STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1882.

LIFE IN ENGLAND TWO CENTURIES AGO :

A CHAPTfiR is English Social History. [By J. D. Davis.]

SECTION 11. TBE PEOPLE'S LITERATURE!

EVERYONE reads the newspaper now-a* days, and with some classes it is all the literature demanded. It furnishes news and comments on an immense variety of topics'; and form 3in fact the sole library of millions. Such was not the case in the seventeenth century. The newspaper was then a tiny, badly printed, clumsily arranged, uncertain sheet, containing a few scraps o£ news which, if commented on at all, commonly provoked a tirade cf viru lence and abuse sufjicient to bring down the press Licenser. But before describing the newspaper of the period under notice a brief account of its origin and growth is necessary. The precursor of the newspaper was the newsletter. It was the custom for noble men and other persons of wealth to employ a London scribe to furnish them each week with news and gossip from the metropolis. Where the expence of retaining the whole of a writer's services was too heavy, it was customary for several country gentlemen to club together to secure a periodic letter, which was handed about from one to another till it was well thumbed and creased so as to be scarcely legible. The newswriter picked up the gossip of the coffee-houses when the latter became places of popular resort, gave the latest infor mation about the theatres and the courts of iustice, and even occasionally visitel Whitehall to collect a scrap or two relating to the King and Court, After a while some enterprising writer organised an " intelli gence office," and employed a regular staff of clerks, who multiplied the newsletters and probably reduced their cost. A con siderable number of these old vehicles of information are still in existence, one at least of them dated as late as the year 1712, when Queen Anne bad reigned ten years.and printed newspapers had come into pretty general circulation. The first authentic periodic newspaper was published in May, 1622. It was a sheet Via. size about five inches hy seven and a half. <)n the outside was pnnted the title:— J/Veekly Nevves from Italy, Germanic, ,£^2aria, etc., printed by I.D.for Nicholas mm <? and Thomas Archer, and are to be

sold at thoir shops at the Exchange, and in Popes-head Pallace." The writer of it, though hia name did not at first appear,was Nathaniel Butter, who has been gonernlly considered the fouudcr of the English press. Whether by the novelty of the venture or the ability of Butter, the " Weekly News," became popular, and reached a large circu lation. Foreign intelligence was its staple: only occasionally did homo news find a place. The reason of this probably was that the Licenser of tho Pross (whose office was then no sinecure) did not think it worth while to interfere with matters only indirectly touchiug home politics. When newspapers increased in numbers the Licenser interfered and suppressed some of them. In 1641 the earliest authentic report of proceeding in Parliament i-«ued from the press under the title of "Diurnal Oc currences, or thoJHeads of several Proceed ings in both Houses of Parliament." It was published onco a week ; and contained ordinary news as well. Within the next five years, i.e., at the commencement of the Civil War, a number of newspapers i were sterted. Tho four most important were *' Mercurins Britanuicus," " M. Prng iuixticus,"and " M.Politicus," all conducted by Marchmont Needhniu, and "Mercurins Aulicus," the work of John Birkenhead. . The litter's character was thus summed lip by a contemporary : " He was exceedingly confident, witty, not very grateful to his benefactors, would lie damnably." Need ham wai unquestionably tho ablest man that had yet tried his hand nt journalism. The "M. Britannicus " began on August 22ud, 1643, nnd zealously advocated the cause of the Parliament. For reasons un known Needham changed sides, and in the "M. Pragniaticus" as vigorously supported King Charle*. Again Needhnra altered his politisal opinions and once more cliam pioned tho people's cause in "M.Politicus." B rkenhead with his " M. Aulicus" was on tlie royalist side. A few days beforo the execution of Charles I, a Par liamentary ordinance was put in force, which visited -the owners of unlicensed presses with heavy punishments corporal and pe cuniary. Search might be made in :Vl places where the Licenser thought lit for such presses, whence, it appeared, a flood of "scandalous pamphlets, books, treatises and ballads " had emanated. It is stated that thirty-three papers sprang into being during the first year of the Commonwealth. The majority, however, were very short lived, not a few probably, being strangled by the ordinance just referred to. Tnat enactment, however, fell into aboynnce,and new-papers were not generally treated with rigour under Cromwell. But the times were difficult; faction was powerful; party feeling ran high; Oliver ruled nil unwilling people. In 1653, two months before he was declared Protector, it was ordered that "uo person should presume to publish in print any matter of public news or intelligence without leave and approbation of tho Secre tary of State." The chief oupcrs of tho Commonwealth were the "Mercurius Poli ticus" and " Public Intelligencer " (the latter dating from October Bth, 1655), aud they were both in some degree official pub lications, In 1659, one yeaf before the Restoration, appeared the "Parliamentary Intelligencer " and " Mercurins Politicm " both of which had state patronage. The necessity for Neodbam's services was nearly over. He obtained his pardon with diffi culty when Churles II ascended the throne. He lived some eighteen years longer.

Advertisements do not seem to have baen gcuerally inserted in the newspapers of the Commonwealth, and those which did ap pear show clearly enough that tho art of advertising was not scientifically cultivated. There is a prolixity about old newspaper announcements which is in striking con trast with the conciseness and point com mon in these days. The three advertise ments which follow appear at the end of. a coDy of "Several proceedings in Parlia ment" published on 11th September, 1650. " There is in Print an Excellent Treatise, showing the best manner to attain a long and healthful life : with a very nocossary Treatise of the Bathes of Bath. And an accurate Treatise concerning Tobacco. By Doctor Tho. Venner. Sold by Hen. Hood at St. Dunstans Church in Fleet Street." " Gondibert, an Heroick Poem in the English Tongue. Written by Sir William Daveoant, and commended by Mr Hobbs, is now published." " Human Nature or the fundamental elements of Policie, written by the same Mr Hobbs, and newly reprinted, are to be sold by John Holden at the Anchor in the New Ex change." Sir WiUiam Davenant was subsequently poet laureate to Charles 11. He had a weakness to be thought a natural, sou of Shakspere. He fell in with the spirit of the times and wrote licentious plays. The "Mr Hobbs" mentioned in the last two advertisements is the famous sceptical philosopher, who is popularly supposed to havo reckoned self-interest as the motive of all-human action. The Restoration was denounced by most of tho newspapers, and Charles retaliated by reviving with all the old rigour the ordinanscs which had lain in abeyance. The Act of 1662 suppresed "the printing and publishing unlicensed newsbooks and pamphlets of news." The next year Roger L'Estrange, pamphleteer and journalist, was appointed Licenser, apparently on the principle of setting a thief to catch a thief. His career had been an eventful one. He had fought on the Royalist side, had been taken prisoner, tried by court martial, and sentenced to be shot. He waa not shot however, but imprisoned for four years, when he escaped across the water. The Restoration found him living by his wits. He soon bettered his position by the political change, and continued in the office of Licenser with some intermissions till the Revolution. L'Estrange received a royal patent granting him " the sole privilege of writing, printing, and publishing all narra tives, advertisements-, mercuries, intelli gences, diurnals, and other books, of public intelligence." L'Estrange's monopoly^ was intruded upon by a variety of periodicals, and as Licenser he treated them as might be expected. "The 'sponge'was ever in his hand, and he slurred and rubbed with | out compunction.'' Othor literature besides j that contained in newspapers suffered mutilation. " Paradise Lost " itself was in danger, One of L'Estrange's assessors, the Rev, Thomas Tomkyns, an Archie piscopal chaplain, smelt treason in more than oue passage, and proposed to remove them, Milton's "History of Britain" suffered actual excision. The expunged passages were,however,preserved by Milton, and given to the Earl of Angle sea, who published them in 1681. L'Estrange's first venture was the " Intelli gencer "which appeared on August 31st, 1663. Another paper ot his was the " Ob servator," dating subsequently to the

year 1605. He was the first journalist who made a reputation, which, though none of the cleanest, was a wide one. He laid him self out to discuss political questions in his own one-sided fashion, and the largo circu lation of his newspapers rendered loss popu lar tlie pamphlets and tracts in which principally such discussion hnd hitherto bean carried on The Revolution was tho ruin of L'Estrangc. Ho failed through age or pride or prejudice to adapt himself to the spirit of the times, and in the year 1701 ended hi-i long life in prison, The "Oxford Gazette," published* first in November, lOCS, when the Court was at the Uriiv'.n-aity city in consequence of the prevalence of'the plague'in London, hecame with its twenty-fourth number the "Lon don Gazette.'' For a very long period it was n single leaf, small folio. After the Revolution its improvement was- marked ; and is' was published regularly twice a week.

While the contest was ratling over tho Exclusion Bill, 1679 (its ohjoct being to prevent James, Duke of York,from succeed ing to the crown) the number of newspapers was largely increased. A not unnitural re sult whs the issue in the May of the year following of a Koyal Proclamation te pro hibit tlie printing of newspapers and pamphlets. But the thirst of the peoole for information was too great to be satisfied with this state of tilings, and printers in Holland did their beat to supply the de mand.

There worn then no provincial news papers. Out of London, Oxford, anil Cam bridge, there was hardly a printer in tho kingdom, and tlie only press in England, north of the Trent, was at York. So late as 1721 there wera 34 counties without a printer, om: of these counties being Lanca shire.

Edmund Boh tin, a Suffolk justice, was the last Licenser. The system lapsed very quietly and without a struggle worth the name in 1694, and Milton's " ireopagitica," published half a century before, had triumphed. Wo have spoken of newspapers at such length that there is not much space left in which to allude to the other literature of the day. Of the immense variety of reading matter nowavailablc for even the poorest readers, by far the largest part did not exist. Tho list of English author* stopped short with Mil ton. Certain forms of literature, long highly popular, had not been invented. The essay was the production of the next age. Iho novel was later still j and of history scarcely anything worth tho name had been written. The old authors were almost unknown even to antiquaries. It is probable that Chaucer and Gowcr were read with less ca«e than they are now. Spenser wns the poet of a few ; he appealed chiefly to the cultured aud literary. The subjects of which Bacon and Hooker treated were not of interest to the majority. The dramas of Elizabeth's age foil into neglect during tha Puritan regim-, whon a considerable degree of the spirit of Prynne's " Histriomnstix ''. was dominant. After the Restoration when tho theatre again be came popular a new class of plays came into favour, and those of the Elizabethan period were many times unsparingly adap ted to the altered conditions. A number of Shak»perc's plays had been published in quarto during his lifetime, but without his sanctimi or supervision, and hence they were for tho most part inaccurate and im perfect. Seven years after his deith, viz., In 1623, two of his fellow-players, Hem iage and Condell, brought out a fine folio edition of his complete works. It was of such a size that it could be possessed by tho wealthy only.and therefore could never havo been in general circulation. But this edition sufficed for nine years, when a clumsily emended reprint of the first folio appeared. Then elapsed a long interval, nearly 30 year', before the next folio edition of Shakspcre was published. This is conclusive evidence of the neglect into which our greatest poet had fallen. Milton sold the copyright of "Paradise Lost" on April 27th, 1667. He received five pounds down, and was to be paid in addition five pounds after the salo of 1300 copies of each of the first three editions. Thirteen hundred copies were Bold in two years. The second edition was published in' 1674, the third four years later. It must be confessed that such a sale of a work which had to contend with many external obstacles, and the subject matter of which was not particularly inviting to the general reader, was by no means small. We may with Johnson regard the fact as an example of " the prevalence of genius." A poem of a very different stamp was Butler's "Hudibras." The first part appeared in 1662, two years after the Restoration ; the second part the next year, and the third, which still left the work unfinished, not till 1673. The poem became popular at once, and secured court patron age ; hut the author wns not rewarded in accordance with general expectation. Pepys tells us (26th December, 1662,) how ho tiou°ht the first part of Hudibras in the Temple for half-a-crown. He was so dis gusted with it that he sold it to a Mr Townscnd for eighteen pence. The second part ho would not at first buy, and oven when he did it was not from preference, but for fashion's sake. In St. Paul's Church yard—the principal place for bookshops— Pepys, in December, 1663, went to make a purchase of books, uncertain whether to buy for uso or for amusement. He looked at Chaucer, Dugdale's History of Paul's, Stew's London, Gesner, History of Trent, the plays of Shakspere, and Beaumont and Fletcher; and at last choso Fuller's Worthies, the Cabbala or Collections of Btate, the Delices de Hollande, with the Iwo parts of Hudibras then published. There were no circulating libraries, and any one who wanted to read had either to buy his books, or else stand at the stalls of the booksellers in Little Britain and- St. Pauls Churchyard,and tasto by stealthy snatches the delights of literature.

(To be continued.)

Trust a man to be good, and even if he is not, your trust may make him such. A Chinaman thus describes a trial In our courts : One man is silent, another talks all the time, and twelve wise men condemn the man who has not said a word. JM.S. Little Hock (Ark.): "Can you give me any recipe for preserving fence nosts? Please reply in your next issue. We can't do it. Wo have asked several ladies, and all of them say they have never tried it, believing that it would take too much sugar, and that the thing wouldn t be i much of a delicacy any way. But they say if you want to know how to fix tomatoes or can green corn, they can flood you with in- I formation.-" Texas Sifting..

The Cockney Pet in America.

jtfshso and'a h__t>_f other elephants' Making Music on a Fkkkvboat.

-•'UMBO was marched' out of his stall to tha Hippodrome track, preceded by Queen and the btiby elephant. He had been hoppled and trammelled by heavy chains that girded him around like a surcingle, were passed over the base of his trunk like a martingale, and confined hi* fore feet so that he could take but a short stride. Ahead of him twenty other elephants. Targe nnd Finall, promenaded. A little distance behind fol lowed twenty camels. At ten minutes past 9 o'clock Jumbo left the Garden for the ferryboat. The streets wcr.! lined with crowds of pooplc, hauls protruded from almost every window, and there were many exclamations of astonishment as Jumbo's vast bulk moved stcabily along. Queen and the baby elephant .were kept close before Jumbo, and he seemed quite rea-sured by their presence. Even whon it became necessary for him te pass under the two west side elevated railways he did no1, hesitate or show any fear. But when lie heard the roar and rumble of a train above and behind him just after he had passed the Sixth avenue elevated structure, ha flapped his large barn-door ears uueasil-', nnd for a lew paces seemed to havo a sudden desire for haste. When the Hudson lliver Railroad tracks were reached, a halt of several minutes was necessitated for freight trains to got by, and while waiting here Jumbo seemed unconcerned. He evidently noticed the locomotives passing a little way in front of him, but neither their hissing, nor the clattering, nor the vaporous clouds awoke any particular interest in him. The long pier beside which the ferryboat lay was black with people. Another delay occurred in getting the camels, first aboard. Jumbo did not like the camels, and was with diffi culty restrained from attacking them as they went by him. They seemed to know their danscr, for tln-y hurried past at a lumbering gallop,far beyond their ordi nary loungingand unwilling pac-;. Aboard tho boat they were placed far ahead ou tlie port side, while tho Queen, the baby, and Jumbo, with a huge circus wagon before them, were kept on the b'inboard sido. Then the other elephants were packed in on both sides. Junilro made no difficulty at all about going on the boat, though the bridgo stoood at a very steep angle, and creaked with every stop. Queen and the baby just ahead gave him confidence. But that encouragement failed him when once aboard, and he suddenly begun backing away in the direction he had come aboard, crushing his wny through among the other elephants as a strong mnn might push his way through a lot of children. For a few seconds there was great excitement _ Then a stout chain attached te one of his fore feet was whipped through a ring in the deck, a turn taken lv it, ami lie WILS fast. But he puffed, rumbled, and otherwise showed great iincasinc-s. Meanwhile the baby elephant, thoroughly wearied out— for tho poor little beast is only 114 weeks old, and never had so long a walk in its life before—began crying like a child, and its continued squealing and whimpering greatly excited the mother. She began roaring, bellowing, grunting and making all sorts of queer noises, to which the others responded, keeping up a great uproar all the while that tho boat was in motion. A little calculation showed tbat there were 81 tons of elephants aboard. On the Jersey side the herd was landed at the Pennsylvania Railroad passenger depot and marched out into the car yard, where long trains of cars belonging to the show were ready for its reception. Jumbo's special car is a surprising construction. Its longth is 40 feet, ite height 13 feet 6 inches, its width at the bottom S feet 10 inches, and at the top 7 feet. It is built with al most the solidity of a safe throughout, and weighs 39,000 pouuds. Hebe was first led through it, entering by one side door and leaving it by that on the opposite side, in full view of Jumbo, to encourage, him to follow. Willingly enough he stepped up to the floor of the car, and there stopped to think and survey the new quarters pre pared for him. Strong chains were quickly carried forward and made fast iiisnlo, bo thet when he showed a disposition to back out lie found himself unable to do so. Then Arstingstall and Newman persuaded his hind legs forward with sharp steel prods, and lunu>eringly he got himself up into the car. Three times ho tried to back out, but was prodded bTck each time, and finally he was made fast by chains, fore and aft, so that he was quite helpless. In the pro gress of this work he managed to step on one of Newman's feet and hurt himi con siderably, but beyond this there was no accident, and at half-past eleven o'clock he was safely caged, ready for his first rail road trip to Philcdelphia,—"New York Sun."

The Story of a Young Peasant Girl.

A Paris journalist has discovered a real "Cinderella"in the person of the wife of an English millioniare, whose name he withholds from delicacy or other causes. About fifteen years ago the painter Her bert was executing his.fine portrait of the Duchess of Noailles. Ho was working at the same time upon an exquisite "genre" picture, in whose progress thcDuchcss took a great interest. It represented a young Italian girl of extraordinary loveliness. One day the Duchess said to the artist: •'lt is impossible that such a face should be a *mere painter's ideal. The orginal must sometimes come to your studio. I should like to see her." The lady was so charmed with the girl that she said to the painter: "If the rich give so much money to hang up a copy on their walla, what an ornament the original would be for any salon." The thought which she had thus struck out seemed to have fa«cinated her, and when the picture of the beautiful Ita lian "irl had found its way into Baron Rothschild's collection at Ferrieros in 1872, the original had developed into a woman of wonderful beauty. Her guar dian kept a jealous cyo upon her numerous admirers, determining that if her Cinde rella did not become a princess, sho would marry into a family of high social distinc tion. Meanwhile an Englishman of very creat wealth, who was visiting the house of Noailles, not'only fell deeply in love with the beautiful ward but gained her heart. Although he was not a noble, ho was a millionaire; the Duchess consented at last to favour his suit, and the English # suitor carried off tho ItalianCMe.vclla as his Wife. —"London Globe."

Fashions in San Francisco.

Varied and beautiful arc the garments that fashion' lias decreed alift.ll be worn ■ during the summer season, and we look regretfully on the crisp and ciiinty fabrics ill lawn and muslin which the imperious wind, indigonorss to our glorious- climate; bars us from wearing. Nevertheless, the? woollen varieties are- multitudinous, sof6 and exquisite; thraforo let us be satis fied. There is a n*w shade of porcelain? blue which is admitted'to be the most novel colour of the hour, and this conies in silka* flannel and granite do l'lnde. Mingled with ecru, it forms a meat becoming combi nation, also with pale ?_tey nun's veiling; Geranium red is another novelty, and'this. appears with black for a garniture for in stance. I observed a dress-recently impor ted, the skirt of which was black gros-grain, a pleating half a yard iv depth ornated the skirt; this was made in largo side pleats of black, being lined with geranium red, thus, though fastened down naif way from the top of the flounce, the pleats so fell as to • disclose glimpses of the warm-tinted lining which Hashed about like tongues of flame. I'anicrs drooping low, and caught np boufl- - ant stylo nt the back, were effected by merely a suspicion of red, The long pointed bnsquc was also finely pined with the same colour, while the sleeves showed a garniture to match, in fine, a black dress, perfect in detail, with gleams of colour peeping out here aud there Another round skirt of pornc lian blue flannel is made with a kilted front, over which fatls an apron over-skirt, Buttoned at one side and caught in drapery at the other; the tight-fitting basque is singlc broastcd, having twenty-four gilt buttons for a fastening; the collar is large and square, cull's also square and turned deeply up. Many woollen fabrics have a deep embroidery woven in, especially bunting takes this form of garniture, while the same trimming narrower is used to ell'ect the basque, neck and sleeves. A novelty in flounces is to gather them instead of pleat ing as heretofore, in which case the edge is cut out cither in points or scallops. In all cases these edgss must be lined with a good contrasting colour, which gleams out as the garment is affected by the wind or change of position. A myrtle-green dress so cfl'cctcd witli ecru silk silk trimming is ex ceedingly distingue. Mack dresses are, perhaps more in vogue than any other, but in all cases some sus picion of colour must positively be seen—a black satin dress, lujving panieis of black Spanish lace, caught up here and there with, bows of mori6 or other ribbon, in colour red or blue, is en regie. A charming skirt is thus mado : Two deep flounces fall from the waist to the base of the skirt: these are gathered twice at the top and half-way down tho fabric being formed into pleats between tho gathers, and the edges of each flounce • finished by scallops or points lined with colour. The back is puffed and caught by cords and tassels, and a tight-fitting basque buttoned diagonally across the bosom is cut away in front, showing the entire skirt. Open silk embroidery, or chenille, or jet, or anything so that it be open work, is the very newest aud most approved garniture among Parisian modistes. For ladies having pretty feet let mo say a word about hose. For the street black silk are tbo most distingu6; also the new shades, terra cotta and rose de chOiic, arc charming. Lace work or small groups of embroidered flowers on the instep are the prettiest modes of garniture; and silk hose, with lengthway stripes in black nnd white, blue and pink, green and red, ■ aro novel, though, I think, unbecoming to the limb ; but when fashion speaks, who shall dare say nay ? I should advise a black silk stock ing with a petite group of rosebuds on the instep, encased in a black satin slipper always remembering that this is a dressing for a pretty foot, lor'ugly pedal arrange ments a plain lisle thread.any colouryou like,, will servo as a covering very well. SilperlPen.

SELECTED POETRY.

GROWING OLD.

At six—l well remember when— I fancied all folks old at ten. But, whon I'd turned my first decade, Fifteen appeared more truly staid. Hut when tho fifteenth year I'd run, I thought none old till twenty-one.- Then, oddly, when I'd reached that age, I held that thirty made folks sage. But when my thirtieth year was tola, I Bald : •' At twoscore mon grow old 1" Yet twoscore came and found mo thrifty. And so I drew tho line at fifty. But when I reached that year, I swore Nono could be old until threescore. An hero I am at sixty now, Aa young as when at six, I trow!'

'Tis true my hair is somewhat gray. And that I uso a cane to-day;

'Tis true, these rogues about my knee Say " Grandpa 1" when they spwik to me t But, bless my soul, I'm young as when 1 though all people old at ten I Perhaps a littlo wiser grown— Perhaps some old illusions flown;

But wond'ring still, while years havo rollte-i, Whon is it that a man grows old 1 —Vandyke Brown*.

GOOD-BYE, PROUD WORLD!

Good-bye, proud world! I'm going homo ;* Thou art not my friend: lam not thino- Too long through weary crowds I roam ; A river ark on tho ocean brine: Too long I am tossed like tho driven foam-; But now, proud world, I'm going homo !

Good-bye to Flattery^ fawning face, To Grandeur with his wise grimace; ' To upstart Wealth's averted eye. To supple office low and high: To crowded halls, to court and street, To frozon hearts and hasting feet; To those who go and those who come, Good-bye, proud world, I'mgolnghomet

I go to seok my own hoarth-stone, Bosomed in yon green hills alone; A secret lodgo in a pleasant laud. Whoso groves the frolic fairies planned, Where arches green tho livelong day Echo the blackbird's roundelay, And evil men have never trod A spot that is sacred to thought and God,

Oh, whon I am safe in my sylvan home. I mock at the pride of Greece and Rome J And when I am strotched beneath tho pines, . Where tho evening star so holy shines, I laugh at the loro and price of man, At the sophistschools. and the learned clan For what ore they all in their high oonccit, Whon man in the bush with God may meets 1832. .-Ralph Waldo Emerson.



TVTEW SERIAL TALE. ' The right of Publication in Now Zealand having; been purchased from the London publishers at considerable cost, tho Romance entitled "GOD AND THE MAN!" BY ROBERT BUCHANAN, Will shortly bo commenced in the "Star Saturday Supplement." -Mr Buchanan is well-known as tho writer ot "A Child of Nature," "Tho Shadow of tho Sword," &c. And also as tho Author ot a number of Poems of great merit. His New Story, "GOD AND THE MAN," Has orooted quite an unusual sensation in England and America; and it is now, FOR THE FIRST TIME, about to bo introduced to New Zealand readers, AU who wish to follow tho course of this Powerful and Intensely Interesting Story from the beginning, should AT OSCB SEND IN THEIR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO i THB PUBLISHER. Subscription to Star. 7s 6d per quarter by post, payable in advanoe. A FEW USEFUL HINTS SUGGESTED BY TIIE NEW ZEALAND INSURANCE COMPANY. How To Prevent Fires : " Keep matches in metal boxe?, and out of the reach of children. Wax matches are especially dangerous, and should bo kept out of tho way of rats and mice, and never thrown on tho floor alight Bryant and May's, Bell and Black's, Or Letchford's SAFETY MATCHED—to strike on the box—aro tho best. "Fill kerosene lamp.? only during daylight, and never near a fire. Never buy the cheapest Oil. get tho best. " Deposit no ashes In wooden boxes or barrels but in a non-combustible repository, romoved a safe distauco from wood-work. Place no ashes or light under a staircase. Be specially careful with tho ashes from Waikato Coal. " Never pile up partially burnt wood against tbe chimney: scores of houses have been burned in this way iv Now Zealand. Never put fire wood inside tho fender, or on tho stove to dry. " Nover examlno a gas-metor or gas-pipe by artificial light. Never tako a light into a room lull of escaped gas. "■ Avoid placing a light noar curtains or dra pery ; or taking „ light into a closet. "Do not read or smoke in bed at night. "Place shades over gas-lights In shop win dows, and keep goods a safe distance therefrom. " Permit no Bmoklng jrfewarehouses.cspecially Where goods are packed or flax is stored. "Stove-pipoa should bo nlno inches or more trom wood, enclosed in non-corabustiblo sub- Stance, and carried four feet abovo tho roof. "HB.tchwaya and other openings in the flpora ■Of stores factories and warehouses, should bo closed at night. Close iron doora be tween floors when not required to be open for Sneas Have a few buckets always filled with water, available In case of ocsdents. Stores should have an iron tank of water, always filled, on each floor.l "Buildings in which ootton waste, rags, or ■Oil aro used for cleaning and oiling machinery Should have an iron box to hold tho same, as these substances aro liable to spontaneous igni tion, and. if neglected, may canstitute an element of very serious danger. "Havo your chimneys regularly swept, at fixed intervals; at least onco in threo months. •Useful aa theso precautions may be, your greatest safeguard is to INSURE AGAINST FIRE IS THE WEW JNSURANCE QO. QUEEN-STREET, AUCKLAND,