RANDOM SHOTS.

[By Zamikl.l

f n™ JvTll^un"? wS? nSodlui'eash, Sewntotoriea^ljoco^^Sh. Form^Malmlnevorf^^

Onck mow is tho curtain rung up on tho legislative stage, and our noblo and patriotic Btatosraon aro 'a.vniting tho sum mons of tho call-boy to rush upon tho boards and play their little parts. Tho Govotncr'a Speech constituted a rathor lengthy prologue to tho play, and liko tho "argument "of an epic poem, epitomised tho series of thrilling events which are about to transpire in (ho champion woodon build ing'of tho world. Tho comedy of "Tho Kivals" may bo supposed to bo tho piece choson for representation, and it will be found that Auckland will contribute her full sharo of loading actors. There will, of course, bo a nMo found for our " lirst old man " (sometimes called tho "grand"), in which he may niinglo meddlo somo quorulousncss with noblo sontiments, pood intention?, and brilliant oratory. Tho "heavy villain" from tho West, with his fluont blarnoybtns and " masher " costume, will poso, and strut, and "mouth" his part, whilo "tea" Thompson and our moro serviceable than brilliant Peacock will fill thoir subsidiary but useful parts with thoir wonted satisfaction. Tho "second old man "—that wise ono from tho eastern suburb—will as usual show moro lionosty than policy in his tactics, whilo Elobbs, Fraser, Moat, and the rest of the army of " supers " will make respectable lay liguros, handy whon nosos aro to ba counted or a grindstono to bo turned. So tho comedy will proceed—oaeh side striving to out wit the othor; and doubtless tho wholo will closo with tho scroaming farco of " Turn Him Out !" Dropping tho theatrical motaphor, I think I may with all safoty predict thnt the course of tho sossion will bo something liko what I havo skotchod. Tho rival sections in tho Government will quarrel among themselves for tho precedence, and tho powor, and tho glory : and taking advantage of thoir dis union, a coalition will bo formed to turn them out. Alroady thoro are rumours that they aro likely to loso thoir Ballanco ovor tho nativo land question. If tho storm should threaten to overwhelm tho Govern ment ship, thoy may sacrifice a. Jonah in tho hopo of saving themselves, but i quostian very much if they will bo successful. How- O'.'or, nuiii! venvns.'

" That follow Gladstono " scorns to bo tho toxt of tho times for ft certain class of ■writers, who pour forth their vials of wrath in daily articles and weokly notes. In t'icse vapourings of a blatant .Jingoism thoro is no discussion of policy, nor any altorna tivo offered, but simply abuse and calumny heaped upon tho head of ono who is desig nated a coward and a traitor to principlo and to country, How strange this seems to those who not many months ago wore on the spot and able to study tho public feel ing of England. Wo aro told that "Mr Gladstono is not England ;" neither, I may add, do somo Auckland papers represent England or English opinion, or ere this the sword would havo boon unsheathed and England and Russia engaged in deadly conflict. But if Mr Gladstone is net Eng land, ho is the choson of England, and represents in the highest dogroe tho senti ments of the majority of Englishmen. The " war fovor " which has raged overywhoro tho last fow months has only been held in chock by a feeling of security in the fact that at tho head of Hor Majesty's Advisers is one who lovos peace, and trusts in reason rathor than force.

Another startling assortion is mado that we need someone at the head of affairs with tho " moral backbone of Lord Boaconsticld." Is tho writer really so ignorant, or does ho think that hia readers -will swallow any thing, that he should couple the lato Con -1 servativo Minister with morality ? What is morality ? Poos it consist in gaining " peaco ■i with honour " by the aid of secret treaties ? Poos itconsi3t in secretly arranging matters, iifod then calling a Congress to discuss them, and bo acting a double part ? Does it con sist in co skilfully avoiding truth as to be como guilty of systematically giving forth ■what -was known in tho Old Country as a "Salisbury?" Vet thits was tho policy of tho Minister with tho "moral backbone" Let tho .lingo sigh for tho "political fire works " of past years, but I believo tho people of England havo eecn onough of a policy of " gunpowder and glory," and are thoroughly sincere in their admiration of William Bwart Gladstone. Tho principlo of applying tho same rule of action to nations as to individuals is ripening fast, and much of this may bo traced to tho righteous and moral rule of tho divinely-gifted man whoso coolnesa at tho prosont crisis will, I trust, savp us from tho devastation, bloodshed, and misery of war. Should Parliament bo dis solved and should "the old man oloquent". lead anothor election campaign, ho will, I am suro, return to thoHouso with a triumph ant majority in favour of his policy of peaco, forboaranco, and tho woll-boing of the people.

Very littlo has been hoard of lato of tho doings of our Bridget.-, Jomimas, and Mary Janes—those " gonorals " in domostic war fare who aro so rich in tactique and so audacious in movement; but a littlo inci dent which lately reached my ears is too good to bo lost in tho sea of oblivion. A very imperious and hard task-mistress, whom I may call Mrs Kauri Gum, wan tod a good genoral servant—not that this was at all an unusual occurrence, for it is matter of history that Mrs K. G. is very often want ing a servant. A very eligible parti ap-, peared in the shape of a stout and able domestic, who stated her willingness to engage at tho salary of fifteen shillings a week. " Very good," said Mrs K. G., " but I shall rcquiro to make somo inquiiios as to your character, so I will bo obliged if you will call again on Tuesday at two o'clock." At the appointed hour tho domostic appeared, when, "with the most condescending air of tho (jrand dame, Mra K.G. informed her that she had made inquiries as to her character, which sho had found perfectly satisfactory, and sho might enter on her duties next morning. But in thoso days, Bridget is as pood at: her mistress, and with true "generalship" ■this servant, having got a propor alant at the enemy, poured in a broadside. " Well," she said, "I havo been inquiring into your character, and how you troat your servants, and I havo decided not to como." Weeks havo passed since then, but Mrs K.G. has not yet recovered her oquanimity so far as to advortiso for anothor servant, and a certain aristocratic suburb has not yot got over grinning at the joko.

The Police Court wiw crowded on tho Uißt appearance in tho clock of tho man Maxwell, under arrest on a charge of murder. That morbid, gaping throng of varied-featured individuals had gathered to gratify an un healthy curiosity, as a public execution was wont to do in tho past. The accused looked'round with a forced calmness, yet •with languid eyes, indicative of restless nights and weary days. Upon hearing the voice of his defender, who roso to the occa sion and delivered r. tirade against a portion ot the press for mistaking, in his estimation, its vocation in imitating the personal and scurrilous tono of American journalism, the anxious eyos of the accused taintly brightened for a moment, and again resumed their melan choly hue. I could not help thinking how an unfortunate fellow being can arrest tho atteption of hundreds of tho people, while an eloquent exponent of great and bene ficial principles often speaks to half empty seats and bare walls. Amid the crowd I es pied a pale artist sketching tho visage of that unhappy stranger and his wordy pleader. I would not go co far as to assert that tho sympathies of that motley crowd were on the side of human wickedness, or that its members would apologise for a great crime. I hope such was not tho case, for when Empathy is enlisted on tho eido of vice, fruoii i'tfch an untiriviablo hero as Eii^che

Aram ia pitied, Paul Cliflord admired, and Jack Shepherd conaiderod a bravo follow, tho judgment ia warpod, and sentiment has degonoratod into sontimentalism.

I did uofc oxpecfc that my romarkti on military service would bo palatablo to tho roligious soct whoso peculiar viows on tho subject I criticised last week, and am con scquontly in no way surprised to imd a Christadolphian reversing our relativo posi tions and noting tho part of criticising tho critic. Mr Cowporthwaite, of Valloy Koad, is tho champion of non-rosistanco, and his lottev, addressed to tho oditor, is so roason ablo in tono, and withal so gontlomanly, that I gladly givo him space to stato his viow of tho caso. Ho says : —

In yonr issuootlho Oth inst. "Zamiol" dovotes part of his Bpnco to " Chlstadelphiansro Excßip tion from Military Sorvico," and from his munnor of writing I conclude that ho has part knowlodgo concerning thorn. He speaks of them ns ono o£ tho " minutest • isms ' in this country, which is quito truo, and ho might havo added " aro every whore spoken ngainst, pvon if Be had not given the reason why that is so. 110 says ho has "tho highest rospoct for liberty of oonsoionce," but I gather Irpm what lollowi that respoot ia only forthcoming whon the con soientimis motlvo la in accordance, with tho sonso of tho majority." Now is this right J la ia not muchoasior to " fall in" with tho mo.iontj than otherwise! liulth.it »olfliorprovoj|thb posttion[rlght or wrong. Tosupporthlsidoas ho gives a suppositions case; let mo in suppoit ol mine supply you with a truepno. Whon&il.leo submitted to " tho sonso of the majontj m his day.and professedly ronounoed his formor tench ing to save his life, did itprovo tho sense of tho majority right! whero would navigation havo been if " the senßO of the majority;' of that divy had rtill hold sway I May I ask "Zaimol why tho Hon. John Bright with tho community ol Friends, who are mnongtho goodly socioty o tho soots and who aro groat in woalth and numbers, should be evompt.- und the Christa doiphluns. whose numbora In a plaeo arc irat fow, bo compolled to light, whim both aro holden of the same conscience that it is wrong on their part to handle tho sword; " Zanilel ' thinks it would bo a "patriotic meritorious, and not an illiboral act woro ho to placo the Christadolphians In thofrontrank of tho Held of Battle." Now, Ido not expect " Zamiel" to boo niai tors exactly as 1 may soo them, but ho must bo aware (if he knows them, which ho seems to do) that Ohristadclphlauß havo tho courngoof ihoir opinions, which to my mind is shown by their petitioning Parliament, whon forming Volunteer corps n bo much in vogue niiiong tho churuhoH. aud in such favour with tlu< public. No; thoChristadolphians do not want, to osoapo "thoir fair share of tho responsibilities and duties of citizonshiii." whon tho fulfilling of those dutios doos noi interfore with their sorving God according to tho commandments of Jesus Christ, and they would strive to"rend«r unto Ca-sivr tho things thatai-eOa-aar's, and to Gort tho things that arc God'a." Wlioro, however, these duties interforo Ins they boHovo would bo tho case iv using tho sword) with thoir obedience to !3oripture, they contend " they ought rnthor to sorvo Goa than man." If GhriaUidulphiuns havo to go to the trout of tho battle, they will not bo found either as aggressors or defenders, but will go forth doing thoir utmost to alleviate, not to create, pain."

There now; that last ssntonco disarms all further argumont. Not but plonty could bo said in favour of my formor position ; but tho caso now boing fairly stated on both gidos, decision of tho question may bo loft to "tho sonso of tho majority," which is tho test of sanity, roasonableness, and right. If tho Christadelphians aro willing to alloviato pain, lot them voluntoor to join tho Ambulanco Corps forinod in difl'oront parts of tho colony, and in that way diechargo their duties as citizens.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, in commenting on some peculiarities of American pro nunciation, lays it down that tho woman who says "Hau'w?" is lost. Wo aro not addicted to tho use of that uncouth dis syllnblo here, but there aro plenty of othor small tokons of dofectivo education mani fest to tho tolorably observant oyo and ear. When ono finds a woman (no tnattor how gorgeous her bonnot; or how oxpons-ivo hor dress may bo) signing a document aa Mrs So-and-so, without using hor Christian name, one immediately concludes that hor schooling waa about as limited as thai o£ her washerwoman, who naturally signn herself (supposing hor to write at all) as Sirs Soapsuds, if for no othor reason than to impress upon a world sadly given to scepti cism, that she is " respectablo " —" satoly married," as my friend " Incognita " would say. Then thoro is anothor ehibboloth by which distinctions may bo drawn, and glimmerings of many things mado ovidont: i mean tho word "advertisement." What proportion of tho community say "advor- ; tyzement," lam not awaro, but tho propor tion is at any rato a largo ono, and includes many well-dressed and important porsons. I havo an idea that " advortyzomont" is an Irishism, but I am not suro. But when you hear anyone say ho saw such and such a thing "on tho paper," you may «ifoly put him down as hailing from tho Green Isle ; and when Eomebody employs tho expressions " tho day " or " tho morn " (meaning "to-day" and "to-morrow") and "presently," in tho sonso of "at present," it its a hundred to ono ho ia a Scotchman. The vorbs "will1' and "shall," "would" and "should,'1 are sadly misplaced by both Irishmen and Scotchmen : though a person born, let us pay, south of tho Thames is seldom if cvor guilty of misusing them.

Some peoplo aro alarmed becauao thoro BOema a possibility of tho teaching pro fossion in Auckland passing into tho hand* of females. This fear iti grounded upon statistics, which show that of 187 pupil toaehors in tho schools of tho district, 17!! aro ladies and only 14 gontlomon. Tho fact may bo remarkablo, but it is by no moans alarming. Thoro aro fow avocations so woll suited for tho gentlor sox as tho " delight ful task " of teaching " tho young idoa how to shoot;" and amid "ZamiolV youth ful rocolloctions tliero is nono moro ploasant than tho memory of a short poriocl of tuition which ho uudorwont undor a lady teachor. By all moans, lot "place auxdames" bo tho motto in this inattor, and do not forco tho fair croaturos—who muht Hvo, you know* and who will grow in solf-rospcct as thoy cam thoir own living— to take to rough avocations.

Tho idea of forming an Amazon Corps of colonial Voluntoors is worthy of condotnna tion as barbarous, yot such a proposal would soom to havo boon made at Adolaido by a horrid malo croaturo who wroto to tho papers ovor tho signature of " Bacholor." Ho at any rato tauntod tho fomalo sox with frivolity and oxtravaganco at a timo whon tho superior malo croaturo was doing his utmost for tho defonco of hearth and homo. A lady signing hor solf " A Daughter of South Australia" replied, and closed with tho following spirited sontencos:—"Bo tho Voluntoers need women to como forward and inspiro thorn with courago? Is there neod for us to step out of our logitimato sphere of labour, and form a ladies' Volunteer corps? Yes. Then, 'Bachelor,' I am roady for one, and thoro aro hundrods who think as I do. I have had some practice with tho riflo, and can hit a ' post' at tho distance of 200 yards. So, ' Bachelor,' I answer your challengo of 'Women, I say, bo up and doing !' Tako bake calumny upon our sox, for wo women of South Australia 'are not such frivolous omptyhoadod creaturos. Our fair city will novcr bo sackod by Russians whilst thoro is lovo of homo, honour, froodom, and country ill tho I hoarts of every fair daughtor of South Australia," Bravo ! says "Zamiel," for though ho most distinctly profors distant worship in this caso (ovor 200 yards, since tho lady can hit a "post" at that range), yet theßO cour agoous sentimonts flung in tho teeth of a cowardly bacholor arouso tho warmest admiration.

The British Bogey

Mk Gladstone, in his article in tho " Nine teenth Century," 1879, said :—" Wo do not, because our house may bo broken into, sit up all night and every night. Wo .soein, many of us, to have, with all our bold as sumptions, but a small stock of self-respect; and too readily to let our fears befool us. The grisly phantom rises from the deep, now a little nearer and now a little further off; sometimes at one point of the compass and sometimes at another. In 1859 and tho following years it was from France. About 1862 ho migrated to tho American shore, and glared on us from that horizon. In 1870 he re-crossed the Atlantic, and inspired the notorious ' Battle of Dorking.' Ho loves travel and variety of costumo, and ho now wears a Russian dress. Alas ! and must it thus bo with this nation, once so manly and self-possessed t"

SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RACING FIXTURES.

Now Zealand. Hawko's Bay J.C. Sbooiilochases Juno 25 Wellington K.C. Steeplechase Mooting..JulylS

To Correspondents.

X.Y.Z.-W. Clitlbi-a tho well-known horsoman. at ono timo owiuml Claronco. Ho lntrchascd

him for £100. Libellkh.—(DTi'iiclticoramlTemploton are both iload, Tnidu'i: was doslroyod at Mlddlo Park, Christch urch, on tho 25th Juno. 1880, from the ell™ is of old ago, and lomploton was kiilod at the ond of March. 1880. At tho timo Teinploton met his death, ho wasdoint! v trial gallop at Yaldhurst, Christchurch. when a cow iTOsaod tho track, and ho rushed at hor, com'iilctolv smashing himsolf up. (-') Libollor rst started for tho Auckland Cup whon a ourycar-old. Altogether ho him faood tho Mag for tho raop three timos. JM Weloomn Jack's timo (or tho 2.1 milos is tho fostost.vi •/.., lmin. 7ecc.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Tiik Auckland Racing Club havo ovory roasoti to foci proud of tho success that attondcd thoirinaugural "jumpingmcoting" on Saturday. At tho timo tho big Steeple chase was docidod, I think that at tho least thoro could not havo boon leas than '2,000 spectators present, and it goos to provo that tho Club inado no mistake in adding tho iixturo to thoir bsbbou's programme Tho popularity of stooplechasos among Auckland turfites is somothing woudorful, and with out foar of contradiction, I fool euro that in no othor provinco in Now Zealand is thoro witnessed such splondid and oxciting cross country racing aa take* pluco horo. It was worth going many miloa to soo such an oquino strugglo for aupromacy aa that which took placo in tho Great Northorn Steeple chaso up to tho timo tho accident occurrod, and it was indeed a 1 him.- and pities that Macaroni, Ngata, and Now Yoor did not fight out tho last two hundrod yards—about

which distauco from homo tho accidont oc currod. Whothor tho vordict would havo boon otherwisothan that recordod, of courao is a moot point. From where I was standing, I phould f>ay that tho trio wont at tho hurdlo almost simultaneously. Macaroni had tho insido running, which of couieo gavo him a slight pull over his opponents, and from tho way ho linishud I infer ho had a littlo loft in him. On tho othor hand, Now Yoar and Ngata had mado tho paco such a crackor from tho start that tho pair woro both com plotcly done, and thia was fully ovidoncod in tho ca.-o of tho formor, by him boing unable to riso to tho hurdlo. Want of condition, undoubtedly, was tho caueo of

Ngata not pulling through, for his trainor has only hnd him up about fivo woeks. It was his first appoaranco tliis season, and for somo timo past ho has been altoinntoly

turned out and usodaaahackatWanganui. Rovengo, who was noised abroad as a good thing for somo days previous to tho ntco, cut up very badly, rofusing sovorul times, whilo Quilp, who shaped wpll for tho lirst part of tho journoy, also turnod it up. Tho Maiden Stcoplochaso and Novel Hurdlo Raco woro both very tamo contests, but Alfrod won tho big Hurdlo Kaco in great stylo, and fully provod that his party mado no mistako in assorting thoy had a good \ thing. lam always glad to soo gontlomon like tho ownor of Alfrod got a winning turn, and it is to bo hoped that it is only tho omen for futuro success for tho "blueand gold strirjos." Tho Soiling Stccploehneo resulted in a good finish belwcon St. Dunetun and Julia Ann, buthadFarroll not mistakon the course, I think Seagull must havo dofoatod tho pair. Tho management) throughout tho aftornoon was first-clans, and Mr I'orcival dosorvos more than a word of praiso for tho excellent tiiuo in which ho got tho raeoa over. Altogothor tho mooting was a credit to tho Club, and I hopo that when tho time arrives for tho Committoo to draw up noxt soason's programmo, thoy will tack anothor 'JOOws. on to what may now be appropiatoly tonncd "Auckland's sross country Dorby."

Mr J. Marshall honoured Thunderbolt bofovo hia doparturo with having him photographod, and as n further inoinonto of t-lio coif, no has had ono of hia tooth mado into a scarf pin, It is neatly mounted top and bottom with gold, tho inscription "Thundorbolt "appearing on tho top, while tho wholo is beautifully fot oil' with a diamond in tho contro. Nccklaco, I)or ringor, and tho yearling colt by Muskot— Titania havo also been photographed.

Tho "Now Zealand Rofereo" has com plotod tho first year of its publication, and tho paper ia now firmly established and weokly increasing in circulation. Thoro is no question that it has supplied a want in Now Zealand sporting circlo?,and tho way it has galvanised tho big Christchurch wookly into lifo is somothing astonishing. Not a littlo of tho success of tho journal must bo put down to "SirLnuncolot," whoso chatty stylo of writing is ho woll known and appreciated by sporting roadors. Mr W. Proflitt won a pretty fair ptako by Ma«aroni'a win on Saturday, nnd Mr F. Hill, I understand, also bonofited to a good extont by tho "croamy's" victory. Tho monoy, however, was mostly obtainod out of tho totalisator. On Saturday night last, Mr I'roflittbnckod Claudo for tho big Napior crosscountry event to win him £000, accopting 000 to 100 in ono pop, whilo ht 200 to 50 that oithor

Macaron' or Scrutineer boats Ngata—ono to win. Glaudo, it will bo romombonxl, ran socond to Director in tho llunllo Raco' at tho last Auckland Autumn Mooting, but ho has novor shown his ability to got ovor country. Tho Wellington Racing Club havo do cided to hold a Stooplochnso Mooting on Saturday, 18th July, whon £415 will bo givon in added inonoy. Thoro aro six ovonts, viz., Trial Stooplochaso Handicap of SOsovs , about "\ milos ; Hurdlo Handicap of lOOhovh., about '2 miles ; Local Uurdlo Raco of .'(Osovs., about I.J milos; Wolling ton Stocplochaso Handicap of ICOsovs. (socond horso to rccoivo ISsovs. from stakes), about I! milos ; Soiling Hack Hurdlo Raco of losovs., about \\ milos ; and Consolation

Hurdle Raco of 'lOsovs., about 2 milos. Nominations for all but tho last two ovonts will closo on Wednesday, tho 2 Hh, and will havo to bo accompanied by a foo of lsov. in each casu.

I hoar that Now Yoar is nono tho worso for tho spill ho got on Saturday, and was out on tho courso during tho wock.

Close on £8,000 passod through tliototali sator at the A.R.C. Mooting on Saturday. Mr R. H. Vallanco has got rid of both Sou'-woator and Kirijjaak, tho iirst-namod having again paßsed into tho hands of Mr E, Cutts, while Mr H, Lunn has becomo tho possessor of Kingask. Skiner, who has boon training for Mr Vallanco, has boon ongagod by tho Hon W. Robinson to train Wizard and tho others of that gcntloman's string loft in Now Zealand. Tho great disappointment of Saturday's racing at Ellerslie was tho sorry oxhibition of King in tho Maiden Stooplochaso. ■ Such a moral was tho raco considered for him that eovoral backors laid 2 to 1 on his ability to win, whilo 4's to 1 about St. Dunstan woro as plontiful as black borrios, Mr Marshall's horso sailod along in splondid stylo till tho wator jump was rcachod, whon ho rofusod three or four times, and on being got over, ho turned it up a second time. King will nood a lot of schooling at tho wator before he is trustod again over the same country, but at tho sumo timo 1 think that Hopo took it far too easy with him at tho first timo of asking. From Wellington I loam that no pro ceedings beyond those immediately con nected with tho seizure of tho totalieator in Mr Mandell's shop have yet been taken against tho persons concerned in tho work ing of the machine. Tho matter is now under the consideration of tho Minister of Justice It is understood that if informa tions avo laid under tho Gaming and Lotterios Act, a solicitor will bo employed to conduct the cases for tho prosecution.

Mr D. O'Brien, who is at present in Aus tralia, intends returning home by way of Auckland.

From the way Ngata shaped on Satur day, he should have a big say in the forth coming Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. He has exactly the same weight allotted him in that event as he carried here, 9st 71b, and with another fortnight's condition on him, it is just likely that ho will show his heels to all engaged in the race. Had Ngata got homo first on Saturday, I hear tho boat part of the money invested in the totalisator would havo gone into the pockets of tho party behind him, who certainly had a bit of bad luck in tho horse boing put of the race just at tho last mbmont.

Tho Hon. W, Robinson has appropriately namod his yoarlings as follows:—Chestnut colt by Apromont—Flourango, Longwaist; brown colt by Apromont—Watoreprite, | Torrent; chestnut colt by Albany—No Namo, Disownod. All three havo boon nominatod for tho Ascot Valo Stakos of 18SG, V.R.C. Dorby of 188b', Logor of 18S7, and Caulliold Guinoas of 1886. ; Tho appoaranco of the weights for the ! Now Zoaland Cup (says last wook's " Koforoo ") has croatod somo slight stir in tho botting world, and a grout change In tho pricos of tho various candidates has boon tho rosult. Captain Wobstor, who is choson by all as tho pick of tho handicap, has boon installed first favourite, and aftor boing baekod to win £1,000 at 100 to 9, ho now stands at 100 to 10. Trenton, on tho other hand, has boat a retreat, and whoroas 100 to 8 would havo been takon last weok, 100 to 5 can now bo obtained. July also has gone back, 100 to S boing on ollbr. Lochiol, aftor boing backed for all tho ob tainablo money at 100 to 5, is now quoted at 100 to 7. Tho Cantorbury Derby has also boon tho medium of somo slight busi ness. Stonyhurst is vory firm, and in backed with the favourites in tho Cup to win good stalcos at pricos ranging from 100 to i to 100 to 1. llanlan is next bost favourite, tho two Ilanlans boing a favour ito double with backers. Quotations :— New Zealand Cur. 100 to 10 agßt Cuptain Wobstcr (tk and olli 100 -8 July UK) 100 - 7 hochiel (tk and olli, Hanlau (oil! 100 — I! Iko(tkfr) 100 — 5 l-aily Kmmii (tk). 'fronton (oil), Faultier (oil'), Wapiti (tk and wtil), Xelaon (off), Take Miss (oil-, 100 to 1 tk und wUlt, Alplno Hose (oll'l

Uantkrbukv Dkuiiv. 100 to ,'i3 Stoncyhnrst (ofl'i 100 — !M Uanliui (tk nud oil) JOO — Iti Kvorton Lud (offl 100 — 15 Hurmituitc (oil. ,K)0 to 50 wtil) 100 - 14 Waiiti colt (oil1) 100 — 10 — — Wizard (otD

I notico that at tho Christchurch Plump ton Park Wintor Mooting, Mr A. G. Clark's Kockot, a fivo-yoarold son of

Antoros, sccurod tho Autumn Stakos and Sprint Handicap, tho formor boing tho " big ovont" of thoaftornoon, whilo Mr Bradloy's Puck, a son of Loolinuß and Titania, got homo first in tho Woltor Flat Race. Mr I. Butlor annoxod tho Hurdles by tho aid of a groy gelding callod Silvor King, whom ho recently purchased in Wellington for

£iO. Silvor King pnid an £18 dividond in tbo totalisator, but his ownor, etrango to say, had not a ponny pioco on him. Tim Whilllor ran at tho mooting, but ho could only get second to Rockot in tho Autumn iStakns, and in tho Consolation ran third.

Aocoptancoa and general ontrios for fho Hawko's liay Stooploehaeo Mooting aro duo on Tuesday next at 9 p.m.

A totalisator caso of intorost was hoard at tho Napier Residont Magistrate's Court a fow days buck, Tlio plaintiff, a man namod Southworth, allogod that ho purchased a totalisator tickot on tho Potano racocourso.

Tho dividond on tho ticket win £2 Ms, but plaintiff did not claim tho money till the day after tho race mooting, whon Messrs Stock and Cohon, tho owners of the totalizator, refused to pay. Mr Leo, who appoarod for tho plaintiff, argued that it was not nocossary t-iiat tho ticket should bo presented within a given timo, and that if plaintiff did not got his money somoono not entitled to it would reap an advantage For tho dofonce Mr Lascollcs urgod that tho money was not recoverable, tho claim boing for what was roally a gambling transaction ; but; that if un action would lio at all, tho dofondantu were not tho porsons who should bo sued. Tho working of tho totalisator was provided for by legislation, tho Act providing that every totalisntor should bo worked under tho supervision of racing club stewards, and by oompetont porsons appointed by such clubs. Tho plaintiff bhould havo sued the Potano Racing Club, when reasons for tho non-pay mont of tho monoy would havo been shown. Plaintiff waa nonsuited, with A'l Is costs. Commenting on tho past lint-racing season, "Vigilant" has tlio following re marks with reforonca to country mooting^ ;

—" Panillol with tho gratifying develop ment of tho contral clubs has cropped up a mushroom growth of small suburban clubs, tho oxistonco of which is in every way objoctionablo. Thoy aro mostly started and conductod by irroupviiMblo persons, who know littlo of, and caro nothing for, tho rocognisod rules of racing, but who rogard tho 'running' of the club as simply a moans of making money by tho totulisator, and in any shady way ihoy can. I am glad to sco that in Cantorbury and Auckland tho metropolitan clubs havo recognised tho necessity for taking action to provont tho malpractices which aro so flagrantly iudulgcd in at tho mootings of theso bastard sporting associations that they have lately bocomo a crying scandal. I should not at all wondor if, uurinc tbe coming session, legislative assistanco is in vited to Kccuro tho roprossion of thoso turf excrescences. Greater caro in tho issuo of totulieator licocaes is tho partial moans of euro at prosont to hand."

Tho total valuo of tho Grout Northorn Slooplochaso was JMIO.Mr I'iollitt receiving £335 of tho amount.

Tho Dunodin Jockey Club aro taking into consideration tho advisability of rovising thoir rulofl of racing, and a conforoneo with tho Canterbury Joekoy Club, with a viow to assimilating tho codo of laws of tho two clubs, will probably be tho outcome Writos "Sir Launcolot": —Thoro is a slight hubbub in botting circlos on tlio sub joct of doublo and troblo ovont wngors over tho Grand National Stooplochases caused by Socrotary having walked ovor for tho Hurdles. I hoar that some layers are trying to quibblo, and tho matter has boon roforrod to tho Victorian Club, Molbourno, but I must admit 1 cannot sco what grounds tho la\ ors havo for rofusing to [pay. Fit and woll, "Vigilant" is of opinion that Sardius is as good a horeo as I>o lirand was at his bost.

Tho Druid, winnor of tho Wanganui Stooplcchaso, and Pathfinder havo both arrived at Napier to tako part In tho Hawko's Bay Mooting, on tho 26th inst.

Mr J. Thompson, tho well-known book makor, gavo 260 guineas for a yoarling colt by Lockloys from Hoydon (fullmstor to Don Juan) at Mr T. Jordan's salo in Adolaido. The highost-prico obtained at tho salo was for a colt by Emulation from Gaioty, who foil to tho nod of Mr W. Pilo for 325 guinoas. Conjecturo has been thrown out of train ing for a spoil. Tho owner of Emir Boy has boon trying him at tho jumping gamo lately, but ho doos not tako kindly to it. Tho son of Tubal Cain, therefore, ia to bo put to stud duties next soaßOii.

At tho Northampton and Pytchloy moot ing, F. Archer rodo four winnors on tho socond day. On tho opening day ho stoored throe horses to victory. What a throw-in tho backors of his mount must havo had !

Tho Hawko's Bay Joekoy Club havo had some schooling foncos put up on the training track at Hastings. They havo a good gorsb fonco, also a post and rail, and hurdles.

Dunedin Jockey Club Champagne Stakes.

Tho following entries havo boon rocoivod by tho Dunodin Jockey Club for the

Champagne Stakks. of 1880, for two-yoar-olda; a sweopsttikoß of 10*ovs. each, wllh 250sovb. added. Colts, Bst 101b; lillios, Bst 71b ;no allowance for goldings. Tho second homo to recoivosoßovs. from tho stakos; the third horse 208OVB. from tho stakes. Six furlongs.

Mr G. Smith's cli f Apropos, by Apromont— Rupoo Mr W. C. Webb's eh o, by Albany—Wave Mr .7. Stephonson's br f, by Apromont—Red Rose Mr W. Somerville's br o, by Musket—Punga-

werowero Mr W. Somorvillo's gr c, by Mnskot-Maid of Afiol Mr C, Howil t's br o, by Musket—Prunella Mr Balmaln's b c, Musk Rcao, by Muskel — Rosette Mr Balmain's br f, by Fita-Herculos—Slander Mr P. Butler's br o Artillery, by Musket-Ouida Mr n O'Brien's eh c Argonaut, by Cadogan— Waterwitch Mr G. 11. Clifford's bo Monte dOr, by Apre mont—Aurifora Mr VI. Weatmacott's eh f. by Leolinus—Wai-ili Mr K. Cutts's b f, by Apremont—Nautilus.

Mr G. G. Stead's 1) o Securus, by Apremont Maosiccar Mr G. G. Stead's b c Chantilly, by Apremont— Mies Flat Mr G. G. Stead's eh f Fair Noll, by Apremont— Malia Mr G. G. Stead's b £ Sierra, by Aproniout— Hammock Major George's cli c, by Antoros—Tenambra Mr Johu Marshall's be, by Musket—Tltania Mr K. Lyons's bo, by Albany—Fallaoy Mr H. Goodman's b c, by Anteros—Atlanta Uon. G. MoLoan's b c St. Ives, by Gordou— Legerdemain Hon. 6. McLean's 1) c St. Clair, by Musket— Pulchra Mr A. McKay's b f, by Chancellor-Maid of Waitabgi

THE GARDEN.

[By Hortus.]

Calendar of Operations, Juno 13. [IIORTUS ia willinß to anßwer any quorlos. Cor rospondonta must Kivo their full names and addroßsos, though not for publication.] TO COURKSPONDKNTS. PiixNic (Amatour).—Tho bust way to propagate thoßO is by division of: thoj-oots.now; or any timo boforo tho early spring will do. Ihoy Bhould bo divined bofore thny boffin 'DRrow. To crow thorn well, thoy like a nicu shady situation, with plenty of tfeoo moiat soil and abundnnoo of water while thoy aro coming into llowor. I donit know whothor there aro many variotiea to bo purchased in tho iuiraorica hero or not, but a visit would in form you. My impression is that there aro not many variotiea in cultivation in Auckland. PItKBKRVINO FLOWKHS AND LEAVES (Kxperl mont).—Many llowei'B and leavoa may bo beautifully presorvod by covering thorn in ovory part with molted sperm. The simplest way is to cut a candlo into piocoa and molt it in un old saucer on tho back of tho stovo— it must not bo hot enough to smoke. First dip in tho Btßini; tho sperm will harden almost at onco, bo that tho stem may be held whilo immersting tho ilowor or blade in tho loaf. Dip but onco, and that quiokly. Tho process ia too Bovore for dolicato potals, molting them, as it woro, together; of others the heal will change tho colours. Vuiiogated loaves, such rb thoso of tho pelargoniums, uniplo ivies, and funcy-loaved utiladiums will, porhaps, givo tho best satisfaction. Whon arranged into bouquets or wreaths thoy aro less llublo to curl, ir protected byasdassglobo; still, if not bo protected, with a little euro in keeping them out of <lu»t and in a cool atmos phorothoy will retain thoir colour for months.

Kitchen Garden.

1 The winter has now fairly sot in, Soil begins to got wot and clayey, especially on Stiff, heavy, wot soils, and muny gardon operations must come to an ond for tho winter, unlesa a few iino days sot in, then any unwrought soil might he im.nurod and roughly dug over; but avoid breaking it up • or treading ing it,ns that will only have the f oll'oct of pressing the particles of soil I closer togcthor liko putty, thoroby dome ;it moro injury than good. Still i noils should, if possiblo, novor bo touched t in tho winter, or when very wot. On all f lighter, dry toils, garden operations may bo I carried on as usual. Plant cabbat'C and i caulillowor for succession, oarlh up tho f growing crops so that tho earth may i Hupport thorn. Lettuce: Tio u|) a Sow ) moro for blanching, prick out another small i bod, how a small patch of socd. Colory: 1 Earth up tho lato crop. Don't cover the i foliago too much. Loavo about 9 inches out of tho ground. Sow a patch of broccoli and ) lirussels sprouts ; also, few red cabbago. ) Thin out all lato planted autumn crops, such as spinago, turnips, carrots, onions, tote. Earth up thoso that are growing, l Koop tho hoo going occasionally bo [ twoon tho rows, so as to stir tho L purfaco soil and kcop weeds in check. Tho abovo only should bo dono after v few lino days. AH tlebvi* of vogotubloj, such us cabbago, caulillowor, &c, should bo taken away to tho rot hoap as soon as cut, and sprinkled with limo and ealt, so, as to kill animal and vogotablo lifo. Dono as abovo, will tako away sheltor for slugs, and Icavo thorn less means of propagating thoir spocios. Givo frequent dustings of limo flnd suit after dark, so as to kill slugs while they aro out feeding. Kocollocl also that a kitchon gardon can bo made to look woll ovon in the winter, if every part is kopt in a neat and tidy con dition. Flower Garden. All alteration.-i in this dopartmont, if not finished, should bo pushed forward now with all despatch. Tlio sooner all now work is also coniploted tho bettor, so as to givo time for everything to settle down beforo the Hpring sots in. Whonovor it was possiblo I linvo always thought that it was hotter to get all rough uork of malting or altoring places done during tho early autumn, finish ing if possiblo boforo tho wot winter. By doing so, I havo boon fully awaro that num bers object to ityis thoy say that tho soil is (oo hard, and it takes morn labour. Tholittlo oxtra labour is nothing compared with tho immonse benolit <lono to tho soil by boing turned over and knocked about during dry weather instead of during wot woathcr. Sometimes tho labour h oven not so much when everything h taken into account. .Men c.tnnot shift or tako soil from ono part OMIIO ground to another while it is wot ho well or racily as whon dry. liosidos, when you come to plant Honors, shrubs, and trees, look whftt lino, sweotonod, well-pulverised soil you have got to doal with ; how much bettor tho roots will ontornnrl food thoreon ; and how much botler they will succeed than on soils that havo boon huddled and knocked about when wot. Somotimes 1 have scon them put into such a state that it was almost impossible for any healthy root action to tako placo in thoso placos. What ovcr is placed out is almost at a standstill for tho presont year. Continuo tho lifting and transplanting, and re-arranging of all shrubs, (lowers, and ornnruontal trees. Got thorn into thoir now quarters ps soon as possible now. Kopair weak places on tho drivo or walks with frosh gravol. Whoncvor a woak spot makes its appoaranco a little gravol put on and woll beaton in will rectify matters, and bo choapor than if allowed to got into a worso stato. Lawns : Tho grass should bo kopt as short as possiblo and woll rolled. Wherovor thoro aro tender scodlings or plants, look after slugs. Thoso pests destroy hundreds of good plants ovory yoar. Keop tho wholo pleasure ground in n neat trim con dition durinfptho winter months. Denouncing the Potato. JI. M. Williams, in (in articlo rccontly published in tho " Popular Soienco Monthly," dououncoa tho potato aa food for man, and says that "tho bulk that has to be eaten and is caton in order to sustain lifo converts tho potato-foodor into a moro assimilating machino during a largo part of tho day, and rondors him unlit for any kind of montal or bodily oxortion," According to Mr Williams, it would bo n blossing to Iroland if tho potato waa banishod from that country, for ho doclaros that tho potato fed Irish labourer,ie no match for tho English labourer who has his boor to holp kcop up his strength. Thoro can bo little doubt of tho benelit tho Irish labouror would rocoivo from additional rations of moat and boor, but Mr Williams iails to show tho Irish pooplo whoro tho moat and boer are to como from, and wo think thoy aro vory wiso in holding on to tho potato, which an old poet onco said is " tho gold of Iroland." Distance Botwoon Trees. Mr Whitney, of Franklin, Leo Couutry, 111., is ono of tho oldost and most euccossful orchardists, in that Stato. In his latest cataloguo he says towards tho northorn limits fruit troos ore more dwarfish and bear thickor planting. Croat ditforonco exists also in habits of difi'oront variotios [of tho samo kind of fruit, some boing vory sproad ing, othors upright and others naturally dwarlish. Ono good troo or plant well cared for is bettor than many poor or nog loctod. A good frosh plant or seed, good oulturo or caro—how easy the losson ! Plant applos 18 to 33 feot apart, poors, and chorrios IS to ?.O, crab-applosi 16 to 'JO, currants, raspberries, etc., 4 to 5, straw- ' homes 10 inches to 3 foot. In tho rich ' bottom lands of this State applo and poar treos soom to do well plantod vory closo much closer than thoy would thrivo in 1 Illinois. But it is advisablo in tho long run : to givo the troos plenty of room, so that tho i sun can reach tho earth and keep it warm and dry. It is also more handy to gather 1 tho fruit and to caro for tho treos when there issuiliciont room. i

Planting. (Continued from lasl week.)

In planting fill up the hole with good aoil, and slightly conical in the centre ; take tho tveo and place in tho centre. Tho roots should then bo spread out in a natural position—not bent and crowded into a holo not half large enough to receive them,'as is too frequently the case with those who are in haste to get their trees planted. Haste in planting is bad policy, and usually results in retarded growth and injury to the trees. In planting trees the roots should only be covered to the same depth that they were in the nursery, and no deeper. When placing the soil about the roots see that it it is well workodin about the fibrea, when the roots are covered tread the soil firmly on the top of them, and when finishing off add on coil to the top so as to allow for the natural settling down. Whenever the plant is finished get all the trees staked at once, us tho first storm may work them backwards and forwards, creating a puddle at the roots, which is very injurious to tho future of tho trees. Another imfcoWaiifc maftev

after planting is registering all the names I of the different varieties of especial fruit trees. In most orchards, unless those owned by professional mon or some of the best amateurs, tho namoa of the varieties of their fruit trees aro ontiroly lost. Register tho naino of every tree in a book to Novein- ' ber, and when that trco is replaced by another, alter tho naino in tho book. In planting troos, otc, from pots, or trees that havo been balled, a great number of people think whoa they recoivo any tree or plant in a pot all thoy have to do is to dig a hole, knock tho plant out of tho pot, and cover it up with soil. That systom has spoiled many [ a good plant, A plant when grown in a pot ' soon pushos its roots through tho soil to tho pot, thon it commences to send thorn round i tho pot in a circlo, and soon tho soil is ccatod with a complete circlo of roots. Now, to put a plant in tho ground with tho roots in this state it ia almost a certainty that it will not succeed. How many placos in ; Auckland you can go into and see what ought to havo been a first-class specimen reducod to a miserable stunted growth, i Mako a fow experiments, and you will find j that tho troo has been planted with hard j poor soil underneath, or it has been what in called a pot bound plant, which means tho roots havo been bound in circles in tho pot, and if planted out in this state it will novor Huccoed. Tho balls should bo brokon slightly and tho roots spread out, so that when plantod thoy commonco root action straight out from tho plant. Tho samo romarks apply to planta that have been bailed in tho nurseries, although not to such a dogroo as to plants thatporhaps havo boon grown tho best part of a soason in tho samo pot.

FARMING OPERATIONS IN OTAGO.

Fnojr tho "Now Zealand Fanner, Beo, and Poultry Journal," of Juno, wo extract tho following: — TUKMI'S AMI MAXOOLDS. The inclement weather which has set in will compel the putting of sheep on turnips earlier than win anticipated, but as the crop with only occasional exceptions is above tliu average, there are no fears enter tained aa to the sufliciency of winter food for the stock. Unfortunately blight made its appearance amongst Swedish turnips early in April, much to the chagrin of cattle owners!, who had .sown a proportion of the variety for feeding oil" 111 spring. Dairy farmers are gradually increasing the cultivation of Sweden, but it is a matter of surprise that mangold wmv.cl aro not much more largely grown. As food for dairy cows there can be no question as to their superiority over any variety of tur nip. The ostensible drawback is the neces sity for raising and storing mangolds before heavy frosts sot in. But this is more than counter-balanced by tho great superiority of the crop in the following respects, in the fust place, the young mangold plant is not subject to attacks of Hies or small birds; secondly, as summer advances and the roots arc well grown, a largo supply of slock food Is procurable from tho drooping leaves, which may be removed with great advantage to tho plants, and these leaves arc eagerly eaten by cattle of nil ages, and by pig.l*. The acreablo return of roots is heavier than that of Swedish turnips, and tho butter from cows fed on mangolds is free from any ob jectionable taste, while the yield of milk is unquestionably greater. HOUSES, The breeding of draught horses—formerly an especial pursuit of Otago farmers—lias been, to a groat extent, abandoned of late yew, but latterly there have been evi dences of "a revival." 01 course in "the Scotch province" Clydesdales hold tho premier place, and it is hold to be heretical to even question the merits of the breed. Recently Mr K. Fleming, of the linn of H'cdley and Fleming, Oamaru—at one lime famous breeders of draught horses—has fairly challenged (ho alleged superiority of Clydesdales, and asserted the pre-eminence of Shire horses. In a lecture delivered at a meeting of the North Otago Farmers' Club he staled: "I now believe that the Shire horse is tho best sire, that he lias got more grit in him, that he haa more substance, more durability, and more stamina, bocauso he is of an older race, of higher lineage and of a better family than the popular Clydes dull!; " and Mr Fleming further contends that the Clydesdales are deteriorating. Doubtless these opinions will bo widely and p-.ibliclydi!>ciissCii,for breedersof the present favourites must not allow judgment to go by default. Mr Fleming holds the Suffolk Punch.horso in high estimation, and to the writer it lias been always a matter of sur prise that this breed has not received more encouragement in the colonies. For farm ing and all-round purposes in this country and climate Iho Suffolk Punch, if not su perior to, is certainly the equal of either Clvdecdnle or Shire horses. Many so called judges continually chatter about " hair," its quality and abundanco, but in regard to this it may bo stated that in re plies to queries issued by the proprietors of thcAfn?7j Law Expfna some three or four years ago the majority ot the extensive horse proprietors in the United Kingdom cx pressod n preferenco for clean-logged horsoe. In cattle and horso breeding, " fashion," not utility, has been tho controlling inllu enco, and this, backed up by projudico, has palliated and encouraged many grievous errors. Very lately some accepted authori ties in Now South Wales havo uttorly con demned New Zealand horses as unsuitable to the requirements of that colony. These opinions aro probably formed from the experi ence of animals bred on the marshes or allu vial flats of this province. >Vc have not I o go so far n-field to learn that horses so bred md reared, however well made and massive, ire soft and foggy and delicient in tho tox :uro of hoof, whereas those bred on the ■idges, or on lighter soils and in tho driest itmosphere further north, are capablo of landing all reasonable wear and tear. RABMTs. Tho usual rabbit poisoning operations will :>e commenced somo timo noxt month, A iottlor who has had nou' several years' ex lorienco in poisoning informs me of the fol owing as a most successful plan of aying down poisoned grain. Round any icrub, bush, or frequonted haunt of tho •abbits, and about CO yards away, a high •dough furrow is turned. On and near this lie poisoned grain is laid, and the bait troves irresistible. My informant states hat tho idea was suggestod to him by ibserving that a rabbit on leaving the jurrow or cover invariably ran a short dis aucc and then halted, but never passed a >it of nowly - turned up ground without topping to examine it thoroughly, and crape it over. My friend's property adjoins i largo area of bush land which two years igo swarmed with rabbits. He has well ligh cleared it, and on his own land scarcely i rabbit can bo seen. His success has been o marked that over a vory largo district his method of laying the poison will be idoptod this year. Byway of conclusion, 1 may remark that nquirics, on behalf of a cattle breeder in his province were recently mado to ascer ain the prices of puro-bred Herefords in the Island, with tho view to intro tuco the breed here. Tho figures quoted yore, however, considered prohibitory inder oxisting circumstances, and the idea las been abandoned. This is much to bo ogretted, as I am confident the Herefords re, beyond all other breeds, the graziers' lattle par excellence,

Cost of the Chartering of the "Greyhounds of the Sea."

In regard to the chartering of line steamers bytho English Government for war pur poses, the New York "Tribune" says :— " Tho Government charter these vessels for not less than six months, at a rate of 12s Cd it month per registered gross ton where the Government furnishes the crew; 22s 6d where the companies furnish the crew. This would make, for the ship alone, £4,159 a month for the Alaska, £3,000 for the Ari zona, £4,405 a month for the Oregon, £4,680 a month for the Umbria, and £3,316 a month for the Amorica, It was stated that these vessels aro such great fuel burners that they would not bo nblo to carry enough coal to laut them more than lon days' full steam ing, but in addition to their bunker space they can carry coal on the lower deck. The coal capacity of the Alaska is thus estimated at about 4,000 tons, and as her consumption la 253 tons a day, this would last her about fifteen days, or enough to make a voyage of over 6,000 miles. The Oregon burns 337 tons a day, the Umbria about 300, and the , AmtriCa 182 tons.

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Edteepe.)

The production of "Dick Whltttagton md his Cat" at Drury Lane cost £35,000. " lolanthe " has beon a great success in Melbourno. I Franz Abt, the popular song composer, Ima just died at Wiesbaden, aged 66. His works number 400 odd, I Misa Cleveland, the sister of the President, is said to bo a good musician and a remark ably fine amateur porforraer on the piano. The anniversary of tho birth of Glinka, tho Russian composer, is to bo celebrated on tho 20th of May by the inauguration of a monu ment to his momory at Smolonsk. i Tho opora " Noaga," of which tho Queen of Roumania has written the words and Ivar Hullstrom tbo music, has been produced and was well received at Stockholm. ] Anothor wire-walker—Leoni, called tho King of the Air— has met his death in America by falling from the wire, flis name was Moloney. T. S. Arthur, author of " Ten Nights in a Bar-room " and other talcs, is dead. Ho probably accomplished as much for the cause of tomporance as any mun of his time. Liszt is writing his "Memoiros," which are to fill six volumes, four of which are already finishod, and the firat of which is to appoar shortly. "Der schwarzo Capitan " ("Tho Black Captain"), an opera by Joseph Mertens, inspector of tho Royal Music Schools of Belgium, ie reportod to have had a brilliant success at Hamburg. Madame Schumann's house, at Frankfort on-the-Maino, was latoly broken into, and tho thioves carried oil' the manuscripts, complimentary documonts, &c, of her late husband. Mr John F, Sheridan and his "Fun on the Bristol" Company are playing in the Victor ian country towns, The Company has been weakonod by tho dofection of Mr E. C. Duribar, tho baritone. An International Musical Congress is to bo held at Antwerp in August, during the time that tbo International Exhibition is going on. Papers on interesting musical subjects will bo read by musicians and teachers from all parts of the world. An international musical congress is to be held at Antwerp towards the close of the present year. Papers on musical education will bo submitted, and discussions will take place on subjects relating to tho mode's of spreading musical knowledge. " Neaga," an opora tho libretto of which is written by tho Queon of Roumania and tho music composed by Iva Hallstrom, has boon successfully produced at Stockholm. Tho libretto is said to be full of dramatic fritu ations and tho score melodious. At ono of tho leading London theatres an order has beon issued in the following words:—" Such journals as those which fill their columns with false and indelicate theatrical tattle, and eervo to bring the dramatic profession into disroputo, are not to bo admitted to tho gieon room." A Russian actross, Mdllo Rika, has made her appoaranco at tho Vaudeville Theatre in an original American drama entitled " Nadino," which was first produced in Now York, and failed terribly. Both the play and the Russian actress have missed lire considerably. Miss Gonoviovo Ward has returned to Melbourne, and expresses horsolf highly pleased with her New Zoaland tour, as she never lost a night—an important matter whon salaries aro to be paid. Having aban doned her intention of going to America ci« Japan, sho has gone to Brisbane. On the Bth August she opens fora season of one month at tho Melbourno Theatre Royal, and then hies away to San Francisco. A pretty, liumblo littlo actross, known as Mabel McKonzie, who has for somo time boon playing minor parts on the London stage, has just met with a shocking fate. Sho was playing tho piano in a drawing room, and feeling chilled sho got up and stood boforo tho open firegrate. In an instant her light muslin dress was in flames, and losing lior presence of mind, she dashed frantically down stairs into the street. Somo gentlemen passing wrapped their coats round hor and extinguished the flames, but eho died from the shock. Miss Charlotto Cushman, tho great Amorican actress, whoso bracolet Miss Gonoviovo Ward wears and whose successor sho is said to bo, onco paid a professional visit to Dublin, and in her " Life Letters and Memories'' relates this story. One night tho gallery, proverbially noisy in Dublin, kicked up an awful row, and would not be quieted. Tho pit chimed in, and matters got very lively, Tho popular voice soon fixed upon ono unfortunate person, and loud cries wore rai?od of." Throw him ovor ! throw him ovor I" Suddenly, in a quieter moment, a dclicato fomalo voice was heard exclaiming, " Oh, no ! don't throw him over ; kill him icha'ii he is." Tho latest novelty at Sanger's Ainphi thoatre, London, is a " ballet of real birds." Tho dancers, two dozen in number, each hold a porch on which sits a parrot or cockatoo, evidently well and carefully trained. In tho same line, the Wostminster Aquarium now boasts a quartette of per forming seals. Ono keops a lighted pipe in his mouth for several minutes, another gives a song (the sing song cry of the seal being rare and curious), and while he sings tho other plays tho tambourine. One of the seals, too, pososas a " Christimmairyr," remaining on tho water in a floating fashion perfectly motionless until allowed permission to move. Tho now opera boull'e, "Tho Lady of the ! Locket " (of which Mr J. C. Williamson has secured the Australian rights), is the united work of two Englishmen, Messrs Hamilton and Fullorton, MrFullerton, the composer, has written one or two pieces which have attained favour, acd in these, as in his opera, he keeps in full view the claims of melodic charm. There is aquintet, "I've Heard that tho Way to Elope," which is clever; but a drinking song, sung by Mr Hoyden Coffin, hitherto well-known as an amateur actor, was tbe success of the oven ing. In all else the music is not very origi nal. Ignatius Donnelly, an American writer, has just startled literary circles in the Great Republic with the declaration that he has discovered absolute proof that Bacon is the real author of Shakespeare's playa in a cipher that runs through certain of them, and that tells not only the true story of their creation, but also many hidden facts concerning political and social matters during the Elizabethan era. His ex planation of tho cipher is decidedly vaguo, and leaves the reader in doubt as to whother the wholo thing is not an olaborate hoax, or a clever and somewhat reprehen sible ' advertisement of a book which Mr Donnelly intends to publish in the autumn. Inter alia he says : —" I found (on page 56 of tho second part of the folio of 1623, part I of ' Henry IV,' act 2, eceno 4) tho name ' Francis' repeated in ono column about twenty times, while on page 53, first part of the folio, in ' Merry AYives of Windsor,' act 4, scene 1,1 found the name ' William ' repeated nearly a dozen times. Close to the twenty repetitions of 'Francis,' I found 'Bacon,' 'Nicholas,' 'Bacons,' 'Son,' 'Master' of the 'Exchequer,' 'Lord,' 'Keeper' of tho 'Great' 'Seal' 'St. Al bans.' In the same column, in the ' Merry Wives,' with the word 'William,' I again found ' Bacon,' and near at hand the words 'Shaks' and 'Pier,' the words evidently being dragged into the text. Facing tho words 'Nicholas,' 'Baron,' 'Henry IV,' act 2, scene 1, the combination of the two words being likely to 'arouso attention, I found tho following linos, like a signboard, pointing to the cipher opposite : ' And now I will unveil a secret book, and to your quick-conceiving discontents I'll read you matters deep and dangerous, as full of peril and adventurous spirit as to o'erpross a current roaring loud on the uncertain foot ing of a speare.'" But Mr Donnelly goes further;ho says: "I havo long suspected that Marlowe was Bacon's first mask, and this idea is strengthened by the fact that the oarly writings of Shakespeare and those of Marlowe are wonderfully alike, while whole lines found in Marlowe reappear in Shakespeare."

RUSSIA CONQUESTS.

! """TSKSS—•*

• A little east ol the narrow tract B cradle of the Europea^a^^ descendants, the Slavs an™An ß bl tt* sooner or later tc> contend for th e *SS iv- u la ,Up.OQ tho historic grouS which their primitive proK> I believed to have migrated. «• t The Pamir sont its waters WBot't t ! the Turkeß tan desert^o the '^ ; passage way through mountain ftl along Us streams that poured SatirEF1 theTanm and southward into th ?G * ?wr'° l"du8) nurtured the civiS 9 that Genghis Khan and Temorlanof in Turkestan, and made p O6 S S vance of Russia into Central Asia 4 Though Peter the Great oW, , extending Russia's power i v b e yo!j / Casp la n, it was not greed of colZ}' commerce, but tho need of defender self against barbarous neighboura acl? Ural, that firat tamed Ruslia towardSft Asia. Ivan 111. put an end to the figl Tartar invasions that for centuries S half of Russia and laid its chief ciX? ashes. But his successors did not,,! Russia from the peat of pillaging kI? and Turcoman tribes until they esWi. the Muscovite power in the lareetSi between the Ural river and the & They sank wells in tho Ust Urt pI2S facilitate tho operations of their«»» marched against the turbulent XirehS aftorsoveralhard campaigns thavS!3 those 2,000,000 nomads? who S?T twenty years have paid their con J2 without a murmur their annual t., . three roubles a tent. - "' Beyond the Kirghiz steppes tit In, dered Russia stretched far eastward iZ the desert two belts of verdure, iff which flow two great rivers, the 3 Oxus and the Jaxartes, now known v? Amu-Daria and the Syr-Daria. Th?? rising on the southern and the othetimti northern slopes of the Pamir, bad fol« distributed over their banks dlnZ borne on rapid tides from their headwata creating long and continuous oases, it £ midst of tho most desolate desert of B» world. Here wero rich lands and pmC, and half-civilised nations. Here wersti routes to inner Asia, caravan roadethitfed to China, tho highways over whicl mat camel trains from Bokhara had for nu. years borne to . Orenburg and AstakJ their loads of cotton, silk, skins and da green leather to oxchange for Knigm hardware chintz and guns. Hera m chanco tor vast expansion of Mosconte power and commerce. Russia's inotJTsjnu no longer self-protection, but the safe* tion of tho khanates of Turkestanundftj extension of trade. Tho expedition against Khiva In 1J39 was disastrous. The bitter cold ofthi.Ust Urt plateau ruined Perowski's army, Ita repulsed in her attempt to acquire the Oro turned to the Sy r r Daria. After fihsitod her foot upon that river, hor forwejumirdi was slow, stpady and persistent. Herdim of forts along tho left bank of tie rirtr lengthened year by year, She mnJettt river her ally in hor warfare upon the Man atos. Twelve years after the firstßtudaD gun was levelled at the walls of tie fint town in Khokand, thia rich khMityiii. eluding the metropolis, Taehkehd,;became tho Russian province of Ferghana, Then Bokhara, after a bitter struggle, lostita in depondonce. Two of three khautti ol Turkestan were now gained, the Syr;Djrk, from its mouth to its sources, wasaßgnitii stream, and the Muscovite arms wen race more turned toward the Oxue. tail Kaufmann's attack upon Khira to crowned with success. The khauata was added to the Russian conquests in Turkes tan and the Oxus passed into Eissa'a control, What are the countries and the peoples whom Russia has conquered, at 1 terrible cost and after many years of bittatutjie! Three khanates are estimated to contain from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 people. Vem bery says that in-the richness of.tieit soil and in the variety of their prodncta it would be difficult to find in Europssto ritory that would surpass the oasucomitriß of Turkestan. Bokhara, the ancientsatol Mohammedan learning, still attracts thou sands of students from India, Afekofa, Cashmero and China. Tho torn to 175 mosques, and when Vambery vMted it 5,000 students were studyingtheok)|r,lOT, and philosophy in its eighty collage?; The chief cities of the Khokand oasis, Tastteod, Tchemkent, Khodjend and -. .pften'W scattered.along the rich valley of tteSji- Daria. Several thousand Russta; and Cossack peasants have, with Gpyennpent assistance, become tillers of the,soil neat Tashkend and Samarcand. Taahkeiid.hu 100,000 population, thirteen inns, aiteen colleges, and many mosques, andits'eiporta and imports in 1878 amounted to 24,000,000 dollars. The Khivan pasis, thonghkept within narrow limits by the, surroiaW desert, ia large and rich enough to support a population of about 1,000,000. people. Since Kussia conquered Khokand ™ w placed upon the Syr-Daria afleet.o((teame« that ply up the river for a distance of f,m miles from the Aral sea. Sandbaia in, the towerOxus impede navigation, butEumJ" boats have ascended the greater part OIIM course as far as Choja Saleh, M-<*& known as the point on the river where, tie Afghans assert, their frontier joins Uiattf Russia. Both these great rivers are valnaDM arteries of trade, but the O;n»,: U>wg» tho fertile lands along its banks m.m® extensive nor so populous as those along™ Syr-Dyria, is destined to be .eMPfg"' the most important stream. While* &ji- Daria leads only to the comparative!}' Ba rbarous country of Bast Turkestan and™^ the Oxus will carry the freightage^,™" almost to the gates of India. »BJ™S to all students of her progress in Wnw Asia that Russia's commercial afflUß^w not only a vast augmentation of. net »«■ land trade with China,. but the openffle° India to her products as the -rewardof w long and as yet illy• requited-M?rjfi««J" Turkestan. The revenues from ietj" possessions as yet cover hardlya.M"™," the annual expenditures. \'"-^^m. The khanate of Khokand has been s«P pletely absorbed by tho Russian mm government that its name has »!P from recent maps. Bokhara ana JUU". still nominally ruled by their oldsoveragM' but they are merely depondencies.oi^' j and pay a heavy tribute for the pn™6^," of retaining a semblance of autonomy _* Khan of Khiva is not pormitted to bave» army, and his subjecte have boen *ipp of their weapons. Ho is so far J mote «B pletoly subjected princo than tie W*»_ Bokhara, who is permitted to «g» "JS of 20,000 men, which he has p*K to place at tho disposal of theß^W nander, and which, according t?Jlr^" ger. will prove a servicable »«™aSS When Russia had conquered tog, there was still hard work.for her ww { south of the Oxus, where l»^J" d ber 1 wild Turcomans constantly meww fc enterprise and blocked the w»y™ dhis Somo years after Khiva fell SkobeM^ Cossacks scattered the Tek^X tho greatest slave-hunters aDd ! ™>s'" KaW nomads who roamed the dcse V nHn {thi! Kum. Last year the last atronghoM" tribe was occupied by Knaaiar|*°?F' was the earth fort they were bnW \ bend of the Murghat River «*]^ 1U 1 O'Donovan visited them. { onrJ^L?eet Its ramparts, forty feet high a^Vrf to wide at the base, were Bff^s°rf ft. pieces, and Merv now forms P^^ |, 6 .. Russian transcaepian PrOVIDCB '^ o \reatcst fore Sir Uenry Rawlinspn, m . g authority on Central Asia, had ™ tv British Government that Ue»si «^» mercy of the General who <*%B££m But public opinion in England dia A nl flD d pace with tho marehof evantam^J , rffc it was not till the Ruffian »««^»ion tbo Morv oasis and received the su of the Turcomans south ot sjr r.^fia r.raat Britain awoke to the beUeiJ""^.

Great Britain awoke to the. BeaaC !ng Czar was thrcatepipg Horat and t&em India.-" NWVWkSou. • ' ':::. ;

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1885.

4



FLIES AND BUGS, beetim, tnsoct«, mufaa. nuts, i«d bogfl, :\j..:,fcnicc, copbers,'chipmunk*, cltartd -jut by " ltougli u a



"ROUGH ON CORNS. n-Jbk for WelU . " iiougll on Coins." <ja>* relief, colafleto, purmuuui ouro. Coroi, w«^(,