claims, on the third by the Union Beach, and on the other hy the beach.

The case of l'homme ala fourchette, upo 11 whom Dr LeonLabbe performed gastrotomy with at least temporary success a few months ago, is brought to mind by an in stance of swallowing foreign bodies re corded in a recent number of the " Southern Argus" (S. A.) A convict in the Gundagai Gaol, undergoing a term of imprisonment for stealing a ring, used to gain a living by travelling from toAvn to tOAvn by giving per formances in which he offered to swallow any article his audience might select. The ring for the stealing of which he had been convicted he had swalloAved, and he asserted he could SAvallow a bagful if he got them. The prisoner is at present being treated by McKillop, visiting surgeon to the gaol, with the vieAV of making him disgorge a steel albert chain and a large brass ring. The chain can be distinctly felt at the bottom of the stomach, and the patient says he sAvallowed it nine months ago, and that it is the only article he has difficulty about. He avers that he has had tAvo pounds weight of jewellery in his stomach at one time, and that he has harbored watches in that viscus for 24 hours. The gaoler is said to have a collection of albert chains, penkniA'es, brass rings, &c, which he asserted he had succeeded in causing the prisoner to vomit by means of emetics. This case, if correctly reported, presents features worthy of being studied from a physiological point of vieAV. — The ! "Lancet."

' A list of persons authorised to tender tele grams on public service for transmission free of charge appears in the " General Govern ment Gazette."

In our notice of the Arch Hill Brick and Pottery Works yesterday it was stated that the firm had 60,000 bricks in stock. This was a mistake, as they have fully 250,000 dried bricks on hand.

'.-A list of rates to be paid by persons using the Onehunga wharf, m lieu of that issued in April, is published for general informa tion in the " New Zealand Government Gazette."

The members of the Artillery Comp_tny. intend to celebrate their anniversary oh. NeAV Year's Day by a picnic to Motutapu, Mr J. S. Reid, the owner, having kindly expressed his willingness to alloAV them to land on the island. The steamer Enter prise has been chartered for the occasion, and Will leave the Queen-street wharf at 9 a.m. sharp. The splendid Artillery Brass Band, under the able direction of Mr Hunter, will accompany the party and discourse SAveet music during the day. On arriving at the island, dancing, kiss in the ring, French tig, jolly miller, and a number of similar games and pastimes in which young ladies (and perhaps young gentlemen too) delight, will be indulged in. A very suitable prog7amme of sports for the amusement of the sterner sex is also in course of preparation. The Artilleiy Com pany has invited the officers and men of the Thames Naval Brigade to join them on the above occasion, and there is every possibility of the invitation so kindly given being accepted. • Should the day chosen for the picnic be fine, we have no doubt but that the affair will be an unqualified success. We understand that a church parade of the Artillery Comoany and Thames Naval Brigade will be .held on Sunday, December 30th.

Another old inhabitant of Auckland, in the person of Mrs Lawry, has been removed by death at a ripe old age, being in her 90th year. The deceased lady was the widow of the Rev. Walter Lawry, once -reneral superintendent of the NeAV Zealand Wesleyan missions, who came to this country in 1844. Mrs Lawry w*as a Christian woman in a thoroughly practical sense, ever going about doing good in connection with her favourite denomi nation of .Christian people, the followers of John Wesley. Her remains are proceeding to their last resting-place as we go to press. Almost the last time Mrs Lawry was in town with a friend she expressed a wish to have her portrait taken in seveial positions, for the benefit of her friends, she said ; for she was certain that her earthly journey was nearly at an end. It was with difficulty that she reached the artist's rooms, and after several sittings expressed herself highly satisfied with the result.

The folloAving sums have been received at my office up to 2 p.m. this day in aid of the Indian Famine Fund :—Amount v col collected at Bank of New Zealand, at Hamilton, £2S 7s 6d; : . do. from Wangarei, per Mr Cubit, £5 lis; Mr S. Brown, being proceeds of goods sold by Mr Arthur, 3s 6d ; Mr Robinson, do., 10s 3d ; total receipts to date, £1,936 12s. —F, G. Ewington, per T. D. fl., Hon. Secretaiy. Auckland, December 11th, 1577.

Miss Jessie Raymond, an actress of much merit, made an appearance last evening in the Albert-street Hall, to the satisfaction of her old friends. This lady has been absent for a considerable time from the local stage, and hsr re-appearance was greeted with rounds of applause. The varieties of dramatic and other perform ances formed a complimentary benefit to the lady ; and comprised the characters of Lady Isabel and Madame Vine, in Mrs. Wood's popular novel of "EastLynne," and it is scarcely necessary to state that the dashing lady Isabel and the repentant mother, Madame Vine, were represented in a careful and complete manner by Miss Raymond. Her poetical address, the ** Rescue of a mother and child from a burning house," was delivered with much elocutionary power, and elicited the appro bation of the house. At inteivals Messrs Biggs aud Fulljames performed a number of representations on the trapeze, and Messrs Hooper and Whitehead did some clever business on the "horizontal bar."

The members of the Auckland Choral Society Avill perform Handel's fine oratorio, " The Messiah," on the evening of Thurs day, the 20th instant, in the Choral Hall. A full attendance of instrumentalists is re quested at intervening practice. By a letter received in Sydney from the Rev. T. Neilson, Presbyterian missionary at Tanna, information has been obtained regarding the banging at tbe yard-arm of a native youth at Tanna for being concerned in the murder of a man named Easterbro ok at Sulphur Island, committed by his brother Tabmango. A number of the natives were seized, and held by Lieutenant Caffen, of H.M.S. Beagle, as hostages until the capture of the murderer. Eight natives were killed in the attempt to arrest him. The attempt to capture Tubmango was finally relinquished by Lieutenant Caffen, who considered it probable that the natives would punish the culprit themselves.

Tbe quarterly meeting of the Auckland Branch of the H.A.C.B. Society is adver tised to be held at 8 o'clock to-morrow evening.

PARLIAMENTARY.

(From our own Correspondent). WELLINGTON, this day. THE END HAS COME AT LAST. Parliament was by commission duly pro rogued to-day. Sir John Richardson, Speaker of the Upper House, Sir Francis D. Bell, |and the Hon. Colonel Whitmore acted as undertakers and chief-mourners of the late session, and if it were not for .he heat might have been supposed to weep when they plied their handkerchiefs. The funeral obsequies were very tame. All the Bills were assented to except the Seamen and Shipping Bill, reserved for tbe Royal assent, v ANOTHER DISPLAY OF THE GOVERNOR'S PARTIZANSHIP. It has become apparent that the Governor is determined either to force Sir George Grey into resigning, or to make it Pandemoniacally "hot" for him. The Governor is afraid to take the Constitu tional step of dismissing his Ministers.- He has counted the cost, ane the game is not worth the candle. But The can embarrass them. The Land Bill, in which the big shepherd kings and soil-grabbers of Canterbury, in spite of_ the declared Government policy, contrived to insert

clauses renewing the leasesTand^TT. X^ de.V? r-' ad Paym^t, 80 tha; «^ m' hold their auns. The Governor Cai customary style, point blank rli ".-*« abide by the advice of hfc £ fuse<* to Advisers. There will now feasible S v«Jy memorandummiad, in »}.,-!*othet " Maikiss" is sure to come Jff £ «_ It is really pitiful to see thll dbes-- Barnacles of aides and the Secret^ 01 Tit« over dictionaries and grammarc,^ -?ring vamp intelligible repIST?MB? P°? er * oble correspondence. It would i^ draAv tears from a milestone. alm°st

FINANCIAL JUSTICE TO AUCK LAND.

It may not be generally understood tW • addition to the sum of £40,000 y 0 pH f m distribution amongst Counties andH,> way Districts in the Provincial TW • &h' Auckland, there has been a furtherl™ 8 of nearly £40,000 voted for division wm of Franklin, Rodney, the Thames^ Marsden Mr Rees, in concert VS Robert Douglas, and Messrs b Slr and Hamlin, were chiefly instrame„£?* c getting this vote placed onthe??, 11' mentary Estimates by message from.! 6' Coventor. Marsden gets about && the Thames between £12,000 and E l'iZ'' Franklin, £10,000, and other parts %; Provincial District of Auckland S e balance. In addition to these sum. nT is a considerable vote for school-h__.i_i- c and Auckland gets 20 per cent of her lS fund free of all charges. Alto-ether *v Provincial District will receive S*1" 8 period ot six months betAveen £isn nm g . £140,000, independently of special V ote S public works. s-or

MR REES' RUMOURED RESIGNA TION.

The rumour, doubtless spread 6v _&&'•».__ of Mr Rees, that he contemplated re S H 8 his seat in the House of Represent^* Avith the object of accepting the offic,. . permanent Attorney-General is a ,L ot fabrication. Mr Rees was dispS to resign solely on the £5 that the prolonged attention to his Parli* mentary duties very seriously prejudiced his private professional business. He w the more disposed to this step 'seeing th? the objects for which he sought entrance into parliament had been achieved. Si George Grey, however, and other person^ friends of Mr Rees, strongly mged himto re-consider his decision, and to consult M constituents before finally handing in _k resignation to the Speaker. Neither is there any truth m the story that Mr Eees was ambitious of becoming _ Distnct Court Judge. The rumours .vere merely the emanations from the train of some in. ventive correspondent langnishingforsensa tion paragraphs. The acceptance of any such office, within twelve months from ha resignation, would be a breach of ;the Dis qualification Act. Sir George Grey stated" in the House that Mr Rees had firmly re . jected any overtures in respect to the At-" torney-Generalship, because there were already t .vo Auckland members in the Mi nistry, and Mr Rees loyally desired to abstain from taking any step that Avould prejudice the Ministry. Mr Rees may laudably aspire to the Attorney-Generalship, but evidently he would not sacrifice his party for the sake of office. His conduct is alike creditable to himself and his constituency, and in marked contrast to that of many other members of the House.

THE THREE ESTATES OF THE REALM.

To the Editor of the Evening Stab. Sir,—" Conceive a man," I quote from Hugh Carleton, in the ''Herald,") " conceive a man. for instance, a maker of paper constitutions falling into tbe error of supposing King, Lords, and Commons to be the three estates of the realm, and persisting in it when shewn "up as error" so much, sir. Why, sir, at the time alluded to " wben shewn," it was demonstrated that it was Mr Carleton, not Sir George Grey, who was in " error " on the matter pertaining to a historical point of fact now again so strangely adverted to. - Sir, ever since the great Refo ___■ tion, three centuries, King, Lords, and Commons have been, and are, meant, and only meant by the state phrase "The three estates of the realm." No person can possibly deny it withany chance of success, Mr Carleton notwithstanding, There was writing in the Auckland newspapers about the question some few years ago. feee files). I started the per contra as against Mr C.'s extraordinary position. Three or f onr hun dred years ago, doubtless, a corrupt priesthood did hold the place in that legal phrase now held by our sovereign, a fact which misled Mr C. And now, forsooth, Mr Carleton, adverting to Sir George Grey, "he is ofteD brought into trouble by resoluteness not to confess (acknow ledge) a mistake." How strange!! I am, &c, W. B.Sadler. P,S.—lt would really almost seem that a star on Sir George Grey is aweet to the present editor of the *• Herald."— W.E.S.

SPORTING.

"SAVANAKA" AND THE CUP. \ The old proverb which assures us that nothing "succeeds like success" has just received.a somewhat quaint illustration. In the sporting columns of the Australasian of November 17th there appears, under the heading of __ "Savanaka Coup; or a miss is as good ass mile," a very ill-natured article, drawing not only an unnecessary but disadvantageoffl comparison between the owners of the M and second horses.in the Melbourne Cup. Now; we know nothing whatever of Mr Herts* Power; he may be a model sportsman orJj may not; but judging only from what is state in the Axistralasian itself, we can see nottw obiectionable in the conduct. sneered » Savanaka made his debut at the V.R.C. Spnng Meeting of 1876. In the Marebyrnong Plate V did badly; but afterwards, with wfj trifling weight, won the Plying StaJg When the Colt returned, -to M training quartersjit was discovered that thong a capital goer under a light impost, he «>™™ get along with Bst 101b in the saddle. It *» therefore very sensibly decided not to run m again as a two-year-old. but to reserve hun »" fi next year's business, in which he would «*■ ■ tainly have more than 6st or so to carry. «*■ ■ the adoption of this policy which appearawflw*- m aroused the virtuous sarcasm of the AMS asian," for the writer hints that such conaro was unsportsmanlike, and savoured or »*** practice. What ought to have been donMJ are not told. We can only say that J MrFOW knowing what.he did, had continued to ran colt as a two-year-old under heavy wei^W would have shewn himself an unmingataai-w unfit to own a good race horse. ~ *_ Directly the weights for the Cup «%&£>& Power told his friends he had a goed twnft"" also backed the horse to .yin a large sum. WJ first to last his conduct was perfectly stnuw» f orAvard in the matter, and Savanaka d*S6"^ held the position ot favourite. Other horses the stable were backed, but the bettangu™ shewed that PoAver's colt Avas the Simon*, Certainly a few over-clever tellows WJJ whom was the " Australian" tipsterlbeueyeu-*; m prophesied that Artful Joe would win, or«g-j m rate prove superior to the favourite, i*, j m Of the matter is, that the very openness*; ■. candour with which the Savanaka ««*" ■ managed deceived these knp^S.Sj, ■ thoroughly. They believed, that &***s&* was only a horse of straw, stuck UP. "iLjjr ■ something better. "If you want to V^V^m ■ altogether on the wrong track,' sj»a*s» I bookmaker to a friend, " tell him the ouwsj m Nothing of the sort was, of course, in«»| # ■ this instance, but nevertheless the era* produced, and the over-wise on^J*3«*B feehng a little small, and, perhaps, aore^ m The " Australasian " systematically *"rL M -• R the colt, and possibly this has something . with the nasty tone of the article » m question. „ on t'q bitt«.W Finally our contemporary comments $j*m on the strong objection whicn tne p>» »;j stable has to touts and *»rf 5 ..» owners have a right to tram their hoise*- jr, vately as they like so long as straight and honestly in public, a ■ sonable complaint we never hea-a. .^j esS $ m the attack upon Mr Power is POU"", ■ uncalled for. _ .. cmfiC essl'fl_.l Had Savanaka won the Cup his «3r&*M have been as popular as Ohert«™^j.« owner would have deserved an£- re Bor t_o»--B hearty congratulations as were ____■, ~, §.. lucky Mr "White. __ I

ONEHUNGA GLEE CLUB.

To the Editor : Si^-Allow t* >Jg! the medium of your paper w, % question asked by tbejHer^^ pondent m his report of the ">"" g g $ by the Onehunga Glee ..Wu«V t 0 "to what is the failure of the <***£ attributed? Is it that the f^fW, mances of Good Templar *-i°, a"-^ lowered the standatd, or '-Brud^ m vitiated the tastes of the Pf°P obe # sir, the failure of the concert »* buted to neither of those causes, .^S to the fact that the Glee Club mno £> in Onehunga. I think that »™»^ about any Club-or Society are u^ aud the "Herald " <^f^^c^l use of them has laid »ye blame. It is to such «*>&&* attribute his late defeat W v« Yours.&c, Justice.

IHE 1 . LINING STAR, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 18 77.



mo ARRIVE, Ex TRANSIT, @ OAMARU: 300 sacks BRAN 160 sacks FLOUR. T. H. HALL & CO., HIGH-STREET & VULCAN LANE. CARPETS, IHEARTHRUGS, LINOLEUM, FLOORCLOTH. T. & H. COOKE Beg to inform their friends and the public that they have imported a large assortment of the above, which will render their FURNISHING ESTABLISHMENT one of the most complete and extensive in Auckland, liaving purchased these Goods of the Manufacturers direct, for cash, they are enabled to offer them at VERY LOW PRICES. ' New Patterns in Carpets and Linoleum. %_W SHOW ROOMS: 67, Queen-street. Steam Cabinet Factory Victoria-street. THE undersigned are now brin ing forward a Large Parcel of GENE AL DRAPERY, HABERDASHERY, Sec, bought at considerably less than usual prices, to which they invite the attention of all requiring Good Value Fob Money. Corsets in great variety of quality and style, white and coloured, from 2/6 per pair Linen and Lace Goods, Cufis, Collars, and Sets, in variety Ladies' Underclothing Umbrellas' and Parachutes, Silk, Zanella, &c. . .... Lot of Flowers at very low price, quite fresh Straw Hats, Ribbons, Gloves, Sec. A Splendid Stock of Muslin, Lace, and Lenoe Curtains, Counterpanes, Quilts, Damask Table Cloths, Sheeting, Felt Squares Carpets, Floorcloth, China Matting, Ticks, &c. Large-size Huckaback Towels at /6 each New Fancy Dress Materials, Japanese Silks, Coloured Lustres, Black Lustres, Embossed, Striped, and Check Muslins, Prints, &c. Brown Holland, from /6| per yard Union, Fancy Jean, and Oxford Shirtings, very !§s_scheap Alineof Superior Quality Silk Mixed Fancy Shirting, at 2/3, usual price 3/6 per yard VThite and Grey Calico. Good Grey from /3 fc-__.per yard Also, Every large assortment of Gents' Shirts, "White Longcloth, Union and AU-avool Crimean, Fancy Silk Mixed Scotch Twill, Fancy Jean, » Oxford, &c. Strong Tweed for Boys wear A Job Line of Stout Mosgiel at below Factory r.K.fj_prices Braces, Belts, Ties. Scarfs, Collars, Cotton and Merino Hosiery, Undershirts, &c. Leghorn, Tuscan, Straw, and Drill Hats, for .__-_ Boys and Men, Sec, Sec, &c. [in he £ allowed on all Cash Purchases of and upwards. rushbrook & bridgman, Junction Drapery Warehouse, Upper Queen-street, auckland. UNION INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW ZEALAND. CAPITAL £2,000,000. A U C X L A IS D BRANCH: QUEEN-STREET, Next the Colonial Bank. FIRE DEPARTMENT. Insurances granted on Dwelling-houses, Stores, Shops, Buildings in which trade is carried on, Merchandise, and Goods of every description. MARINE DEPARTMENT. Hulls of Ships or Steamers, Merchandise of all kinds, Specie and Wool to United Kingdom, at Lowest Current Rates. R. H. STEVENSON Manager. Charlatans are continually attempting to practice upon the health of the unsuspecting by the sale of adulterated, fiery potions in bottles Of UDOLPHO YfOLVE'a SCHIEDAM AROMATIC Schnapps which have been emptied of their legitimate contents. The name of this celebra ted elixir is also counterfeited to aid the swindle. Buyers should inspect tho labels close _fi



]N"ew Spring and Summer [DRESS MATERIALS. -|H. ATKINS h Has now for Sale, CHEAP, a Splendi Assort ment of m- NEW DRESS GOODS, *-§SS suitaoie for the Spring and Summer Season of every variety, style, quality, and texture. %_%%%'% Attention is respectfully invited to this Season's Shipment, which is the Largest and Best-selected ever shewD in the city. The Prices are also very reasonable. Also, Just Opened, MANCHESTER GOODS, CALICOES, SHEET INGS, QUILTS, BLANKETS, LONG CURTAINS, TABLE LINEN, &c. A Great Reduction has been made in the Prices of Manchester Goods, owing to the reduced List of the Home manufacturers. NEW SUMMER CLOTHING, SHIRTS, HATS, &c, Just Received. Splendid lanes in Auckland & Melbourne-made CLOTHING. The Largest Stock of MOSGIEL & IMPORTED TWEEDS in Auckland to select from. $sr Tailors Supplied at Wholesale Prices GENTLEMEN'S ORDERS EXECUTED. A Large Lot of Cheap Tweeds for Boly's Wear. H. ATKINS r\ H E A P XT A T S ! CHEAP HATS ! ! CHEAP CLOTHING !! A Quantity of Men's and Boy's Drab AND Black Felt Hats Avill be offered at m- GREAT REDUCTION TO CLEAR. Also, a Parcel of CLOTHING, comprising Men's and Boy's Tweed Suits, Trousers and Vests, &c. These Goods are slightly soiled, and will be sold REALLY CHEAP. W. RATTRAY, CLOTHIER AND OUTFITTER. VTBW ZEALAND TT OUS E, Auckland. mo ARCHITECTS AND EUILDEES. Town Clerk's Office, December 7,1877. Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Auckland have, under Clause 39 of the Build ing Regulations, authorised certain amend ments. , ..... Printed copies of particulars may be obtained on application. n P. A. PHILIPS Town Clerk. L M A G~OLDMINING OCMPANY LIMITED. A General Meeting of Shareholders in the above-named Company will be held at the Company s office, in Albert and Darby-streets, Thames, on WEDNESDAY, the 19th day of December, 1877, at 11 o'clock a.m. ■DT-rq-r-M-Tgeja • To authorise the Directors to let on tribute the Company's Mine, or such portions of it as may be deemed advisable. D. G. MACDONNELL, Manager. Thames, December 6,1877. -TyTELSON TXOPS, Ex TARANAKI: 6 bales PRIME QUALITY HOPS. T. H. HALL & CO., HIGH-STREET & VULCAN LANE. |~)N THIS DAY AND DURING THE WEEK, WE WILL SHOW ' PIE„S ES 10,000 Pli cas FASHIONABLE DRESS GOODS AND j&sr PRINTS, -®s REDUCED TO HALF PRICE IN ORDER TO CLEAR. J. COSGRAVE & CO., QUEEN-STREET. nVTATIONAL FIRE AND MARINE J3I INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW ZEALAND. Capital £1,000,000. Reserve £50,000. Re-Insurance Fund .... £20,000. Insurances effected against Fire and Marine Loss of Every Description of Property, at Lowest Current Rates. Prompt and Liberal Settlement of Claims. HENRY E. WILLIAMS, Manager, ~nd Branch. E TERMINATION MEANS SUCCESS.—It has been determined that the LUNCHEON ROOMS of the WHARF HOTEL (now alterations are completed) shall be second to none in Auckland. Connossieurs are requested to give it a trial. Daily Bill of Fare. i HIEF POST-OFFICE. AUCKLAND. Mails will Close as Under : For Thames, this day, at 5 p.m.; and to-morrow, at 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. For Coromandel, per Durham, to-morrow, at 11.30 a.m.; and per Argyie, on Friday next, at 2.30 p.m. For Napier, per Southern Cross, this day, at 4 p.m. For Wangaroa, per Kriemhilda, this day, at Ip.m. For Wangarei Heads. Waipu, Wangarei, and Mangapai, per Arj?yle, this day, at 4 p.m. For Russell and KaAva Kttwa, per Hawea, this day, at 1 p.m. For Russell, per Dream, this day, at 5 p.m. For Waiheke, per Spey, to-morrow, at 8 a.m. For Newcastle (N.S.W.), per Elliotts, to-morrow, at 2 p.m. For Waiwera, Warkworth, and To Arai, per Anne Milbank, on Thursday next,at 10 a.m. For Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, and Southern Provinces, per Hawea, on Thursday, 13th inst., at 3 p.m. For Australian Colonies, per Rotorua, on Tues day, 18th inst., at 1 p.m. Per s.s. City of Sydney, on Wednesday, 19th instant, as follows :— For Sandwich Islands, United States of America, Canada, British Columbia, Central and South America, and British and Foreign West Indies, at 11 a.m. For United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, at 11 a.m. For money orders, ra-iatered letters, and newspapers, at 9.30 a.m. Late letters, bearing an extra fee of 6d, in addition to the postage, will be received by the mail agent on board the steamer up to the time of sailing. s. m HISS.. Chief Postmaster. AUCKLAND STOCK AND MINING ASSOCIATION. TO-DAY'S QUOTATIONS. Bank of New Zealand—Buyers, £22 10s. National Bank—Buyers, 70s; sellers, 725. Colonial Bank—Buyers, 47s ; sellers, 495. Auckland Gas-Sellers, £1010s. Union Insurance—Sellers, 10s 6d. New Zealand Insurance—Buyers, 97s 6d. Union Sash & Door Co.—Sellers, £1010s. Moanatairi—Bos ; buyers, 75s ; sellers, 80s. Tookey Tribute—Buyers, 2s. Alburnia—62s 6d ; buyers, 62s 6d. Tokatea—Sellers, 7s 3d. Piako—Sellers, ss. .Thames—Buyers, 31s. New Golden Pah—Sellers. Is 9d. JOSEPH NBWMAN, Chainmm,



£-|AA REWARD re HITCHEN'S JLVr" BLOOD RESTORER. As several Bottles, containing trashy worth less compounds, have been palmed off on un suspecting people on the pretence of their b<. ing the celebrated " Hitchens' Blood Restorer," the Proprietor respectfully cautions his patients to see that the Bottles bear both his Trade Mark and Signature. He also warns the unscrupu lous persons who, under false pretences, receive people's money, that £100 Pounds Beward will be given on conviction of persons guilty of infringing his rights. H. HITCHENS. THORNTON. SMITH. AND FIRTH'S PRICES CURRENT (Wholesale). Subject to alteration Avithout notice. Sacks. 100's. SOI*. Crown Brand Flour, £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. per ton 18 0 0 18 10 0 19 0 0 T.S.&F. Canterbury Brand 17 0 0 17 10 0 IS 0 0 Meal for Pig-feed .. 710 0 Sharps 7 10 0 Bran 6 10 0 Fowl Wheat .. .. 4s. to 4s. 6d, per bushel. The above prices include sacks and bags; sacks and bags not rettrnable. Terms: Cash.