SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATERU;^ r ._r_lo Srmng. 9.19 _BS^*b-

ARRIVALS.

ffiy B'KeUy?ke?ct $$*>» Itom Mon!?0ml1 Bay

DEPARTURES.

IiASI EVENINO. sss.'&«sß«si«-

VESSELS EXPECTED.

26; Clyde.b.e><iu«v/ v y.t:. ; --^o^^ ;u . eslh- Lothian. Cianeo. and Blw» & b;tf(iu(?i Mazeppa, Pirate, Rrno-. Hcnoo-.er, fro Tlmaiu;Annifl iWUson gffffi. ,:ni.e-mast. Island Lily, from „\j?Jr«SS^ Bchooner, from WollttMtwo.

IMPORTS.

Por Freetrader. ffl6^ttenon: 2^ sack. flTf n X_ltteA» 8 packages sundries, potatoes, 10 cases prou , Hunte _- S hi t o BeKfaf^-a^oattlll sacks Canterbury potatoos.-G. S. Ja-ffla. W-angarei, with 60 tons clay. • SU^ft Wcha=; Rata, for |!^b EaSmre!2sba^whlat,_l,agsgra M Bpnd 2 bacrs onions. street whatf last ever ing. The brigantine Island Lily (Oanteln Coope.) left Lyttelton for tbi. port yesto. day. 1 The aoboouer Kate McGregor was removed The «*c*n« Han^arra* jWdj^» culaisare to hand. har Tho barque Olive ,™«ow wui where "5... »-.«,-S?_3S natoTaV?c-Snofa aXoher 6 0 before about 10 r?riock to-morrow morning. , ~„„„■ Iti Welllngon to B™^^^ of'SreUefflit 6 o'clock this morning, . ___..i,ml Manirv into the accident to the pwerm the steam tug employed. Thn sb lona arrived from Whangarei lait oventaß with 5?00O feet timber. 60 sacks gum; 20 Xs fruit, and the foUowing paa«eng__s: ffla" .3 Stetr, Pratt. Ward. MoKay, Rev. Mr affi-n Hewlett. Father Caasady. Mr Staff, AU-w-ight Down_-B, and three others; four in the steerage. - ._ , Thn baiano Freetrader arrived from Lyttel ton about 7 o'olook lae-t evening. She sailed fSnm th£t uort on the 2nd with a Btroiic g-lo S__f tMck w-ather. and passed East Cape, at SS?n on the stb. The wind than oama from tne w-S^rd until 10Tn. ou S_nd_.. 'Ihenoe to wr--_rUr e ?h N.tt. winds with vhlok weaker The Georgo Bowloy is now 74 days out from London, and shou-i put in an ap«o shm-tlv Her cargo ia valued at £13,^00. Ihe Ranrftikoi, also from London, for Auckland, wfthTmmigrants, has now been 53 day a on the passage. Tbe tot st-el steamer built in the colony was launched at Dunedin yesterday. Sho was mUed the "Port Jackson," haying been built to order of the Port Jackson Steamship Com nanr She is 100 ft. long, 17ft. 6in. beam, 9ft. fin deep, and ia intended for tho passenger traffic in Sydney harbour. CaDtain Jones, ot theHotorn^haspnohome, -. xvL s__i{,__v«-,'-*_-t.-i-tr nut tho. Union Com-, pany's new "express" Ivwi, racy >i_tepim_-«u the New Zealand riv..-0i.y..; . t-.;1 c.o.is.al traae. The Company mte_e_ building a etoarncr roecially for the Fiji trad-.-. :vnl Captain Jones advise thoCompan.'.' ov K mc_r» at nomeas - to the requitomouw elo-iouswxi ta a boat foi the purpose. Tha brceM la?* ov.nbjg dtd m\o Ir.sry to rhlPptog.e c putt -- i _o' ° .->-_.." ir-w tf aha_t_ r __ _'re o msi. _ Bay Sne waaar-ehor* d tha?* all snug y. sterday. but .his morning at td ib-water, the only evidence was her maat and funnel It ia supposed she took ths ground diißKlho night.and that then tho soanbroke cleaSover hM dtcks and filled her. Little dim«e appears to have been sustained-by the wSfwhiohls owned by Meesra MoNab and MoKeown. \he barque Auriga, now 106 days out from London for this port has on board a foil cargo, valued"at£2o,loo, tho principal Items being aa JoUows :-(>ott. ns.£9ool*°»™B and worateda. im *Unen7fiioo i nanneTS £300; haberdaaheiy, StfXhawaVidoaps. £500; leather, £1580; 'uobS-tew. £600; shlits. £1900: hardware out kSrilo^pX. colours. £660: bra«dy.-00galB; ium.fwgals; geneva. 9Cog_s; British spirit*, Bltea^ wine, 630 gals: oilme-'s storeß, £610: vinegar. 2_6ogala; oandles. UOowt; raisins, 102owt; currants, 2__owt. Theßhlo Warwick is now 1-0 days out from lundon, and therefore overdue. She brings a Ml cargo, valued at £17,600, for this port, the orinotoal Items being ai follow*:-Cottons, X: woollens andworateds, £38001 flannels S hosiery. £1500: haberdashery. £.600; apparel. £6700; blanket., £1200 i felt hats and ™5h £1400: hardware outlery, £2900: oil 1080 SBi; Brtilßhsrtrits, 2130 gelh; wine, 1200gaUa; toady, 1760 galls; rum, S7O galls; raUs and ' general maoblnery, £1700,

TELEGRAPHIC SHIPPING.

Port Chaimbrs. yesterday.

Arrivedi Ross Dhu. ship, from London, 91 days out. Sailed: Omaperei for the North. Passeng-r for Auokland-Mr Jones. Bluff, this day.

The Rotomahana arrived at 9.16 p.m. yestor dayTand sailed at midnight. Saloon paßßengsrs: TVIr and Mrs Wallis, Mr and Mrs Turner, Mr S. Mess Jagger, Messrs Walker, Campbell, and Mailer. _,

KAIPARA SHIPPING.

Kaipara H-Aus, this day. Sailed, yesterday-Vision, Daroy Pratt, Sea gull, and Reliance. _ A sohooner is coming in to-day.

Mail Notice.

MAILS WILIi GLOSS AS UNDER!-

THIS DAY. .„. , I Far Whangarol Heads. Waipu, Whangarei, , I Kamo, and Mangapai, por lona, at 4 p.m. \ WBDN-aDAY, llth io.t. '. For Norfolk ißland. per Eouttern Cross ot 11 I For Co rom andol, per Coromandel. at II.SO a.m. I For Walta-a, Szc, per Oreti or ___«:. 1 ..(at 1 p.m. 1 For Harotonga, per Atlantic at 8 p.m. For Thames, per Rotomahana, at a3O pun, For Thames, per Enterprise, at 5,30 p.m. Thuhsdav. 12th Instant For Waiwera, Te Kapa, Cralgieburn. and Warkworth, per Roso Casoy, at 10 a»m. Per n_i. Arawatta as follows:— Forlndla, China, Japan, Modltoranoan Ports, and Continent ofEurope,, at 10 n,m. For Glaborno, Napier, Southern ports. Aus tral Colonies, and United Kingdom via Suez and Brindisi. and via Naples, tor letters, etc, specially so prepaid and addressed, at 1 Fo?" monoy ordors, registered letters, and nowspapors, at 10 a.m. Lato letters till 11.20 For Tauranga, Ohinemutu, and Opotlkl, par Glenelg, at _ p.m. For friendly Islands and Samoa, por H.I.G. M, ship Carols, at 6 r.m, Monday, lG'.h Instant. For Friendly Islands and Samoa, per Myrtle Tint-DAT. -_th lnetant. Per b a. City of wow York, as follows :— For Sandwich Inland-, Un!..Ci dtat-S Of America. Canada. BrlCloli -olumbln. Central itnd Bout_-A__e__t«i and British and Forelgn WTD- indies, at lp.m. For United Kingdom and Continent of .-rope, at 1 p.m. For monoy ordors, registered 10tt0.., and 'owßpapora. at 11,30 a.m, Late letters bearing an extra fee of slxpenoe, addition to the postage, wUI bo reoelved the Mall Agent on board the steamer up to time of 80-ling. This mail will bo due In London, on Mon , day, Juno, Rb, 1883.

Bi B. HIH3, Chief Postmaster, Chief Post-onion. Auckland.

Meetings, Entertainments, Etc.

APRIL 10. 1883.

Abbott's Opera Houso-Dramatio Company, 8 p.m.

Lornostreot Hnll-Gorman Krllnohen, 8 p.m. St. John's Wesloyan M.I.A.—Mr Wilaon's Lecture, " Shakspoaro's Histories," 7.30 p.m. St. Thomas's Hall-Bryant's Minstrels, 8 p.m. St. Patrick's Celebration Committco, 8 p.m. Freemasons' Hall-Monthly Commuulcation of Union Lodgo o£ Mark Master Masonß, 7.30 p.m.

V.M.0.A.-Annual Soir6o of tho Welloaloy streot Baptist Sunday-school, 6,30 p.m.

Notices to correspondents.

Constant R*adkr.—British and Foreign war ships anchor within tho powdor Ki-ound as direoted by tho liar bounnnsto <-. Thorn Is no regulation in oxlatenco which diroots olthor to anchor noarost tho city. BUFFanuß,—The looal povornlna body Is the looal Board of Health for the Oistrtor. Com plaint should be mado to It. E.W.—Tho board Is place! for draughts with the donblo oorner on ttio rißht hand.

Births.

EVB.RARD.-0n tho 6th inst., at Viow Road, Mount Edon, tho wtto ot J. T. Evorard ot a son.

Deaths.

S. lITH.-On April 7, at hia pnronta' residence, Viotoria - street West, Goorco Henry, tho beloved son ot Archibald and Annlo Smith, ngod IS) years. Tho funoral took placo thia day, at 2.30 p.m.

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

TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1883.

For the cause that lack- assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future In the distance, And the good that we can do.

It is perfectly lawful for tho Charity Organisation Society of London to cast about for some means whereby tho prevail ing destitution in the great metropolis, and throughout the United Kingdom generally, may be prevented. As prevention is better than cure, it may even bo claimed that a charitable society, which exists for the simple allcvia*i<"» of distress, is rising into a higUer sphere of utofulness when it pro pose-, to devise measures o-lculatod to eio away with all necessity for charitable aid. It waa quite natural, too, that the proposed remedy should take the torm of an appeal to the State. Charitable societies may do a great amount of good, mingled with about an equal proportion of ill, by their well-meant but often ill-directed efforts to relievo distress; but it ia manifestly beyond tbeir power to grapple with the causes of poverty and pauperism, and cut off tho evil at the fountain head. Therefore it was that theObatity Organisation Society approached Sir Charles Dilke and asked him to übo his in fluence in getting Government to inaugu rate a scheme of assisted emigration from the United Kingdom to the colonies. As we recently learned by telegraph, the pro posal was that Government should advance funds from the ratos to assist emigrants away trom the United Kingdom, tho sums thus advanced being lent on the security ot land grants made to the emigrants by Colonial Governments, and being repayable in a term of years, When it is remembered that hundreds of thousands of pounds are spent annually by various Colonial Govern ments in promoting immigration, and that a still larger sum ts every year expended in the Home countries in the relief of distress, the proposal looks very feasible Indeed, as a means of relieving at ono stroke the heavy drain upon the Imperial and Colonial resources which is constantly going on. There are too many labourers at Home—man is described as a "weed," and the weeds are choking each other; while in the Colonies the labourers are too few—the earth has but to bo tickled! to yield fatness and wealth, and there is no one to do the tickling. Thero is great waste going on in this way, and any schemo which should have the effect of re-adjusting affairs which are so much out of joint must surely be a welcome and beneficent ono.

On the face of it, then, tbe proposal to relieve Home distress and increase Colonial wealth by a plan of assisted emigration, seems an excellent and feasible one. But is it practicable ! Would tha Colonies, for instance, have anything to do with it t We scarcely think tboy would, and for certain vory sufficient reasons. The Colonies (and we refer to tho Australasian Colonies par ticularly) do not wish an influx of pauper population, and it is pretty certain tbat is tho kind of population that would be sent to us under tho proposed scheme. New Zealand statesmen aro just now exercis ing themselves over the problem ot how to prevent the growth of pauperism in our midst, and they have certainly no wish to have the question complicated by tho intro duction of a pauper element from Great Britain, Tho existing system of assisted immigration in this and the neighbouring colonies is barely tolerated by the bulk of the taxpayers—not tbat they grumble at the money spent on It, but they growl at the introduction of labour in excess of the capital directed towards its employment, thus causing a reduction in the rate of wages obtainable, The New South Wales Government only passed their vote of £150,000 for immigration purposes this year in the face of strong opposition from the working classes in Sydney, aud a very little extra turning of the screw would make it an election cry and lead to the overthrow of the Government. Under our present method of selection, we at times hear complaints of unsuitable im migrants being sent to our shores ; and it may safely be predicted that if Great Britain started to land her pauper popula tion in this quartor of the globe, tho colonists would soon nut an embargo upon tho traffic, just as they did upon the send ing of convicted criminals. We wish to have fresh colonists, but they must be possessed of tbo necessary qualifications for becoming useful, energetic, and moral mem bers of the community. Lord Fitzroy has written a letter to the London " Times " on the subject, In which from tho British stand-point he objects to the diversion of the rates to the assistance of needy people out of the country; and from the colonial standpoint (as far as he ia able to place himself in it) he also disapproves of the proposal. He thinks the colonies should, insist upon two conditions with res pect to immigrants—firstly, that thoy should bo ablo to pay their own passage money; and secondly, that they should be of sound constitution and of sufficiently stalwart frame to engage in the rough toils incident to life in a new country. These objections, so far as they go, are perfectly valid, and, as it seems to us, are fatal to the plans of the Charity .Organisation Society. The colonies, however, demand further < qualifications iv their immigrants than that they should be iaudod fro. and able-bodied on their territory. Immigrant., «o bo do- Mii-ahlo -. .lonia'., should have; a- .fri-un amount of skill, or a moderate »>««u of capital, or l»th. Tha .skill is desirable: hit the «rtfftal b '»*&•

ponsable, for without it our vast tracts of land cannot be brought under cultivation and made productive and profitable. Even supposing, therefore, that the British tax payer were willing to dovote largo sums of | money towards sending labourers out of tho country, tho difficulty still remains cf finding new countries willing to take them. The fact that we pay heavily to secure immigrants does not by any means argue that wo would jump at an| offer to supply us with labourers free. Wo had rather in these parts pay for a good article than accept a worthless thing as a free gift; in other words, wo would rather oiler a handsome inducement to worthy immigrants, possessed of bone and sinew money, brain, and character, than allow tho overflow from English workhouses and tho refuse of London slums to bo shovelled upon our shores without monoy and without price.

Telegraphic communication with Europe being rostored, vio aro enabled in this i?«j_ti to give a budget of English news, bearing London dates from 6th to Oth inst. The items to hand show that tho Fenian " scare " continues unabated. Tho Ameri can " dynamito" party assert that thoy havo 200 secret factories for tho manufacture of ] explosives j but this is probably only a ] piece of bravado—a story invented sfneo ! 'tho discovery of one'such factory in Eng land. A man bearing a quantity of dynamito, and presumably bont on somo destructive Fenian enterprise, is said to have left Birmingham for Windsor; but though he has eluded so far tho notice of tho police, the London "forco" being on tho look-out for incendiaries, will no doubt soon give a good account of him - that is, if bo is any other than a creature of tho imagination. Norman, the porson lately arrested in London with a quantity of dynamito in his possession, is expected to turn Queen's eviuenco, and it would scorn that ho is in a position to incriminato hia own brother aud anothor man in some of tho recent Fenian outrages. In tho meantimo Mr Pnrnoll and his followers are starting a piteous whine lest the Government should propose to mako the operation of tho Crimes Prevention Act permanent in Ireland.

Our cable nows to-day contains two re ferences to tho coronation of tho Czir, which has beon fixed to tako placo at Mos cow in May next. Ono is to tho effect that the Duke of Edinburgh Is to go from England to attend tho cere mony, accompanied by Lord Wolscley and Earl Clanvvilliam. Tho other stated that tho further postponement of the ceremonial it not improbable, on account of the continued throat, of wholesalo violence whicharoofferedbytheNihilist.. AsthoCzar has invited all the Crown Princes of Europo to bo presont on the occasion, and as the invitation will doubtless ha accoptod very generally, the Nihilists will strain ovory nerve to signalise the occasion by Bouie tremendous outrago, The opportunity, from their diabolical standpoint, i _ too good a ono to bo neglected; anil boliov, ing, its thoy elo, that in blowing a scoro or so of kings and princes into eternity, thoy aro conferring a benefit on humanity, it will be surprising it tho coronation is allowed to pass off without some catas trophe. Such being tho case, tho hesita tion of the Czar to proceed with tho ar rangements is most prudent and commend able.

A review of Mrs lellis's now book,

"Everything is Possible to tho Will," appears on our tourth page to-night. The characters and incidents of the story aro mainly local. Tho book is an auto biography rather than a novel.

The dulness of the weather socms to bo exorcising a reflex action upon tho Share market, and one may npply to everythinc connected with it Hamlet's oft-quototl predicate, "flat, stale, and unprofitablo." In this instance its application is in nowise strained. A cheerless look porvados tbe whilom busy mart, the brokers wear a moody air, speculation hangs fire so completely tbat even in view ot a nendiug dividend Tokatea. aro not enquired for, whilo Succ.ss and Bright Smile stock fail to tempt, although tho striking of fresh gold in both mines affords ground for the expectation of au other sensational ''rise." "Ichabod," in fine, is temporarily inscribed in invisiblo characters upon the portals of tha Stock Exchange. With the dispersal of the clouds nuel the renewal of tho sunshine the aspect of things may tako a promising hue in more senses than oue.

Wo are informed Capt. Karchcr and officers of H.I.M.S. Carola are entertaining a few friends on board on Wednesday next, in tho shape of an afternoon d»nce. The p.s. Tongariro will convoy the quests on board, leaving Queen-street Wharf at 2 o'clock sharp, vVe might also mention that in tho event of tho weather proving too wot a white flag with blue crosses will be hoisted at the main in the forenoon, and a gun fired at 12 o'clock, denoting the dance will bo postponed.

Thero would appear to be a singular in disposition or inability on tho part of debtors to " pay up " nt the present timo. A heavy li<t of cases has occupied the attention of tho District Court for two days, and all aie not yet disposed of, while more than fifty small dobt cases are sot down for hearing at tho Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday next. Many of these aro defended, and tbe sitting of tho Court i« therefore likely to be a lengthy one.

The St. Patrick's demonstration proved to ho highly remunerative, thanks to tho energy of the Managing Committee, and to tho patriotic spirit or " the sons of tho ould sod." After paying all expenses there re mains a credit balance of £64. The con cert, under tho anspices of the 11.A.C.8, Socioty, held in the Lome-street Hall in the evening, under tho direction of Miss Shanagban, was crowded to excess. It yielded a gross total of £55 odd, and of this sum £22 is clear profit, which will be distributed among the various charitablo institutions.

It is said that tho recent disputes in con nection with tho rowing races at the Pon sonby Begatta will havo the effect of lessen ing the entries at the approaching regatta to bo hold in connection with the Rowing Association at au early date. For tho credit of sport iv Auckland, it is to be hoped that this is not true. If petty consi derations are to interfere with iionest and manly competitions in which the best men must prove their superiority, then the sooner the local rowing clubs dispose of their property and retire from the field, the better it will ba for all concerned,

Tho patrons of the pit at the Opera Hbuse have recently commenced to indulge in a most objectionable and reprehensiblo prac ttco, which should be put an end to with out further delay. Last evening, and also on Saturday and previous occasions, the performers were frequently interrupted by vulgar remarks and coarse jokes, and at times the noise became so great that it was utterly Impossible to hear what was pro ceeding on tho stage. It issaid that tho pottM have no power to interfere and pyVent tho continuance of the nuisance, and if this should really bo so, it is to be hoped that the proprietor will tako somo steps to bring the foul-mouthed hoodlums to justice.

Three charges woro brought to-day against -Tohn Calvert, a cab proprietor, which are fully reported in our police re port. The charges were for being drunk, for using insulting language, and for furious driving. Defendant pleaded guilty to being drunk, but, being drunk, had no distinct recollection of having committed the other ofTonces. The Bench commented at some length on their serious character, is the lives of complainant and hia family wero in jeopardy through tho indiscreet conduct of the cabman, and marked their sense of the enormity of the offences by im posing a fine of £3 and co-ts. Tho tlefen dant, also, will further suffer by having his license cither cancelled, or suspended for a considerable time.

The leviathan Sergeant Gamble niet with an adventure this forenoon. Passing along Chancery-street, ho encountered a singu larly effeminate-looking, but very; natty youth, whose bright eyes sparkled with mis chievous pleasure. Bright eyes are a known weakness of tho officer's, and he gazed intently into a rather pretty face. Some thing familiar in the features attracted further attention, and his susceptible heart was touched by a fascinating glance which was bestowed upon him. He could not resist the magnetic influence, and accosted tho fair stranger, And with the reply the spell was broken. The sergeant recognised the familiar voice of Kata McManus, an old acquaintance of the police, and quietly took charge of her It subsequently transpired that she had been ihe victim of an msthetic desiro io appear in public in male attire, aud had sirizoei and donned tho clothes of a man

named Samuel Butcher, leaving .her own garments in exchange. When the sergeant's, bui'ly fmm hove; in' si^ht, sho was oo her way 'toQueon-iit.ee., to make hor debut in an assumed charactor, Kate will bo dummd 10-morrov,' under tho Vagrant Act,

Tho junior Civil Scrvico examinations opened yesterday in the Supreme Court House, there being nine candidates.

iNotasinglocaso of infectious disease of any kind has beon reported to the local authorities of Parnell for a fortnight,

The second attempt to secure a quorum of shateholders for a meeting of the Kur anui Hill United G.M. Co. has proved as abortivo as the first one. The meeting wa_ convened for lo'day at übon, but it again lapsed.

Tho annual soit.e in connection with tho Wellesley-Btrcet Baptist Sunday-school will tako place this evening, in the Young Men's Christian Association rooms, at 6 30 o'clock. Tho public meeting will bo held in the chnpol, when aeldres _e~ will bo given by the following ministers -.-Rev. S. Macfarlane, on "Encouragemont for Teachers;' Key, G. B. Monro, "Influence of Children;" Key. G. W. J. Spenco, on " The Discipline of the Sunday School."

Tho concert nnd sorio-comic melange this evening, in St. Thomas' Hall, aro an-1 nounced elsewhere. The programme is specially attractive, embracing an overture by Messrs Bartlcy's popular string band; songs, comic and sentimeutn 1; duets, musical and vocal; and a chair performance by Bryant's Minstrels. Tho affair is likely to create a new sensation under the skilful management of Mr Oliver Bryant, an adept in the art. Tho proceeds will be given to tho Church funds. In somo parts of the South the recent visit of tho Governor scorns to havo given rise to a conflict between tho pooplo's feel ings of loyalty nnd their economic instincts. At the last meeting of tho Oamaru Harbour Board a little squabble took placo about tho monoy expended in entertaining tho Governor. Mr Shrimski protested against any of tho Board's funds being used to dofray the expenses of tbat ontertainment, but the Board passed tho account-only £4 or £s—subjoct to the chairman's approval. Mr Shrimski warned tho chairman not to pay ir, saying, " Now, mina you, if you pay that account I will summon you.'

The case of Charles Kingsford Jdl'a against Adolphus Opponhoimcr occupied tho District Court until a lato hour last night, but tho jury could not agree. Three of tho number were on ono side, while tho other member ot tho quartette remained obdurate ou tho other. His Honor decided that tho jury must bo locked up six hours beforo they could bo discharged, but after two hours consideration, it was pointed out that an agreement between them was im possible. Ths fourth momber of tho jury was prepared to take his six hours rather than givo in. Under tho circumstances, :.is Honor permitted tho discharge of the jury.

A remarkably warrior recontly presented Himself at Constantinople to pay bis re spects to the Sultan. He is known as " Hod Bey," tho Circassian leader, and claims to bo 120 years of age and that ho has seen 105 years of military seivlco. He asserts that ho was born 1762, and cntored the Turkish military scrvico under tho Sultan Abdul Hamid in 1777. Since thon he haa served iv tho Ottoman army, to which he still belongs, under eight successive Sul tans. Ho is said to have participated in sixty-five battles and unnumbered smaller affrays and to havo received twenty-throe wounds. Ho is still erect and vigorous aud posscics a remarkable appetite. Tho present Sultan is said to have treated him with much kiudnoss and attention.

Tho members of tho Sir Usury Havclock Lodgo held an open lodgo entcrtaium_ut last evening, which was iarucly attended, although tho weather wns not inviting. The secretary occupied the chair, and introduced tho programme in tho usual way. Mr Ander.ou's prizes woro awarded as follows : —First and second for recitations and one for singing : Miss Elizabeth Gillespie was awardod first prize, Matilda James second. Tho prizo for singing was awarded to Miss M. James, Songs were mug by It. and M. James, and recitations wero vory creditably rendered by Mis.cs Lawlotd and Froude and Masters Fred. Stanton, David Ander «on, R. James, M. Janies.Mießts McLauch- Inn, Charlotte Lawford, and Sarah I. rondo. Mr Thompson gavo a reading. Hymns from Hoyles' collection were sung at intervals by tho members. Miss James accompanied the slugors. Thanks were accorded to Messrs. Reid and Thompson for assisting. Soveral new members were ourolled.

A V ihilist Chief of Police has been dis covered iv Russia and creatod a groat sensa tion as indicating tho ramifications of the Nihilist conspiracy. It appears that several person?, occupying high eocial and official positions in tho Government of Volhynia, recently received a numbor of threatening lettersaigued by tho "Socialist Committee.' One of these documents was addressed to no lesi a person than tho Governor himself, aud threatened him with death unless he forwarded a sum e-f 3.00 roubles to a place named by a certain day. A trustworthy person was sent to the appointed spot, which was carefully watched by a strong boely of subordinate officials. At midnight the mysterious author of tho letter mado his appearance to receive the monoy, and was recoguized by the wntchorp, to their utter bewildermont, as the Chief of Police. Ho waa instantly arrested and remains in strict confinement. On examination it was found that his writing corresponded with those of the threatening letters,

There was a fair attondaucc at the meet ing of tho St. James's D_ mission Class last night, notwithstanding tho inclemency of the weather; Mr W. S. Napier prcsidod. The meeting was held in the lecture hall of the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms, and the committee were empowered to make arranccmonts for tho continued use of tho hall. The literary business consisted of two essays. Tho first, which was on " Tho Poet Gray," was by Mr H. L. Jamo_. This was a paper of groat literary morit; the construction being good, and the lan guage choice. Mr James evinced a thorough appreciation of tho bosuties of tho poet's writings, and displayed an intimate ac quaintance with his works. Mr Skoen fol lowed with an essay on "Success," Mr Skeen has acquired, since ho became a member of the association, the reputatlou of being one of its most pleasing and graceful writers, and, his paper, though on a subject by no mcaus raro, fully realised expectations. To achieve suc cess, he considered four things _ wore essential, namely, purpose, patience, perseverance, and energy. Each of these elements was expatiated upon iv an in teresting and entertaining manner. Both essays wero considerably abovo tho average, and well merited tho encomiums bestowed upon them. Next -Monday evening^ a dobato is to take place •on tho question "Should tho Australasian Colonies contri bute to the cost of their defence against the onemies of England?" Mr R, S. akeen takes tho affirmative, aud Mr B, W. Burton thenogative. i

An incident, which possessed a humorous as well as a pathetic Bide, occurred in Drake-street at about five o'clock last evening. At that hour, passers by observed a pot-valiant and pot-bollied individual thrust out of a house of ill-fame. He was pushed down the steps on to tho footpath at the point of the broomßtick, the gay young thing who was at the business end ot that article of domestic use, belabouring the un fortunate male severely about ihe shoulders and head as ho fell. Tho fat man, after picking himself up from the footpath and finding casualties nil, mado for the centre of tho road after sundry eccentric tacks. Here he collected a narabe. of stones, and calmly and gravely executed a dexterous flink movement towards the footpath. Meanwhile tho gay young thing on the vemndah seeing trouble ahead, summoned five or six damsels attired iv coloured dress ing-gowns, who deployed through the front door on the piazza, and endeavoured to scare away, the invader by means of a strong die* play of force. They were armed with .brickbats, coal-shovels, and other articles, 'oven the peaceful kitchen bellows—pro bibly sei ctcd in consequence of its ten dency to bl .«y—biiug pressed into the ser vice as a munition of war. Not a tremour shook the adamantine bosom of the fat man. With tho satuj f ro is of an old cam paigner he sent,a tour-mov si.ne crashing through one of tho front window*. The boas-amazou sounded the signal of ret^t, and tho damsels incontinently accepted th. shelter of the leeward' side -of tho door. Eight or nine crashes showed that the fat. man was serving his artillery with a pre cision and correctness of aim somewhat sur i prising considering his inebriated condi tion. During a cessation in the bombard ment, while the beseiger was collecting more scone?, the beeeiged dimsels made a plucky sortie. Ono broke the family broom over the destructor's head, a second " fetched" him a judicious lick on the back wit_ a frying-pan, while a third, with tho dexterity begot of long practise, went open-hardedat the beseiger s forehead, and retired yith a handful of hair as a well-won trorhy. Then the fat man, appa rently as cool as the proverbial cucumber, returned to the assault and before he went home to too', left the front windows of thu house absolutely pnneless. The small boys gave-'r "'fatty" a cheer, tho damaola hlasshomed in the upper register— which by tie way thoy had been doing intcrmitteutjy all the 'time—an el slowly the edified et.wd dispersed. '■«..'

We have much pleasure iv commending to public notice and sympathy the appeal made by the Bishop of Auckland on behalf of the Bailors' Kest. The Bithtop'a letter will be found on the fourth page. Mr J. T, O'Connell's tender has been ac> ceptod for the erection of the Courthouse at Pukokohe, and Mr O'Brien's for repairs to Mangare Bridge. The mine-manager of the Bright Smile telegraphed last evening: " seventy pounds specimens and picked stone to-day from stopes,—J. Garvey_'" Iv the Model Yacht Race at Ponsonbj last Saturday, Master Harold Kfsaling's model won the first prize. The first boai was disqualified through being touchee after starling. A private assembly for danoiog will bi held in the Parnell Ball on Thursday even ing next. It is expected that tho officer, of tho English and German ships of wa will be present. We understand that a handsome testi monial is shortly to be presented to Mis Sbannghan by the members of St. Patrick' Choir in recognition ot her long and unspar ing eorvioes as conductress A fall of plaster from abovo the Btaircas ', of the Exohango yesterday caused a tern porary excitement aniODg the broken ; Tho quan'itythat fell was heavy enought ' have inflicted serious injuries on anyon ' underneath, But fortunately tlio stair wa clear at the time, and though the occurrenc ' rather startled a little knot of speculator 1 waiting for the issue of the nightly bulletin ' no harm was done. A correspondent, M.K., writes that th ; report that the Christchurch Municipalit; havo refused offers to light that city wit] I tho electric light is incorrect. The queatio; ' has been discussed, and consideration dc ' ferrod until tho ro suit of lighting Lyttolto; [ia known. M.R. addß: Whilo tbe ga lamps in Chtistchurch aro charged by th ' Gaa Company £6 16a each per annum, an a tender tor a quantity has beeu made a £5 15s. Auckland is paying £7 10s an upwards, a The "Northern Advocate" says :—"I 1 is no secret that Mr Joseph Bennett, wh ' is now in Australia, will bring a boat bacl 9 with him for the Waiwera and Whangarc 0 trades should he find a mutable one, an 1 this is tho more likely aa the Kani 1 Colliery Company, at its meeting la_ 8 week, had presouted to it a good dividend r paying balance-ahcet. There are rumour ' afloat again about tho amalgamation o * tho Whau Whau Colliery with the Kani t Colliery. The directors of tho Whau Wha r value tho mino at £12,000. j" The dalty factory at Edendalo, South land, although doing a fair business, an although overy doubt has been removed a * to whether or not it would be a payinj '" concern, is (fays the " Southland Times " " capablo of accomplishing twice the work i 0 now has to perform. About 550. gallons o n milk aro now daily converted into cheese ;s and of that quantity only 140 gallons ar 0 supplied by outsider.. Tho remainder i n the product of tha company's own cows m about 200 in number. i° 'I he rushing rains havo disclosed the ba ' condition of tho ceilings fn the Polio ,7. and Law Courts, some ot tho offices show '* ing standing pools of water, one offic ' especially, that of Mr Kissling, bein| * flooded and unfit for occupation. Th ', celings aro literally drenched, the paper peeling from the walls, giving a sense o m-ecurity to the minds of officials, wh * look occasionally upwards with fear an Jt suspicion. In tho Resident Magistrate' li Court a large portion of the celling ha 10 fallen, and from ominous indications, othe !(1 falls are anticipated. Tbe state of th *r building is such as to require immediate al 1: tontion. '** 1 ast evening thero was a largo gatherin; i (notwithstanding the drenching rain) o membeisof thonowly-lormodSt, Matthew' j S Literary and Debating li. ocloty. The meet 1 iog w.a a purely business one, and didgooi i y work. Tho rules being passed, were orderei 'c to be printed, nud the fust ordinary meet i" iug fixed for Monday evening next, when I as it will be open to thu public, it is hopce ' ihatalargo number of friends, as well w ■>" members, will bo present. Due notice o ° the proceeding" of the moeting will be givci es iv our columns. Tho society promises wi!', ™ tho "original" members numbering fifty ' o The president, or secretary, will be glad te receive namo* of candidates. A total of about SOO millions-an amounl ** exceeding the whole of tho National Debt i' —is invested in railways in tho United ? Kingdom. Of this sum about 199 millions l represent debenture stocks of dividend j* paying railways, affording an industrial ' security as. good as National Console. % Nearly 300 millions of tho capital consist* ' of Guaranteed and Preference St. ick«, and , 330 millions -including 40 millions ox ' pended upon uncompleted lines, or othore J° which pay no dividend—pays lean than 3 !*J percent. The railwnysp»ying no dividend J decro_io every year, the improvement in ' the poor lines being much more marked '? than in thoso paying good dividends. le • 'I ho Wanganui papers draw attention to id a curious case of investment of capital and ir slow realisation. For near a score of ye «a, o. it is said, there has lived on tho sea bench n near Opunako an old man whoso colonial is life has been a hermitage, Tho purcbasor ,h of tho wreck of the stoaraor Lord Wcl lo«ley, tho remnlns of which still lie within , a few yards of the beach, tbis man Is . .aid to have squatted down just above , high water mark, to live for tho rest of ? his days on tho realisation of hii purchase. j. Years have rolled on, and day after day, as tho tide recedes, ho visits tho wreck, pro- | n curing from it somo little piece ot metal or somo usoful article of tho mauy which went J? to make up this oneo powerful steamer. These are disposed of one way and another, n and thus ho earns his livelihood. Of late ho *', has been blowing up by means of dynamite '' the coal which still remains iv her hold,aud V although nothing else but the boiler appears ', abovo tho surface, bo still finds enough to 8 keep allvo the flame of life. To-day he re j peats tne task just as he did twenty years j ago, living away from the society of men, *f bound up sololy in himself and in the , object of his livelihood.

Tho parricides In Germany are increasing each year at such a rate as to cause con siderable alarm. It is tho custom in the countty districts of North Germany among the peasants of making ovor to their child ren —as soon as tho latter aro grown up—their property, arid reserving for themselves only the right of food and lodging to the end of their days. Tho children soon get tired of supporting their parents, and in eomo in stances cither starve thorn to death or actu ally murder thorn. Crimes of this descrip tiou are so much ou the increase that several of tho district Governors have issued circu lars urging tho peasants not to make over their little properties in this way. But that the practice aud its conscquencies aro not altogether of modern date may be gathered from the fact that over the gateway of the little town of Juterbock, some sixty miles from Berlin, hangs a small club, with an in scription to the effect that "whosoever transfers bis pioperty to his children during his lifetime, and suffer, in consequence, deserves to be killed with this club." Concurrently with this increase in the , number of parricides thero has al-o been a great ad dition to the number of beggers and vaga bonds, a political economist who has de voted much time to the matter calculating that thore are no fewer than 200,000 vaga bonds within the limits of the empire, and that each ot thorn manages to beg as much as fifty cents a day upon the average, this being equivalent to an annual tax of about £7,300,000 per annum, raised for the most part in the country districts.

Those impecunious and ingenious indivi duals who think it preferable to "live by their wits " rather than by their honest in dustry, might take a loaf from the book of one ot their class named Dobbie, who de vised an excellent plan for living on the various sowing-machine agents in Dnnedin, His modus operandi, which had only one drawback, was as follows: He and those who were with him took small tenements for a week or two, aud put furniture in them. On their giving a >'alse name, they had machines given to (em on the time payment priuciplo—perhaps one from each dealer. Dobbie at once left tbo house, and had the number of the machines filed .own, so that it could not be seen. 1 Anther plan was where Dobbie or his colleague learnt a bona fide purchaser was i bohmd in tv time of payment. Then they would boldly g. to the. house, state they had been sent to detmuid the machine, and in most cases got it. They disposed of those they stole principally in the country districts. As we have remarked, the plan has but one drawback ; and though this may seem a small matter, people who con template going into the business had better pause and consider it. The sewing machine agents are apt to call the procedure an organised swindle. Supreme Court Judges havo a tendency to "send up " the swindlers for lengthy terms of imprison ment. Men of inventive genius aro ever doomed to harsh treatment, and it has been the mi .fortune of Dobbio to bo font tor four years to where the sewing machine canvasser eometh not, and the deferred payment system is unknown. Those who envy hie lot may "go and do likewise," y. .7

SCINTILLATIONS.

"Dry docks "—Spurious tobacco. " The rain it raineth every day." Wire rope tramways work well in Dunedin'. . There are 800 registered dogs in Auck land. A man, to speak his mind, must have one to speak. *' Jack Ashore " is making things lively in Queen-street. Tawhiao is to have a royal reception at "Wnotu, near Cambiidge. j A Literary Class.—Builders. They arc | always finishing stories, j On Easter Monday, a Chinaman waf I executed at Samoa for killing a girl. iThe survey of the railway line has beer brought down ro Rotorua. Smelling Salts,—Sailors trying to dis cover a place where whisky is told. Where does water resemble a gymnast i i \_ hero it makes a spring, ■ At high tide last night, the sea broke over Devonport wharf, ft' orth Shore. The Australian Mutual Provideni Society has paid £1,500,000 in claims in 34 years. An important meoting of Ngatimania' poto opens to-day at Te Kuiti, Why is a railroad patriotic?— Because il is bound to the country with the strongest ties. Theological Item.—Alas! that so man) people look upon religion simply as a fire escape I The Fenstanton ia to tako 9,000 carcases from Dunedin. Half thenurab.r.is alroadj frozen. Men's heads aro like wagons ; they rattle prodigiously when there is nothing in them A committee is appointed by the Angli can Synod, to consider as to starting t Church newspaper, in place of the dioceear periodicals now issued. The chairman of tho Canterbury Agri ! cultural aod Pastoral Association thinki the timo has come for tho appointment of i ! Minister of Agriculture. A literary faimer called ono of his pigi Maud, because it " camo into the garden' SO. . Thero are 32,593 monks and wiub it . Italy, roccivißg pensions amounting t( [ £127,886. Mr O. McLean late judge of the As .ess , ment Court In Auckland, died last Satur I- day. . It is rather amußing to find that tho sct-t( j between Mace and Slade at New York t was stopped in consoquenco of a protest bj , the Society for Prevention of Cruelty tc . A-imals 1 Somebody has seni a Bible to the edltoi of tho "Poverty Bay Standard," Thi j Press man duly appreciates tho delicati 1 attontlon, and thanks the donor for the 3- interest shown in his welfare. ' A husband wanted to bet hia wifo thai ' sho could beat a panther; but she saw the ' joke and refused to try. * " Did you know I was here?" asked the » bellows of the fire. " Well, yes, I think 1 8 had got wind of you," 8 A game at chess with live " men" is to > be played at Dunedin, on behalf of a local charity. 1 A steam launch, to go 10 knots an hour, c is to be ordered tor passenger traffic in '• Lyttelton harbour. o " Don't be going to the funerals of youi _ patients," said a physician's wifo to hei c husband, "it looks too much liko a tailoi s carrying home his own work." if Mr Stout is to criticise Major Atkinson's o scheme at Dunedin on Thursday first, and d Mr Fieh is expected to give a speech on the 's subject next Monday evening. ,s There are 92 cities in Europe, each con r taining a population of moro than 100,000, c but only four which havo more than n t« million, viz :-London, 3,832,440; Paiis, 2,225,910; Berlin, 1,222,500; Vienna, g 1,103,110. if Chubb & Co,, the celebrated safe manu 'b f.cturcra, havo just made a safe for the (. Argentino Republic, capable of holding d 40,000,000 sovereigns. But nobody d belie.cs tho Argentines have got the t, sovetoigns. i, In his speech at Roxburgh, Mr Vincent d Pyke said that although on tho opposite ~ side of tho House, he considered Major )f Atkinson one of the most straightfor _ ward, honest, and honourable men in the ' country, r. " Who was it that said it was not good

for mau to bo alone ?'' a .ked tbo Sunday school teacher of the members of his class. A boy answered, "Daniel, air, when in the lion's don I"

a boy at school, on being asked to doacribe a kitten, said, " A kitten is re markablo for rushing like mad at nothing whatever, aud stopping before it gets thore." Tho oontral Queensland Moat Export Company has declared a. dbidond of 8 per cent, and this in the face of a large expen diture, interrupted operations, and the writing off of considerable Bums. Mr Harry Soymour, a well-known mem bor of tho New Zealand press, who was hero some t'ma back with the Panorama of New Zealand, is now in M.lbourno, ard is again a member of the fourth estate In tho caso of Mr Hunt versus Sir Arthur Gordon, evidence has been hoard at Samoa - several -European witnoasea and the King of Samoa undergoing examination in the matter. At Dunedin on Saturday, Mr Milner Stephen cured a little girl who had been cripplo for years from a contracted Slimb. Iv tbe case ,of another girl suffering from partial paralysis of the left arm, Mr Stephen manipulated tho arm for some minutes in his usual manner, after which the child was able, to all appearance, to use it as froely aa the other, Loud applause greeted this euro.

MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS.

A I_ECTI.BE was given last evening before tho members and friends of the Young Men's Mutual Improvo mont Association oonnected with the United Free Methodist Church by Mr John Blackman, on "Mutual improve ment Associations." The lecture was largely attended by young men, considering tho unfavourable night. The chair was oc cupied by the Rev, Samuel Macfalane, who introduced the lecturer with a few ap propriate remarks, Miss Hayles com menced with a pianoforte solo, " Sweet tlome," which elicited applause, Mr Thos, Clarko next gave a recitation, "The Demon Ship." The lecturer followed.aud occupieel an hour in delivery.^ Mr Blackman, iv the first part, gave a lucid (ketch of the varions literary associations from the seventeenth century to the present time, most of them being associated with literature, politics and wine, with pictures of their inner life, and mode of procedure. The riso of Mutual Improvement Associations was the result of cheap literature, and at the cessation of the Chartist movement, every town and village in Gteat Britian had their societies for the improvement of young men. In 1851, there wore more than 3000 of these institutions in Great Britain. A review 'of Auckland societies was given, somewhat in a humorous manner, with notices of some of their subjects ot discus j sion. Some of the dofeots of our Mutual Improvement Societies were noted, and regular attendance insisted upon. The lecturer said, Mutual improvement Societies ato gener ally of short duration, as Auckland examples shew, and this is easily accounted for. When members have attained some thing like proficiency in the class, and their purposes have been fulfilled, they are apt to leave the society for studies in con nection with the daily avocations of busy life, the olass being no longer of service to them, It was so with tho majority of our I Auckland lawyers, who learn their first lessons in speaking within the circle of ihe Mutual Improvement Association. Litera ture was useful for a term 5 but literature, however plea.ureoble to the mind, is not Immediately profitable, while on the ether hand, the law, prolific of long bdls, is suggestive of a suburban villa, a fortune, and a seat in the Legislative Council. Tho butterfly existence of many young men's societies is due to several causes. Young men of Auckland and the colonies generally are of a volatile disposition, and in numerous instances sadly lacking the durable characteristics of their English forefathers. Young men are continually wanting a change—something fresh, lively, and jolly. Young men are apt to get mar ried, and married life brings its duties and home pleasures, and the; leave the attrac tions of the association for home. Changes of circumstances come about, and young men are removed to distant spheres of action, and very frequently the loss of a few active spirits has the effect of a death knell upon literary circles, unless others come forward to fill their places. The lecturer wound up with a suitable poem. Misses Hayles and Peace performed a duet, " Tell mo where do Fairies Dwell." The last-named lady sang a very pleasing Irish melody, aud Mr H.. Tattersail gave "The Curfew Bell." The chairman made v. few closing remarks, and the' mteting terminated with voles ot thank, to the k-ctui'-i aim others who Uaei a-s-.s;. ii on the motion of Mr Tudohope, mcouded by Mr Johnston, which was carried by acplams- '. .ion. • I

CABLEGRAMS.

(SPECIAL TO PRESS ASSOCIATIOH.)

(Received 10th, 11.30 a.m.) FENIAN DYNAMITE PLOTS. LONDON, April 6. The police believe that tho Fenians in tended to causa several simultaneous ex plosions of dynamite iv different parts oE London. DR. LYON PLAYFAIR KNIGHTED. The Bight Hon. Dr. Lyon Playfair, late Chairman of Committees iv the Houso of Commons, has been knighted. JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT. , Mr Bdward McNaughton, Q.C., M.P. for County Antrim, succeeds Sir Edward i Jfry as one of the Judges of the Chancery I I division of the High Court of Justice. j

I (Received April 10th, 11,45 a.m.) LONDOn, April 9. SIR HERCULES ROBINSON. The " Standard " says that Sir Hercules Robinson will not return to the Cape. IRISH MURDER CONSPIRACY. Eight men have been arrested in Clare charged with murder and conspiracy. THE CORONATION OF THE CZAR. The threats made by tho Nihilists and the activity which that party is displaying in Russia will probably cause the Czai to postpone his proposed coronation. TIJBKEY ADVANCING. The Porta has consented to a junction being formed between tho Austrian aad Turkish railways at Printina.

(Received April 10th—noon.)

KEW LORD JUSTICE OF APPEAL. LONDOSr, April 6,

Sir Edward Fry, one of tho Judges of the Chancery Division, and not Sir William Field, Judge ofthe Qnecn's Bench Diviaien of tho High Court ef Justice, as previously reported, succeeds the Right Hon. Sir Wm- Baliol Brett as one of the Lord Justices of Appeal. A DYNAMITE EMISSARY FOR WINDSOR A man is known to have started from Birmingham for Windsor, carrying with him a quantity of dynamite, and managed to evade the police on the journey. COLONIAL MEDICAL DEGREES. The new Mediaal Bill introduced by the Government has been read a second time in the House of Lords. It recognises colo uial titles and degrees. Reciprocity is expected, IRELAND AND THE CRIMES ACT. The Parnellites fear that the condition of affairs in Ireland will induce the Govern ment to propose to make the Crimes Pre vention Act permanent. FATAL WEATHER. Tho " Lancet" states that the recent severe March winds have directly caused the deaths of ten thousand people in Eng land and Wales,

[Received iOlb, 12.30 p.m.] THE MARQUIS OF LORHE,

LONDON, April 9, It is probable that the Marquis of Lome will remain for another year in Canada.

THE RKPOKT ON COLONIAL DEFENCES.

The Hon. Evelyn Ashley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Colonies, replying to a question in the Houso of Commons, refused to givo publicity to the report of the Commission on Colonial defences.

OBITUARY. The death is announced of Wm. Charles Yelverton, Viscount Avonmore. FENIAN DYNAMITE FACTORIES. The American Fenians state that there are 200 secret factories of explosives. THE DYNAMITE OUTRAGES, Norman, the man recently arrested in the Strand in the possession of dynamite, is expected to turn approver. His brother and a man named Gallagher are.charged with the attempt to blow up a bridge and the gasometer at Glasgow. FENIAN OUTRAGE IN CANADA. An attompt has beeu mado at. Ottawa, in Canada, to blow up one of the Government departments, THE IMPERIAL EXPENDITURE. It is stated that Mr Gladstone will accept the motion brought forward by Mr Peter Ryland, M. V. for Burnley, condemning the growth of tho national expenditure, and proposing the appointment of a select com mittee to review the Estimates. DUKE OF EDINBURGH ATTENDS THE CZAR'S CORONATION. General Lord Woleeley and Admiral the Karl of Clanwilliam will accompany H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh to Moscow to attend the Czar's coronation.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

THK exhibition will be opened to-morrow evening by a conversation, at which His Excellency the Gnvernor will bo present. To the conversazione members only, and their friends, are to be admitted. The doors of the Choral Hall will be open to the public the next day, Thursday, at noon. The presence ot Sir William Jervois, to gether with tho excellence of the display, which excoeds anything of the kind yet seen in . .uckland, will no doubt attract a full attendance. The Choral Society's orchestra, under the conductorship of Herr Schmitt, has been practicing a number of musical selections, and the performers may be depended on to reach that standard of excellence for which they have become well-known. Invitations have been issued to tho officers of the English and German ships of war now in harbour. .. In addition to the collection of local artistic objects, the latest Mackelvie gift will be on view for the first time, It consists of over a hundred drawings and designs, which should prove in the future of great value to the students of art in Auckland. Altogether the forth coming Exhibition gives every indication of unusual success. It will be open from tho 12th to the 19th April, with the excep tion of Tuesday, the 17th, when the Hall will be required for the practice of " Moses in Fgypt ,f by the Choral Society.

PARNELL BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Council met at 7.30 last evening Present: His Worship the Mayor (R. Walker, Esq.), Councillors Clatke, Winks, Pollard, Davie.., Barber, Herbert, and Mullins.

Correspondence. — Letters were re ceived from the Foreman of Works stating that Mr' Thoburn wished a stone wall erected, and would pay £6 towards the cost—Letter to be considered at next meeting, Mr Thohnrn to be asked to make his offer ia writing. From the Grammar School Governor., stating that they were anxious to proceed with road from Portland Koad co Alpha Boad, and wished an assurance that it would he taken over, —Decided the Council are prepared to proceed with formation as soon aa Board re move buildings necessary. From Cr. Hood, applying for a month's leave of absence, in consequence of illness iv his family-iGranted. From Gas Company, offering to light all lamps in Borough, a'l night, at £7 10s por annum—Received, From the Town Clerk, City of Auckland, stating that if the Borough Council in tended draining into the creek at Mechanics' Bay, they should be prepared to pay half the cost of culvert to carry drain age out to sea—Beferred to Finance and Legal Committee. Tramway.—lt wa. decided "That Messrs Hesketh and Eichtnond be re quested to draw up the agreement with the company 'for passenger traffic only, and not for conveyance of goods.' " ! DRAINAGE.—It wan decided to pay £400 on account to the drainage contractor.—lt being stated that there wen: .. _n.,_l_iints con cerning tlie v,"uy tho roads hud been left by the contractor, it was resolved to refer the ; matter to tho Streets Committee, ! This v. as]all the business,

POLICE COURT.-This Day.

:BeforeMessr p S r W ;i H„ rßtandlilf The WATCH.-Robert Cecil 1)!,- ' remand, was charged with the larcenv'i? 11 silver watcb, value £2, ths -_-,__? \'a Alexander Walker, of AuckCf^ sorter pleaded not guilty.-Sergeant Wit called evidence. — Alexander lv .rl^ a blacksmith, of Wakefield-etrLt l^H that, on the evening in question ft depoaed the "Black Bull ; ? had arS w»hWentio in the hotel; stripped" 7 Eg?l^ coat and vest on the tafil i one round, occupying ten _,i__teV cff' returning to the room he fonnd hla'waht was gone. Prisoner was sitting. _AT table. - Cross-examined by V£Z . Th* 8 were other persons present in thl ,'_,__ c To the Bench: He' accuS cause he was told tbat prisoner had «______ . with his clothes; did not _eftw daS taken.- Joel Saxon, a fair %£*£** blacksmith, residing at PaS 8 ? S .hat he and Walker had f few w O rf.POSI letermined to fight it Sut V£l JS? lime Walker's watch went; prison" » sitting by his antagonist's clothes- S sisked Dixon to give up w ' j£e but Dixon denied it at fust, and "ft quently he said, " Well, if WnVt.? •« BhoutthewatchahaUre-appeariS M William Keats, a Beaman, deposed tn wr ing in at the " Black Bull" for _ n n!°t parties went out to do battle; the cloth™ were between Dixon and a.Jthetaw Dixon handling the clothes, hut cotdd no. swear that he took out the watch, To to Bench: Had knowu the «jolly S^?, for many years, but prisoner wsa a ™. parative stranger-Sergeant Whitest the watch bad not beou recovered -S Oner made a statementi, he waa a b^hm™ and had beeu drunk for three weeksH__ wasnot a lawyer-it was a false relfl -The Bench gave prisoner the benefit of he doubt, aud cautioned him as toll future conduct. ■ a Cabbies'Trials.-John Calvert was charged with a breach of the MnniS Corporations Act, by being drunk while iri charge of a hackney carriage; also «__ furious driving, and utine offensive _._ guage, on the 29th ult. -Mr Cotter appeared tor the City Conned in these casesSs fendant pleaded not guilty, -Mr Cotor said there were three chargea against d" ft'netant. He would by permission 0 f the Bench, tako the three together _d» fendant said he was drunk; but would not plead gudty to the chars™.of furious driving and offensive __nsna M * -Mr Cotter explained the cta.rgS which ware of an aßgravatcd nature.- Mr Edward W. Page, of Alfred-btrcet deposed that on the 29th ultimo he eneaeed defendant to caß for him and bis family ala friend's house at Mount Eden. Defendant had driven them out, and on returning after all were seated, he diacovered that defendant was under the influence oi liquor He drove rapidly between the cemeteties' and, instead of continuing along SyinrinffiJ street to the Choral Hall, he need most offensive language, and said he did iiotcare where the h he (Mr Page) wanted to go to : he was going to Vincent-atreet, He refu-ed to take complainant to Mi home.—George Goldie, Inspector, produced the by-law, clause 30, under which ihe charge was laid. Defendant's only' _3e_db_ was drunkenuess. He regarded Mr Pate as a gentleman, and had nothing to say against Mr Goldie.—To the Bench: A'per son must be three times convicted before refusing to grant a new liceme.-Mr Hurst said the Council had power to refute a license where it oould he shown that the applicant jvas not a sober, trustworthy man, — Mr Goldie said he took Calvert to the Town Clerk, and did not admit the license on his own respsniibility, lie, fendant said he could not have'been very drunk to have bean ablo to have driven from Mr Cosgrave. on a dari night without accident. The Bench con sidered tbe evidence and the law, aud imposed fines'of £1 in each offence, viz,; £3, or, in default, 14 days' imprisonment-) each case. On ihe Wrong Stahd.—A cm ol allowing his cab to stand in a position othei than that appointed for that purpose, and beyond a reasonable term, was preferad against Pobert Campbell, but was adjourned until Saturday next. Detjbk. — Ellen McLean and B6_«l Smith. 5s each. A Chinamav,—Hip ta was charged wit) a breach of the bye-laws by leaving hi horse and cart in -Lome-street wittaou pas»ing a chain through tha whsel on th 31st ult. —s#r. Quoi imorpreted in th Chinese language. —Defendant pleade guilty, and was fined 5s and costv Offences * gainst the Bye-iaw-.- Sevsral pc__.ons_.oro charged witha -[Bicl of tho bje-law by n.glecting to kc.p theii private yards in a cleanly condition -M Cotter appeared for the council, and M Goldie, Sanitary Inspector, gave evidence —Itob.rt Hooley, Bridget Jenkins,.am Janus, were fined Is each with coats. This was all the business.

OPERA HOUSE-"JEANNIE DEANS."

'*4Sr ■ : —• ■ Tnis excellent adaption from Sir Wills! Scott's popular novel" The Heartof Midlo»' tbian," was produced at the Oper4,Howf| last evening for tho third time this aea-on, with considerable success. Tha veat-trA was very unfavourable, bnt notwithstanding this fact there was a good attendance, Tha part of Jeannie Deans, in which Mi_i Eloise Juno appears, is one which call* into play all the dramatic powers of a good actress, ana the impersonation was a really capital one, the lady being seen to the best advantage, Miss Groenless, too, carried the sympatMej of the audience with her in the part of ftf|i ruined girl, fiffie Deans, which she reps sented very f-ithfully. . Mr Lac-lan's Bud. ' biedykes was a splendid ponrtr. yal of a Scotch laird of the old school, while uMj' of the humour with which the part abounds was lost. All the other characters wcra1,, well sustained. " Anne Sylvester To-night." The adaptation of "Anne Sylvester" from Wilkie Collins'a sensational novelo. "Man and Wife" is announced bam evening, and there is but little doubt'that ! it will draw well. The play has bee- ; adapted from the original by MrMeGoW who is said to possess considerahlo ability in this direction. - »

TEMPERANCE ENTERTAIN MENT.

♦ ■ - Notwithstanding the heavy dovsi*" of rain that fell last evening, there t« such a crowded meeting at the Tei-Jcmse Hall, that many were obliged to elan, toft in the ball and ante-room. The entertain ment was under the auspices of the Keif Zealand Order of Good Templars, snd the platform was wholly occupied by tin Lodge Deputies and Past Officers Me David Goldie occupied the chair, and after tho singing of the opening ode, he annowi ced with regret the absence of two net, gentlemen who had been expected to . address the meeting. He then called upon Miss Goodacre for a solo on the pianoforte, which was well ployed. Mr Marsonswg "Happy Moments" in his W»-■ style, Mrs Broadribb by request, g»« ' The Dear Little Shamrock," which wa cordially encored. Mrs Anderson's wa* tiou was very appropriate, and was fol lowed by a song about "Hard (__., pya juvenile. An excellent addressiva«i»?y delivered by Mr Wilicocks. Miw.MattM , sang "Please Give| Me a Penny,".»4;S|i meeting promptly recalled her,. Cue «>?? sailors of H.M.S, Diamond, being cal» upon, sang, with applause, "The UJ m Sailor." Mr Curtis executed a solo cm u» clarionet in''first-class stjle, and a ««»»■.'; able te.itation, in the Lancashire d»i«, from another man-o'-war. man, adoM » the fund of sociality. The address pi ffl evening, however, was the pathetic a™ earnest one of the Bey. Mr Jackson, tne chaplain of H.M.S. Diamond. B* !Pr of the good already accomphshea »; the establishment of Good TenW in the Royal Navy in general, a* in that vessel in ■ partlenl«f * which he had been appointed £<*?)£ the good work-that one-fourth oi w ship's company were total abstainers,, »» ■ he hoped tbat the whole crew wo°W»W , the same principles. (^PP lause''.-7i. a t - glad of their sympathy, becausehis w* was in the work. He bad his m* ** sorrows-joy when ihe sailor mal w» to his pledge, and redeemed from the cm of drink, and Borrow when any OJ«* money found its way to the publican «m The timo has gone by for the pn"**^I}' the eeapott townsof-JBngland to»weep»^ the tailors' hard, earnings, and mo» tho prevent day does not upou that stupefying and fiery stuu > ruinous both 10 soul and b»i_. gcntfSrmn resumed Lis Mutt at ««» f *\ _ -,■ i. .1. ** [• H',/.'Jill" >.* * '1 ,).l.use. A song, ' l> . [l , , Mis BathMbv, and tfafhjmu «y I Father CSo-hyUle_«_i", m , per-o- joined, cob.M_ . this into * - ! meeting, • : -'-.i



Special Advertisementa ~ New _ Season's Goods. Broch. Silks TOILLIAM RATTRAY Price ,r HaTlßg Bonght^ Broch. Si-ks. worth ot _t Wholesale Prico BBOOHBSI . LKE! _ Broch-Sllks ' __ at Wholesale Price ■•_• nf Broch-Silks BLACK, WHITE, at Wholesale Price DAUiTHEFABHIONABI , E Tlrnohfi SilkS at Wholesale Price S-UJDes 0. COWUE, Broch- Silks at a at Wholesale Price Heavy Dlacomt off ÜBUal Broch. Silks, Prices, at Wholesale Price fi _. at Wholes Je Price Who_ks___ Prices. Broch. Silks Ladies are particularly re nt-Wholesale Price quested to call early Brocbi Silks assortment, at Wholesale Price atWhoteatoPrice ROMILLON- I Broch. Silks BEST QUALITY at Wholesale Price - o g aPHlsrß K ID at .Sffirice ««W Brocb.6 Silks. Slightly Spotted, at Wholesale Price &t rt^a^«« •» 2*lld William Rattray, T-rt-tPT.!.i CLOTHIER. &STLK MERCER, DRAP« f'm T& 182. QUEEN-STREET, , .', Apcklamd. . 4--^TOU CAN G_-TTiT ONLY FROM, <_f_™_T_ BROACH AND BARKINGS,?? SIL7 K ?OCK_T AND M-COKt-ST. FourAittolesfor _,■ „ TW KNTY BHILLINS"-. From F. H. L-WIBSON, Jeweller, Queen-street, opposite Union Bank. SOtr OAW SBK THBM IN THE WINDOW; i FLO UK MILLS. JOHN "LAMB fektoSea *»■' do. do Wheat Me»l fl0« a-' "' ' '.Sharps. . Brf-n . , , - . : owl wheat oa7': ~ . Jtfo_e-Bi!3.»>t» -. '•.■■: S_r,ij 6 °' . ...._.„.„ - n," .">- ii ,t-_»_- «■__«.-_!-_? A-OKJAKD.



special Advertlsementa. -aNI .-__» Io oon.eQuenoe ot the lnolemenoy ot t. weather, tho Opening ot the above Eatablisl ment Is POSTPONED till SATURDA next, Joseph J^oses, MANAGER. Boys' Suits Cheap and Good Boys' Suits Cheap and Good Boya' Suits Cheap and Good Boys' Suits Cheap and Good Boys' Suits Cheap and Good Men's Suits Cheap and Goo Men's Suits Cheap and Goo Men's Suits Cheap and Goo Men's Suits Cheap and Goo Men's Suits Cheap and Goo Cheap Blankets and Flannels Cheap Blanket- and Flannels Cheap Blankets and Flannels Cheap Blankets and Flannels Cheap Blankota and Flannela . Hosiery Cheap and Goo Hosiery Cheap and Goo Hosiery Cheap and Goo Hosiery Cheap and Goo Hosiery Cheap and Goo Best Value in White Shirts Best Value In White Shirts Best Value in White Shirts Best Value in White Shirts Best Valuo in White Shirts Axe now being sol Are now being sol Are now being sol - Are now being sol Aro now being sol At the New Zealand At the New Zealand At the New Zealand At the New Zealand Clothing Faotor Clothing Factor. Clothing Faotor: Clothing Faotor 7 ... . Clothing Faotor 168 and 160, Queen-street. J. FITZSIMONS, Brano-Manager, YOG OAN _ FURNISH YOUR HOUSE CHEAPLY H-ROM GARLICK Sa CRANWELL- FußNrrt-rk Warehouse IRON BEDSTEAD-- f _80 In stools now to Se- GABLIOK lent from :French, Halt Tester, Four Poster, & CRANWELL Stump Cota.Chairßedß, ™* Stretohera. Child's Bed- Queen-st., steads with half sides, ,iWD "" Double Iron Bedsteads Auokland, from 26s to £10. SPRING MATTRASBKS- Rowollffe'e Wire Spring GARLXOK Mattraßa, Stuffed Box Se ORANWELI and Lath Mat. rass BEDDING ready for de- GARLICK livery (to fit any size &ORANWBU Bedstead) — Hair, Ka pok, Flax, Flook, Fibre GARLICK Matt-asses. Feather & ORANWELI Bedß, Pillows and Bota- _ tors, Palliasses! a large GARLICK stook always on hand. & CRANWELL BEDROOM Furniture- Great variety of wash- GARLICK stands and Tables; & ORANWELI very pretty Queen Ann Marble-top Washstand GARLICK and Table, with glass & CRANWELL attached; also variouß „._,_■ low priced patterns for GARLICK ordinary rooms; Chest Se CRANWELL ot Drawers, Ward- robes, Toilet Glasses, GARLICK Immense stook. & CRANWELL DINING. BITIING- and „_.,„,, Drawing-room Fnrnl GARLICK tore — __t__ In stook & OBANWKLL very oheap, and Furnl _______________ turn for any room made to order at a short no GARLICK tloe. Occasional Chairs and Tables. ra , & CRANWELL AUSTRIAN Bent Wood Furniture — Without oan Furnish Your doubt the largest var iety of CHalrs in this House style to ssleot from In AuoklanfljPlanoStoolß, Chhafly, Arm, Foldioß. Rooking and Children 'a Chairs. e__-DIT-OU_i.y. AMERICAN CHAIRS- Importera dlreot from asd KITCHtN KDRNITUBE THOROUGHIY. Fenders and Flrelrcns, Carpets, Kloor Cloths. ~~ Linoleum, Matting, qaRLIOK Chimney Glaßßea, Sec, " See. & CRANWELL STOD can Furnish *fSf " WELL from the . iAokland. City Hall Arcade . ::is* — — -#• Important ANNOT^ifIiMENT. MKS9RS 8. COOMBES te CO. have again to make an announcement ot tbe Pnrobaße of a Large Btook. comprising that ot Messrs J. COS GRaVK & CO., and that having Purchased the Goods at a Low Figaro, he will bo enabled to dispose of them to the publlo at about ■I AS IN THE POUND, OR HALF ORIGINAL This stock Is well known to be one ot the Lea-eat Cheapest, and Best Selected In or i^d Auokland, and Majsrs B. Coombes Md Co. have determined to dlspiwe of It In ONE month oa the very favourable terms above mentioned. The Bale vriU commence on MONDAY NEXT, APRIL IBIH. In the premises lately oooupled^by Messrs 3. (WSGRAVE Sa 00„Queen.treet. For Fuller Partloulars, see Advertisement In another column. S. COOMBfiS & CO., QUEEN -TRBET. r jpHORNTON, SMITH AND FIRTH | " HAVE FOR SALE : | "Cr wn" Fionr, In saoks, 100's and. 50". t Champion" do, do, do, i "Cantab " do, ilo. do, • " Sharps i Bran' | . Fowl Wheat