STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT.

AUCKLAND, N.Z., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1885.

RANDOM SHOTS.

[By Zamiel.]

SwSto-Plcaaettoc^y^ash, j„an--lneve,^h- rfun _

THH- surely never was a more wretched "fizzle," from first to last, than the City Council's dealings with the now celebrated Surrey Hills Estate. Offered it on splendid terms a few years ago, at the price of £100,000, they promptly rejected what, it is - ow admitted, was an uncommonly good thing. *' There is a tide in the affairs of (Corporations as well as) men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." On such a full sea were the Council then afloat, but having missed their chance, they are now «floundering and foundering" in pitiable -fashion. That "informal meeting" from S the reporters were carefully excluded 25 have formed a study for a painter of Steal scenes-the sombre looks of the ,80'enin conclave, met to consider nothmg at «?iTnd taking no action whatever, giving K-51«e aspect to the gathering, SK_H-ra gloomily reflected or, the WW which their former neglect had been the'means of losing to the city, besides the noble which was in contemplation. It may not be clear to everyone that the net .Ks a large public park a_d " a cool fifty i_ou " but to me it is as plain as a pike staff Since they were offered this estate, "the unearned increment"_ has accrued so rapidly that its value has increased by 50 ocr cent., for a little bird has whispered that though the proprietore made no over tures they led the Council to understand, in an "informal" way, that the present price was f 150,000. That increase, which in all cases (according to the disciples of Henry George and Sir George Grey) should UO to the community, is irreparably lost, and the prospect of a park which would have been "a thing of beauty and a joy forever," a credit to Auckland and a priceless boon to her citizens—is gone with it. Well, there's no use crying over spilt milk, and it is rather ungracious to blame the City Fathers for a simple error of judgment. For one small mercy the public have reason to be thankful, and that is the blotting out of that original abortion of a plan, which if adhered to would have converted the beau tiful Surrey Hillsinto acollection of closely packed cottages, with wretched back-slums and alleys. The liberty of the Press and the liberties of the people were in that case finely identified, and the vigorous criticism of tho Star effectually damned that most condemnable proposal. May I venture to hope that the proprietors of the estate will continue to show the same deference to en lightened public opinion, and will further modify their plan so as to offer large sites for select villa residences, with more liberal allowances for breathing places, recreation wuund», and educational endowments. The "fancy" prices obtained for allotments at the opening sale on Wednesday prove one of two things—either that the public have a very high opinion of the eligibility of the sites, or that the land-speculation fever is raginf in a violent form. "Zm_iel" may share °the high opinion, but he is not infected by the fever; hence his name will be sought in vain among the numerous list of pur chasers. The lesson of the whole affair seems to be, that the best possible adver tisement for a land sale is to tread on the corns of the' Press and open "informal" negotiations with the City Council.

I am told that Mr Shortt, inspired by the example of Messrs Brown and Hut son, is eager to take the Theatre Royal for the purpose of discussing the morality of art unions with "Zamiel." Now, I should be most happy to oblige the tonsorial pro iessor were not my time occupied by more profitable pursuits, especially as the pro-, feasor's letter to the Star furnishes so ad mirable a text I admire candour, and when Mr Shortt takes the public into his confidence and tells them that he intends distributing his twenty pound notes and shades of birds by gift, so that he may not be nabbed under the Gaming and Lotteries Act, lam bound to believe him. But what —d reflections dees this revelation call .forth I IS a couple of mild art unions have brought a vestryman to these expedients for the evasion of the law, what may not be the effect of a long course of more mer cenary lotteries upon the unregenerate ? Now, friend Shortt, would you have us suppose that those twenty pound notes are thrown away out of pare philanthropy ? If not, and as your subscribers aro justified in believing, the profits of the little affair—that is the .difference between what you gave for those pictures and the price at which you mean to sell them to the public by raffle—will stand this liberal distribution <if the subscribers' money, don't you see, my'dear innocent old fellow, that they have very good grounds ,for objecting to your handing over their cash to whomsoevei • you please to .pick out in the hall? Lotteries may have , their bad features, but if the commission is pot too high, and they are honestly drawn, they are fair enough, and every subscriber ;geto a chance equal to the lull value of his money. But to eso gift distributions are unmitigated abominations. Tbey may be tolerated iv a travelling showman, who gives away his own property, and can give it to whomsoever .ho likes, but ii the showman wore to collect mosey for an ait union andthendistr—mteit bygiftathi-discretion, it would bo a horse, of quite another colour, and the subscribers would very soon demand ■mi equal chance, or know the reason why. Bye-bye, Shortt; run art anions if you find them pay you—tiie simple excitement of winning one of your pictures won't de moralise the entire community; but, for goodness sake, leave off writing letters -and spouting art union ait debating societies; Mcause these are apt to provoke criticism.

There is very little in the ory of "dull "mes" which has of late been raised in various districts of the colonies. To the philosophic eye of "Zamiel," the reason of fw periodically recurring cry is obvious, And it is this: Colonists have been so long Kcuetomed to live in easy, not to say affluent circumstances, that the slightest pinch of the shoe in the shape of a passing penod of depression leads all the pessimiste to utter a dismal wail that the colony is going to the dogs. I am no optimist Jto speak confidentially, my , philosophy «nsists generally in "taking things as Jiey come" ) ;• but there is nothing more mavr than this howl about hard times. ■ r Hard times, comparatively, we may have - 6lperienced at times; but hard times, abso- W&y, we have never been within a hundred '

miles of. As to the present commercial con dition sf New Zealand, the lamentations over it are tbe purest humbug. In each of the four leading cities of the colony, I am within the mark in saying that £10,000 are presently being "put up" on tho forth coming Melbourne Cup, and that does not at all savour of those " hard times " wHich, in the Old Country, mean privation, and sometimes absolute lack of the necessaries of life. There is no symptom of a scarcity of cash in the fact that the Redmond Brothers have collected about £2,000 in the colony. Even in Dunedin, where the cry of depression has been the bitterest, and where the "bawbees" are rated at their full valuation, Mr J. E. Redmond raised a sum of £400, while the veracious " Capting " Barry bled the canny Scots of that city, and carried off a purse of sovereigns as a trophy of his lecturing season. While people can scatter their bounty about in this fashion, it is pure hypocrisy to wail over dull times. But there must be some cause for the lament, and what is it ?

xxx Probably (to bring two ends of a long trail together) it might be found that the direct steam service between London and New Zealand has something to do with it. Exporters have been pitch-forking goods on the colonial markets; local dealers have speculated heavily, and they now find that they cannot so readily realise their enormous stocks. Certain it is 'ihat the shopkeepers sadly complain, and some of them are driven to strange devices in order to secure custom. The old dodge of a " Great Clear ing Sale—Going to England," is worked threadbare, and fresh plans are resorted to. Nothing that I have seen comes up to the device adopted by a Masterton draper and milliner. He was engaging a new sales man (a married man, by the way), and he wrote to him as follows:—"If you can make it convenient to come to Masterton on Saturday next per first train, I should very much wish it, as Saturday next is the first day of my sale. I must now give you par ticulars of the business tact which I have thought proper to make use of. I have made it public that I am expecting my cousin, a young man, well to do, good looking, about 25 years of age, single, thorough good draper, very liberal, and in tending to settle down in Masterton, so much so that he is bringing with him a complete set of household furniture. Tho effect so far is immense, and I wish for the next month at least to let the young ladies enjoy their own opinion, and patronise my store in tho meantime. You men tioned that your wife intended spending a holiday in Palmerston for about a month, consequently it will suit admirably."

This extraordinary development of "busi ness tact" I commend to those Auckland drapers who are at their wits' ends how to extract money from tho pockets of tho pub lic. A youthful " cousin" so bent on settling in life that he has laid in the house furniture would prove nn attractive "draw" to the ladies, who are always ready to interest themselves in a matrimonial " Bweep." I regret to have to add that the " business tact " of tho Masterton tradesman did not meet with its full reward. His sale went immensely, I doubt not, and the charms of the " cousin " coined cash for the space of a month ; but mark the baseness of human ingratitude. The make-believe cousin thought himself entitled to some share of tho spoil which his connivance at deception had brought in, and accordingly he helped himself freely from the till of his employer. In conse quence of this, he has been arrested on a charge of embezzlement, and in his solitude may reflect on the certainty of evil recoiling on its author ; while the master of dry goods " tactique" will perhaps bo in a frame of mind to admit that the cunning man is very apt to over-reach himself.

A striking illustration of tho fact that alcohol is no respecter of porsons-rnot even of a lady in a rustling, expensive silk dress —was witnessed a few days ago in tho Police Court ; yet Icould notholp thinking, when I heard the plebeian name of Arthur Sketchley's heroine pronounced by tho stal wart orderly, that the lady in silk might be, despite her rustling dress, but a unit of tho people—perhaps an advocate of "woman's rights," and evidently a devoted lover of whisky. The lady, unabashed, acknow ledged that she had committed two errors — (1) she had imbibed too much whisky; (2) she got into the wrong earriago on the rail way, owing, as she avowed, to tho stupidity of tho guard, who should havo looked after a lady—he ought to have known that she resided at Vintage Cottage, Onehunga, and from her .general appearance that she was not a fit and proper person to vegetate in the sylvan glades of Avondale, whore thero was, she understood, a lunatic asylum. She was, however, but the creature of cir cumstances, and having done her little round of sleep, she awoke to a consciousness of her real position in a police station, and instead of welcoming the bright rays of the rising sun at Vintage Cottage, she was kindly saluted by the strange voice of tho lockup-keeper, who proffered her a cup of warm, reviving tea.

The story of the unhappy lady may be briefly told. She had come into town upon a little business, and had forgotten her storm protecting gingham, ono of Williams's "highly recommended" for pleasuro seekers. A shower came rattling down, and she sought the temporary shelter of a verandah next to a fascinating hotel. In an evil moment she slipped inside and had the masculine courage to call for a nobbier of Irish whisky ; she took a second and a third in success—m"-un—l her head swam, and everything in that fairy palace whirled round with ceaseless rapidity as if set in motion by spirit influences, which in a certain sense was correct. The lady put her hand to her head, and muttered, in the language of Shakespere:— Can such things be, And overcome ns like a sm nmereloud. Without our special wonder J

Under the guidance of «little urchin, the lady found her way to the railway station, and in some mysterious manner got into a carriage bound for Helensviile. Her error was made known to her by Guard Burns (immortal name), Who desired her to " tip ". her ticket or pay the fine. She could do neither, but vociferously roared for Vin tage Cottage. The satirical words, "You are going to the Whau," struck her with amazement, and she swooned. She knew no more until the next morning, when she confessed, very modestly, that she was slightly inebriated. She paid the fine, With * promise that she would be more exact in future. Arthur Sketchley, were he living,'might have turned Mrs Brown trip to tiie Whau to profitable account. X XX v

Mr 0. H. Spurgeon, of the Newington Tabernacle, possesses many excellent traits

of character, and withal he is one of the most unselfish men of the day. For some years past Mr Spurgeon has busied himself in collecting paintings for a Reformation gallery, which has recently been open to the public at his Stockwell Orphanage in aid of its funds. The pictures illustrate the struggles which have taken place in Eng land, Germany, and elsewhere for religious freedom. Mr Spurgeon does nothing with out a fixed and definite purpose, and in afew words prefixed to the catalogue he gives the motives-which prompted him to make his very instructive and interesting collec tion. As the majority of people are tempted to forsake the principles of the Reformation, he feels that they should not be led astray by lack of knowledge, nor remain in ignor ance of the history of Protestantism. He has been at great trouble and exponse in making the collection, but these are small matters compared with the instruction which the mind may receive through the eye. On the opening day 1,040 persons paid for admission to the gallery, and were well satisfied with the sight. Mr Spurgeon prepared a descriptive catalogue contain ing a brief historic sketch of each picture, ranging from tho days of Constantino to those of Wesloy. In this labour of love the great Baptist preacher has been assisted by persons in all parts of Great Britain hold ing similar views, and who evince much practical sympathy with the Protestant gallery illustrative of scenes and characters ever dear to those persons who feel an in terest in portraits of Christian heroes and memorials and victories of the Christian faith.

I have to acknowledge the receipt of a courteous note from an esteemed corres pondent, whose official position entitles him to speak with authority, in which he points out that the postal fine levied upon me last week and mentioned in these columns was imposed by the British P.O. authorities, for whom the New Zea land department simply acts as collector. After remarking upon the greater strin gency of the British regulations, ho adds : "The rule of this department is to charge double tho deficiency ; and as tho regula tions aro pretty widely circulated by means of tho Postal Guido and notices, compara tively few charges have to bo mado in tho colony." With all duo deference to my obliging informant, let mo remark that this is but tantamount to a petitio principii, a mero begging of tho question. I claim that it is grossly unfair to inflict punish ment, whotfier by fine or othorwiso, upon the person who neither committed, connived at, or is in any way responsible for tho offonco which calls for correction, and though, by affording wido publicity to tho regulations, our postal .officials try to minimiso tho ignorant in fringement of thorn, that docs not palliato t the wrong which underlies their mode of punishment.

Last week I mentioned ono or two possible casc3 of hardship under such a practice, and I might go on to multiply them. For in stance, it is a fact within the cognisance of many of my renders fcthoy will pleoso ex cuse mo for arousing unpleasant recollec tions) that, during tlio St. Valontino season, young people are very fond of playing practical joltes by sending to acquaintances insufficiently-stamped parcels containing either hideously grotesque cartoons or articles of a ridiculous character. On these unhappy recipients of undesirable parcels tho postal tines fall with peculiar sovority. I remember ono individual imparting to mo with woeful indignation tho fact that he had just paid a heavy fine in order to secure from tho clutches of tho Post Ollico a very promising looking package, and that, on ro tiring to a secluded spot to feast his eyes upon tho expected treasure, ho removed the elaborate wrappings only to disclose a few well-burnt bricks. xxx

In another case, a young man released a largo and flabby-looking envelope from tho durnnco vilo of Post Oilice detention only to find that it was tilled with whiting, whi—i a strip of paper lying on the top boro tho tantalising legend, " Sold again and got the money." In thoso case-, the culpable persons made a tool of the Post Oflico for tho purposo of wreaking a potty spite upon innocent persons, and they are but typical of hundreds of others. Take another case : Suppose that anyono re ceived an insufficiently-stamped package containing nn infernal machine, upon which he had to pay, and which executed its frendish mission. Do not all those cases bring out into a strong light the indefensi bility of tho prnctico? Thore can only be one answer, and to argue the question further seems too mucE like a work of supererogation. Judgment goes by default.

I was witness several days ago to a rather amusing scene in the city, in which a local medico, an intoxicated individual, and a policeman were principal actors. An ob fuscated but decidedly "festive cuss," whose natural turn for practical joking was displayed at almost overy stop he took, was charmed in the course of his meandering up Wellesley-street by the natty littlo pony and carriage which it is tho delight of Dr. Wright to drive in the course of his daily rounds. The pony was hitched in front of a chemist's shop, and in tho twinkling of an eye the votary of the bacchanalian god was inside the buggy, and, whip in hand, had the little animal trotting vigorously up Wellesley-street. The doctor followed on foot, and so also did a policeman and sundry others who desired to see the fun. Threats, expostulations, "nd coaxing were all of no avail. The intoxicated driver managed without any difficulty to keep half-a-dozen lengths ahead of his pursuers. The procession travelled in style down Hob son-street, to tho intense amusement of the spectators, and several other thoroughfares had been traversed by the peculiar caval cade before the " elevated" cause of the trouble was satisfied with his little outing. At last he drew rein,, and when the doctor and his supporters came puffing _ up, he handed over possession with an air of the most utter nonchalance. The whole affair was ludicrous in the extreme, and the doctor was evidently impressed with this fact and enjoyed the joke thoroughly when he refused to take proceedings against the individual who had put him to so much trouble.

And while on this subject, I may be al lowed toexpressmysurprise atareportwhich has been currentduring the last few days. It is asserted, though with what reason I know not, that at the meeting of our city fathers on Thursday week, one of the coun cillors appeared in his place in a condition the reverse of sober. It is further alleged that his " jollity " had the effect of delaying the business considerably, and of placing

other councillors in a ridiculous light before various burgesses who were there as visitors that evening. Of course, tbe rumour can not bo true, and I expect that it will be denied as a vile canard. But if there is justification for the report, it would be in teresting to know who the offending coun cillor is, what constituency he represents, and whether the City Council Bellamy's had anything to do with the condition in which he found himself. It would also be interesting to ascertain whether the recent lengthy meetings of the Council, at which no business of importance was transacted, were due to the introduction of comfortable parliamentary benches and thp institution of a Bellamy's, where councillors might re fresh themselves with a glass of " summat strong" at frequent intervals during the evening. xxx Like many other people, I do not concur in all the methods adopted by the Salvation Army mission for the conversion of sinful humanity, but my admiration has been excited by the practical work undertaken by several ladies who are connected with the movement. These noble women have been for some weeks engaged in regular visitations to the lowest hovels that aro to bo found in our worst slums. They have been labouring for thespiritual and temporal well-being of that class of females who havo sunk in the depths of vice and shame, and to their credit it may bo said that they havo already effected a great deal of good. Quite a number of women, who have again and again been the miserable occupants of the police cells, havo been impressed with a full sense of their own shamo, and have re pented of their ovil ways. With the assist ance of charitable friends, they have been removed from the scene of their daily temp tations, and havo boon afforded an oppor tunity of commencing life anew. Tho mission, which has boon so singularly suc cessful, and which commends itself to every light-thinking person, still continues. xxx On dit that a well-known local identity of great means, whose amiable littlo weakness it is to make pecuniary advances to people in difficulties, for liboral consideration— something less than cent, per cent.—foil into the hands of a Philistine tho other day, and got rather severely mauled. It seems that tho man of hoarded and interest-bear ing pelf was in earnest consultation with his legal advisor at tho latter'a oilice, when a recommitoriug client, who had been out on the war-path since early morn, suddenly appeared upon tho sceno, pounced upon tho plutocrat, and opened up aetivo hostilities. A very animated tusslo ensued, accom panied with a remarkably free uso of sul phurous oxpletivos. Seeing at last, or rather feeling, that ho was struggling against tremendous odds, tho man of means suddenly dodged his assailant, rushed holtor skoltor down tho stairs, and, dashing panic stricken into tho street, with hair streaming in the wind, blood-flocked neck, elaborate shirt front sot out liko a full-bellied sail, he foil-sobbing upon tlio sympathetic bosom of tho sago of Parnell—tho groat and only W.E.S. Tho big-souled imitator of Cnrlylo soothed, comforted and condoled with his allluont neighbour, who is now for a timo under a cloud. To anxious inquirers ho is " not at homo." Meanwhile the clients are enjoying a good time.

I sincerely trust that tho oporations of tho Salvation Army in our midst will not ongomlor wholesale Pecksniftianism, though a story related to mo the other night by tho partner of my joys and sorrows convinces mo that in one case, at any rate, conversion by the H'lirmy has been attended by that holy self-sulticioucy ascribed by tho un godly to the rigidly righteous. A young woman who had been in tho habit of exchanging confidences over tho back fence with Mrs Zamiel, was about to take unto horsolf a husband. The manufacture of tho wedding raiment was entrusted to a Hallelujah lass. On the evening preceding tho oventful day the white satin dross came home, but so badly had it boon made, that tho prospective sacrifice at the Altar of Hymen couldn't got it on. Angry as only a woman can bo when hor dress is spoilod, tho young lady girded up her loins and started on a belligerent journey to tho dressmaker's. Did that worthy faint with mortification when she learned of tho mistidco sho had made ? No. Did she faltcringly oiler to ondoavour to set the matter right ? No. Sho piously turned up tho whites of hor eyes and thanked Heaven that sho had not such vanity. What followed I do not know. Tho yoinijj lady was eventually married in white muslin.

"Join at Once."

A vooxg sub-lieutenant in India left his regiment on sick leavo, and put up nt tho best hotel, not far from Poona, where ho was immediately smitten by the attractions of a lovely maiden who was stopping thoro. Ho proposed, was accepted, and tho happy day was fixed. Tho Colonel, however, disapproved of sub-lieutenants getting married, and particularly of tho sub. in quostion. As ho happened to be a friend of the yonngman'sfather, he thought to prevent the union of the fond couple by sending a peremptory telegram, couched in tho fol lowing words: "Join at once." The son of Mars was in despair. Ho presented him self before his intended with the fatal missive in his hand, and nnything but a look of 'pleasure on his countenance; but the lady was equal to the occasion. With a blush of maidenly simplicity and virgin innocence, she cast her eyes on the ground, and remarked, " Dear me, I'm glad your colonel approves of the match, but what a hurry he is in. I don't think I can get ready so soon ; but I'll do my best, because, of course, love, the command of your colonel must be obeyed." The young warrior was puzzled. "Don't you see, my darling," he said, "that the confounded telegram puts a stopper on our plana? You don't seem to understand the telegram. He says Eoremptorily, ' Join at once.'" The lady's lushes redoubled, but, with a look of arch simplicity, she raised her lovely eyes on her fiance, and replied, "It is you, my darling, who don't seem to understand it. Your colonel says plainly, 'Join at once,' by which, of course, he means get married immediately. What else can he possibly mean?" A look of intelligence replaced the air of bewilderment on the young hero's classic features; he accepted the explana tion, and was enabled to answer the colonel's telegram in forty-eight hours afterwards in these words: "Your orders are-obeyed, we were joined at once."



-VT 0 W READY. " TT> RETT'S /"IOLONISTS' i~l UIDE J_»RETT'S V.OLONISTS' VjUIDE AND CYCLOPAEDIA of ttseful YCLOP-SDIA OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE " NOWLEDGE, BEING A COMPENDIUM OF INFORMATION BY PRACTICAL COLONISTS UPON FARMING, HORTICULTURE, AND ALL SUBJECTS OF INTEREST TO NEW ZEALAND SETTLERS. Euitkd iiy Thomson W. Leys. The above work, which contains 830 pages, anil is profusely illustrated with engravings, comprises sections on :— THE FARM, by Thomas Allen : Directions for Hush and Fern Land ; Growth of vari ous Cereal and Root Crops; Management of Cattle, Sheep, and Horses, with Cure of their Diseases, etc., ote. This section, which contains 217 closely-printed pages, with many diagrams and illustrations. Including specimens of the best pure-bred horses, sheep, and cattlo, together with selections from the Stud and Pedigree Stock Company's thoroughbred stock, comprises the carefully collated experience of some of the most successful Auckland und Canterbury Farmers. HORTICULTURE, iiy, W. Goldie: In this section, which covers 106 pages, with numer ous Illustrations, special attention is paid to tlia manage—ontof Fruit Trees, with such simplo directions and diagrams for Pruning, Grafting, Budding, etc., that any settler, without previous knowledge or skill, can manage his orchard profitably. POULTRY, by Thomas Allen: This section, comprising II pages, gives specimens of tho best varieties of Poultry, with directions for their Management, Designs of Fowl-houses, Treatment of Diseases, otc. USEFUL MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCES, 34 I -bos: Umlcr this heading havo been classed a variety of contrivanocs, which will bo found useful to the settler, hints and helps for Uie bush; chceso presses, carts, fences, gates, measuring and splitting timber, measuring garments, erecting walls and banks, windmills, &c. &c. PRESERVING AND STORING, 30 Pages: Includes the best methods of storing, drying, bottling, canning, and preserving fruit; the most approved modes of curing bacon and hams, with design for smokc-houso; in structions for pickling, sauces, vinegar making, &c. &c. INSECTS AND AGRICULTURAL ENE MIES, iiy Cai-t. Broun: In this section, Captain Broun, the well-known New Zea land entomologist, supplies the results of years of observation upon nativo and im ported insects, useful and injurious, with illustrations of the same, and directions for destroying garden and orchard pests. SCIENTIFIC BEE CULTURE, by J. HOP KINS! This interesting department has boon fully and skilfully treated by Mr Hop. kinß, of Matamata, whose works on tho . subject arc well known throughout New Zealand. WINEGROWING AND MANUFACTURE, Practical Arboriculture, Tobacco Culture, Hop Growing and Silkworm Hearing, with Cultivation of Olives, Tea, &c., me each exhaustively treated. THE FAMILY DOCTOR, iiy Dfi. Knight and Mil J. A. Pond, of Auckland, comprises Treatises on both Allopathic and Homoeo pathic systems, compiled with special regard to Country settlers. To it is appended a MAORI PHARMACOPOEIA, giving the medicinal properties of New Zealand Bush Trees and Plants. COTTAGE COOKERY AND FOODS, covering 120 pages, is a complete Treatise on Cookery, according to the best methods, and com prises somo thousands of easy recipes for tasty dishes, without tho flummery of ordinary Cookery Books. HOUSEHOLD HINTS extend the information in the Cookory Books with mnny useful directions on Household Management. COTTAGES FOR SETTLERS: Four designs of Useful Cottages, with plans and detailed Estimates aro given, so that the settler can simply copy tho specification and send to the mill andprocurj tho complete material for the erection of his houso. , ALES, WINES AND SYRUPS,, PAINTING*. L TANNING, SOAP-MAKING, and HINTB,**S FOR PROSPECTORS form separato sec tions, containing a large amount of Valuablo Information. LEGAL MEMORANDA, propared by Mr Thomas Cottkr, Auckland City Solicitor, giving a digest of all tho laws which it is imperative for a settlor to know, including Fencing Act, Scab in Sheep Act, Timber Floatage, Roads, etc., etc. Tho aboTO recapitulation only enumerates; the General Hoads indicating the scope of the work. It is tho largest Book ever published in Australasia, is Handsomely Bound in Cloth, and published at an exceedingly Low Price, for a. Cyclopffidia of this description—namely,, m TWENTY SHILLINGS (20s). ~ f JJenry JJrett, wyndham • street, rUBLISHER. MR. R. ARMITAGE, High-street, has been, appointed General Canvassing Agent.