RANDOM SHOTS.

[By Zamiel.l

Home write, a nciidibour 3 name to lash, Ho mo write—vain thought!—for needful ca3h, !V_mo wriio to pleaae tho country clash. And raiso a ilin. yor Oil, an aim I never fash— 1 write for fun.

Tar. furore in the colonies over the Soudan has afforded somo of our worthy fellow colonists a glorious opportunity for a cheap display of patriotism and military ardour. After it had been positively tele graphed that tho Imporial Government would not accept any contingent besides tho ono from Now South Wales, offers of men poured in upon tho Government. Captain Scoflemoff, of tho 14th Filibusters, wrote to tho Minister of Dofonco that ho was prepared to raise a battalion at tho shortest notice, and his rival, Lieutenant Blowhard, followed suit with further promises, which ho woll know beforehand he would nover be asked to fulfil. The refusal armies in duo course, but ac companied by the thanks of the Govern ment for thoso public-spirited offers, nnd SeoU'emoff nnd Blowhard poso for over after ns tho mon who, at a critical moment in tho affairs of tho Empire, gallantly camo forward and placed tho services of a solid phalanx at the disposal of tho Government.

I hat! sorioss thoughts myself of submit ting proposals to tho Government for provi- ] sioniug the contingent, that boing tho most lucrativo department in tho army: but wiser couiißols prevailed, and I am now engaged in elaborating a schemo of household dc fonco, in preparation for that Muscovite invasion of our hearth? and homes which the prophets of blood and thunder toll us is near at hand. The family blunderbuss has been carefully overhauled and hung in a conspicu ous but perfectly safe position, so that it can injure no o»e. By a strategic arrange ment of household effects, a barricade can be formed at a moment's notice, from behind which the father of the family can pepper the enemy, and hold him at bay until the garrison retires by tho back door in good order. Ey tho aid of a lire hose a strong body of water can also bo turned instantly upon any point of attack. As tho enemy thus assailed will find it impossible to "keep his powder dry," he must, of course, surrender at discretion. But should he como scatheless through nil these toils, one resourco remains. A pretty serving-maid, that enticomcnt which no true soldier can resist, will stand ready behind the door with a fonmfog tank ard of beer. In the bottom of that treach erous jug a fatal potion has been placed, whioh will oxplode the moment it touches blood heat, and will send the miserable Muscovite to reckon up his accounts as surely as a charge of dynamite or ono of Colin Campbell's executionary guns. Hav ing thus provided for the safety of those pledges of affection which have so often produced pledges of a different and less pleasant sort, 1 am now able to sleep the sleep of tho just and defy the Czar and all his minions. England at such moments expects every man to do his duty, and is tho British lion to sloop when bcoffemoff and Blowhard arc-on the war-path ? Perish fehe thought!

The Duke of Cambridge's lalost state ment in the House of Lords shows that our colonial contingents may yet bo taken at their word and sent to tho seat of war. It will be interesting to ob serve how tho phantom army which has been conjured up by the presanfc evanes cent exoitement will dissolve and disappear when it comes to dead earnest. Irishmen, whom. Mr Froude declares to bo "the best soldiers and policemen in the world," will, of course, bulk largely in our colonial con tino-ent, as they do in the British army, aiacTl wonder how theee will relish the news thai a Fonian contingent is going to holp the Mahdi. Irish soldiers are not mere mercenaries ; they usually like to have a clear idea ot the " side " thoy aro fighting on, whether it is in a Donnybrook faction squabble, a party riot, or a titanic struggle of nations. But their ideas of pitvTotism will bo apt to get- mixed when they find themselves called upon to shoot down their own countrymen fighting the battles of tho turbulent Arub.s of the Soudan. However, tho Fenian contingent has not yet reached the seat of war, and I guess never will, for two very sufficient reasons— tho courage of tho Fenians would evaporate at the sight of tho desert, and nobody will fee so infatuated ac to supply them with the £200,000 that would );e required to equip tho proposed force and .send it to the Soudan.

There are two sides to every story, and I hava lately been getting an inkling of what the other sido of those extraordinary stories of agrarian outrage at Mangero may bo. The allegations of maiming cattle and othor wanton offences upon tho property of Mr Maerao were so extraordinary and unprece dented in a colony that they wore quoted with surprise and disgust even in England. It was a singular sequel to these charges, then, to find tho man who alleged this unneighbourly ado against his neighbours arraigned in tho Polico Court for allowing a vicious bull to wander on the high way, to tho danger of tho district, the consequence being an attack upon a settler, ■who narrowly escaped the death which befol the horso beneath him. The next phase of tho affair is the appearance of the same supposed ill-deed individual as plaintiff in a suit to bind over a neighbour who had used some not unnaturally violont language a long time before, when being conveyed te gaol upon another charge ; and soon after wards we hear respectable neighbours tes tifying that the persecutions of tho victim of these proceedings had so preyed üboi* his mind as to render him insane. The spirit of vindictiveness which seems to pervade some of these unneighbourly disputes tempts one to inquire whether there has not been a good deal of misplaced popular sentiment over Mr Macrae and his troubles, and whether we should not hear less about such quarrels if Mr Maerao would give heed to Smollett's advice-

To Christian meekness sacrifice thy spleen, Aid strive thy neighbour's weaknesses to screen,

At Mr R. T. Booth's farewell meeting, or rather the good-night meeting of last Mon day night, Brother F. Jeune got a little mixed over the tabernacles he wished to have erected. He evidently intended quot ing the transfiguration scene, although what relevance it had to the subject in hand, none could seo. At all events, the apostle of Liberalism wished to erect "one fir thee," pointing to some fair soprano in the choir; " one for thee," pointing to Mr Booth, a?d "one for thee," pointing to himself. If the tents had been erected, I may presume that one would soon have been for disposal.

Eureka I cries " Zamiel," in the language of the ancient Greeks, for he thinks ho has found a "wrinkle" worth something in these hard times, when even substantial folks like himself seem drawing nigh to the wortalß of the Bankruptcy Court. It is not the transparent dodge of that guileless bucolic bankrupt of Invercargill who told the incredulous Official Assignee that ho had put all his money in a bag, got drunk, and allowed somebody to steal it. The law in so tender in dealing with people who fail in business that no excuse is needed in order to enable them to evade payment of their legal obligations. It is the sccrot of t ow to evade meeting one's illegal obliga tions—debts of honour—and yot preservo an honest reputation, that has just dawned upon my hitherto benighted intellect. It is to * local " sweep" promoter I am in debted for tho brilliant idea. This gonitis wot up a "consultation" on the Dunedin Cup but before settling day came ho had ■filed his schedule and surrendered his estate to his creditors. In his statement to the Official Assignee, he of eourso mode noallu aion to the " sweep" branch of his business, and the money ho had drawn from that was not hemded over or accounted for. No ; but whon his successful clionts went for thoirprizosthey were met with a woe-begono tale of his commercial disaster, and told that no prizes were forthcoming. A fow woro, I am told, paid in full, howover, while others accopted a composition. These consulta tions being illegal, there is no redress at law and I write this to warn "investors" of the position in which they may find thorn selves if they " put itp" thoir money with a man of straw-or tobacco loaf I A " wei gher" is held in execration by all classes of society, as having about reached tho lowest depth of depravity; and I fancy most nooplo will class this defaulter in the same oatesrory, and few of his class will care to Imitate his new way of paying debts of honour.

I have received the following correspon rfense on tho Tennysonian puzzle pro pounded by Dr. Murray Moore : "VMfiear 'Zamiel',— Tomymmd the accurate grammatical parsing of the

passage from Tennyson's (Euone, given in my last communication to your columns, if moro difficult than tho interpretation of the ideas of tho poet. Most certainly 1 take tlio conjunction ' until' to govern the subjunc tive mood ; therefore the verb 'grow ' is in that mood. And, to mako grammar (which is prosaic and correct mechanical 'sonso') of tho noxt line, the verb 'grow' or Hie past participle ' grown,' followed by the preposition 'into,'must be prefixed to tho nuzzling phrase, ' puro law.' Finally, I tako 'eommeasuro ' to bo hi thosubjunetivo of intensity. I would thus, then, para phrase and" interpret by so doing the irur of flic quotation.—' Until endurance grow sinewed with action, and the adult will, having gono through the r-J He of all human experiences, shall' havo grown into puro law [both consistent with itself and with till tho laws of nature], and shall at last bo synonymous with perfect freedom of action".— Yours, &c, Mi'kuay Moour, M.D.1

"Dear 'Zamiol,'—l triw very much in terested in tho Tonnysoniati puzzle pro nounded to the reader.; of your column.-, a few weeks ago. In fact, 1 had written an answer, but neglected .sending it. I was

gratified, however, to find that Dr. Murray Mooro's explanation exactly coincided with initio, f differ with him, however, in re gard to tho person meant, by Tennyson in the stanza referred to by you. I am in dined to think that the poot hero addresses somo one, perhaps well known to him, or who may bo altogether a arontion of tho poet's, whoso personality lias nothing to do with the poem, but who is taken as a re presentative of those who are at onco tender-hearted nnd full of faith, to whom all "doubt sooms devil-born." As to the grammatical difficulty in tho quotation given by Dr. Murray Moore, would not ' will' be nominative absolute to ' circled, and 'law' nominative to 'commonsuro,' reading it thus—' And tho full-grown will circled (i.e., having circled) through all ex periences puro law eommeasuro perfect freedom.'— Yours, &c, If. A. .11.''

"Tear 'Zamiel,' —In a copy of last m'glrf's Star 1 notico a letter from Dr. Moore, dated 11th inst., presenting .is a puzzle to your readers the concluding lino? of a passage from (Kuono, which, should you insert this, you will perhaps print again for the sake of clearness. Tho solu tion of tho riddle I attempt as follows :— Agreeing with Dr. Moore that thoro is a parenthesis, which, however, instead of pure law, I tako to bo circled through all experiences, I make tho following paraphrase as explanatory of tho meaning of tho lines:—"And tho will fully developed" (from its extensive and fruitful experience), becoming iv ofi'ecfc puro or perfect law, shall eommeasuro perfect freedom. This ii at least clear, though whether it represents the poet's idea is not of course forme to w>y. By this reading ' full grown will' is identi cal with 'pure law,' and thoreforo both con trol ' commoasurc' Again 'grow' and 1 eommeasuro ' are evidently in tho infini tive to correspond with KShall stirkj within thy pulses.' Tho word 'circled' appoars rather difficult to define precisely, but I suppose it is a poetic cmbosoming-of tho common expression ' going the round of.'—Faithfully yours, I, F, M, Whkn'.u.k Stk.ilso.-t," k X X

"Coniine events thc«r shadows cast before!' And the shadows oast by the contemplated reforms in the liquor traffic by the Temper ance party look gloomy incltfcd for the un fortunate publican. Tho whirligig of timo brings its own revenge. For years the publicans ruled the roost. They " lambed down " bushmen with nnblushitigeiVrontery, conducted their houses in a loose and im moral manner, and assisted by the money power of tho wealthy brewers, and wine and spirit morchants, and also by the apathy of the general public, broke tlio law with great consistency. That was the golden age of public houso keaping. Mister O'Murtagh and Mister Malloney started a grog shanty with a few pounds, and in a year or two tho profits of their nefarious business enabled them to become "mighty big jintlemen entirely." But those halcyon days are over, the public has thrown off its lethargy, and thero is a universal dosiro to grapple firmly with the drink trallia. Tlio end may be its utter extinction. So long as flatulontwatcispouts, Uriah Heap?, and irritating Chatbands generally were the acknowledged leaders of tho Temperance party, tho publicans had not very much to foar ; but when educated gentlemen and Ueon far-seeing politicians and lawyers liko Messrs Peacock and Theo. Cooper, seeing tho starof Temperance rising in the horizon, boldly talk of " prohibition, tlio knife to cut the disease out of the body politic," tho knights of the bung and the corkscrew may well clothe themselves with sackcloth and ashes and lift up their voices and weep.

X, X X Just allow a young colonial to know the way to get a cheap advertising pull. At Mr Booth's farewell meeting tho other evening, the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon, whilo declaiming vigorously against tho liquor traffic, took occasion to mention that whilo in England recently ho had fre quently told tho story of tho victory of ths temperance party over tho licensed vic tuallers in Auckland, how thoy had carried all tho wards of tho city except one, and that was an unimportant one, inasmuch as it had only otto hotel in it, and that was as " rcspoctabio as such places could bo," And now for tho sequel. The hotel so referred to by the Reverend Tommy is situated at thecornorof Kyber Pass Road andSymonds stroet. On Monday evening, aftor the meeting, a person returning from it, thoaght ho would " give Jimmy a start." ("Jimmy" is the publican's front name). So he went in, and tho following colloquy ensued : "Good-night, Jimmy I How'sbiz?" "Oh,prettygood." " Woll, it'll be better now that Spurgeon ha.s praised your house at Booth's mooting." "What aro you giving us ?" " I'm spoaking tho truth, and I'll bet half-a-dozen champagne on it." " Dono." And so tho wager was made, Noxt day, the publican found that what had been stated by his friend was absolutely correct, so he "stumped up" tho champagne and wrote a neat letter to tho Rev. Tommy, enclosing £1 for tho Tabernaclo, and thanking him for tho high comy.liraont ho had paid him. What tho rov. gentleman has dono with the £1 " Zamiel " does not know ; if, however, his conscience will not allow him to receivo money from suclr a source, thoro aro many deserving institutions to which no such scruples apportain,

The last sceno in St. Paul's Church, which has now been razed to tho ground, ' was a rather singular and interesting one. It was a hymeneal contest, and the prize was a Bible. Tho donor was the parson, and competition was open to all-comers. It was arranged that the good old Book should become the property of the happy couple who should bo tho last mar ried in the old church, and two couples made up their minds to secure it. On the last day upon which tho church was intact, a gentleman in the bookselling line, whose name, bythoway, isnotindicativoof apeaco fully-dispoeed person, escorted her whom ho had chosen tp bo tho partner of hie joys and sorrows to.tfie altar, and thoy wero bound together in the bonds of matrimony. They congratulated themselves on having won the prize, but they were speedily troubled with sorious deubts on tho subjoct. An other claimant appeared upon tho scene in the shape of a popular dispenser of medicines, who hit upon a better idea than his friend tho bookseller. This was, to bo wedded while the church was in courso of demolition. So with tho roof partly off, tho windows out, the workmen scattered around, and plaster Hying about, ho brought his bride before the fast-disappearing altar, and they left the building man and wife, This is how the chemist stolo a march on the bookseller, and how he secured tho parson's Bible.

It is a fact well-known to many c'tizons that tho Sanitary Inspector and a certain matrimonial agent are not bosom friends, and on Wednesday last a now instance of this was disclosed in tho Police Court. Tho mam whoso genius has been (so report says) tho blessed agent of so many happy (?) marriages, has for four years been tho conscious owner of a poodle, exceedingly curly, Tho whity-brown croaturo was scon .without a collar, and tho owner was informed that if law was not obeyed, Mr Goldio would summon him. Tho owner drew himself upright and told tho man that he and tho Inspector might go to Old Harry. Counsel wished to know who that decropid person was, and was impertinently answered that Old Harry was tho accredited managor of a sulphur mino ! Impertinence in this instance saved costs to the Council. '

Thero is a condition of "strained re lations " obtaining at tho sleepy village of To Awamutu betweon the parson and parishioners, and for such thero would ap pear to be ample cause, A nowspnper para graph recently gavo the most roeont do

velopmont of tho feud. The congregation remained seated when His Holiness wished, but did not ask, them to stand, and for this contumacy ho publicly reprimanded them in ti harangue of great power and original ity. It, is really to be hoped the Hock will learn better manners. I don't know .vhethor tho parson of To Awamutu has noble blood, liko tho Tollemacho-Tollo , macho of Lincolnshire, who ordered hi* parishioners to approach his house by the hack door and with their lia'is in their .mds; but that makes no difference. He is their superior and head, and obedience, implicit and unquestioning, is thoir duo. Thoy should even cultivate tho modern art of "thought-reading," so that thoy might bo enabled to carry out his unspoken wishes. Still, it is perhaps well that they should havo tin occasional "scene at ilicit' devotions, and ought- to bo thankful that Providence lias given them a pastor whose eccentricities give a fillip to tho dull routine of life in the sleepy border town-

Hull I been told it by my most confidential friend, 1 could hardly havo credited it, although, with tlio journalistic instinct strongly upoume,! might, not havo scrupled to impart a hint of the rumour to my dUcreot readers witha whol/somo ailjuriitinn tint to tell it in (lath or to whisper it in the streets of Aflkelm. Rut to read in tho most conspicuous portion of Monday evening's St.vk Messrs Shalders, Son, Urown and Co.'s apology to those of thoir customers who woro not properly served on tho previous day—Oh !if was positively shocking !To think that the venerable deacon of an im portant tabornacla should have so far for gotten his principles, ignored his Sunday monitions from suburban pulpits and school rostrums, and belied his saintly aspect as to havo listened to tho wiles of tho Tempter and purchased the mammon of unrighteous ness at tlio cost of Sabbath desecration, caused mo 1 lie. greatest shock 1 have received this year. How could ho do such a thing? and after iloing it why has ho lacerated our feelings and rudely dispelled tho glamour of sanctity in which wo all viewed him by publishing that dreadful apology? And at such an unfortunate timo, too, —ero the unction of tho " welcome homo" soiroo had disappeared, and j uft, when tho Key. Tommy was being again clasped to the bosom of his affectionate congregation, Oil, Bichard, Richard, how could you? You have hopelessly shattered my nerves by your cold-blooded " apology," and so saddened my soul with obvious reflections as to the capital which the otiomy will mako out of your doings, that I could not oven conjure up tho ghost of a smile to my woebegone features when I road the other night of a girl being wanted to " mill; for the country."

xx x Refreshing as a sweet summer brce/.c in sultry weather, is a common-senso remark from tho orthodox pulpit, especially when ministers so often carry one's thoughts far abovo the baaton track of mundane affair . intoskiey regions whero " airy voices lead." And yet, bow frequently, at the close of a strictly correct sermon, tho very necessary round-going plato, which cannot bo dis pensed with, draws the heaven-tending feel ing back again to tho sido pocket. The religious toll, however, must bo collected, or tho Gate Beautiful would be closed to tho imponitont wayfarer. Any thought, I assert from tho pulpit which bears healthfully upon common life, is not without its happy uilliienco. Tlia remark I heard from a small preacher in a city sido-streot Kethsl touched more than ono ell'ominato listener with something liko magnetism. I shell not soon forgot that beardless face, nor the words that little man uttered. "If I woro a girl," ho said, " I wouldn't parade too much in streets and public places." Ami he went on to speak of other things that a girl shouldn't do, such as thinking overmuch about dress, and improvers, postboys, and tlio vagaries of what is reverenced as fashionable society, and pirticularly parading tho streets for pur poses of vanity.

X X X Could a gladsome-hearted, gaily-attired, Auckland girl listen with any degree of pleasure to tho young minister's teaching V Suno old - fashioned pooplo might regard it as common sense, but »s one emphatically said, and no doubt she considered her brief criticism just, '"Tis all nonsense." Many young girls or this city who acquire the habit of walk ing tho streetsdo not considcrhow objection nblo it is, and that tho young pale-faced V.'esleyan pre.-ichor may bo very near tlio truth. Tho parading, tightly-laced young girl may bo innocent enough of conseq nonces, for as the poet has it,

" Evil is wrought for want of thought, .As well ns want of heart." Selina's motive at tho onset may be simply amusement, satisfying girlish curiosity by gazing into othor people's windows, and having her vanity flattered by attracting towards herself tho notice of very polite young men, who uncover their heads in her angelic presence. I think, however, with the littlo minister, that snch notico is seldom respectful, and fcol that many a young fellow who lifts his hat and looks ad miringly at young ladies undor such cir cumstances may bo glad at heart that his sistor is not amongst thorn.

Mormon Missionaries Among. the Maoris.

[From thi. " Desert News," Saw Lake City.]

We have recently given, as obtained from roports of returned missionaries from Now Zealand, accounts of tho remarkable spread of tho Gospel among thenativosof that part of the world, who are ovidontly a branch of tho house of Isrnol. We are onabled to give a few further details, obtained from lotters addressed to Elders Greenwood and Hinck ley, who lately reached homo from Now Zealand.

Tho following is from a communication written by Elder W. T. Stewart, at Muri wai, Poverty Bay, Novombcr 4th :—

"Tho Friday aftor your departure I was leaving town on tho Beach Road, when I mot the samo young man that had invited us to call on him, between the town and Whakaoutu (William King). Ho invited mo again to como and sco him, which I did that night and baptized six the noxt morn ing, The noxt Monday wo baptized five at Papawhariki, among whom was Henry King.

"Tho same day I took my departure for East ('ape, but only went as fur as Waiapu. I held IS mcotings while I was gone, all wanting to hear except at ono place. I baptized 04 persons on the trip and blessod nino children, and I know of somo ten others who wanted baptism, which I could not attend in consequence of my return to Uiuborne. Among thoso baptized was a Maori prophot and doctor (Mathe.v) Henry Potae, son-in-law to Manihora nnd Rangi tira. Nui : somo othor leading men also.

"Thoro will bo a largo fiold^among tho Ngatiporous. On my return hero I learn that Brother Ash has four others at Papa whariki, among them tho son and daughter of Jack Jury. Tho father also has declared his intention of boing baptized. Brother Ash has also baptized live more at a placo just belowßakciterva.

"I hear through tlio natives that Clarence has been baptising some, but do not know how many.

"Elder Hoyborne has baptized four in his district, with good prospects ahead of him, so you sec thoro is plenty of Work in every direction."

The annexed is an extract from a letter from Elder E. Newby, written at Taonoke, H. 8., Now Zealand, November 3rd : —

" My success in the language is very good, so tho Moaris toll mo. 1 havo been assisted by Brother Otone and all tho saints. They treat mo with groat kindness, for which I am thankful to (ted.

" I havo had the privilege of baptizing twenty-three more at Ugatarawa anil dedi cating a line now houso they havo built since you left. I held a four days meeting, and the people of tho places that you and brother Otene visited aro now investigating somo of our principles. Tho Maoris held a largo meeting at Omaha, to sec if something could not bo done with us "Mormons," and it resulted in a letter to Parliament and in me baptizing some that dwell there. The spirit of gathering is making itself manifest in tho 11. 8., but as yet I do not say anything about it."

A collection of fans was sold recently at Madrid, whon one of ivory, painted by Watteau, which formerly belonged to the Princess Adelaide of Savoy, fetched £150 A fan, painted by Boucher, sold for £190 and another, painted by Lebrun for tho Duchcs of Mcdina-Celi, went for £90 — "Truth."

SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RACING FIXTURE.

Now Zonlnnrt. Henderson's Mill Turf Club March 17 Oamimi .).(_!. Minium Mtw.-li 17 and IS lbuvku's liuv.l.C. Autumn .. ..Jliull. 17 un-1 l!i Northern Jockey Club Autumn March 21 Kiiilknn.ikuim KuciiiK Oluli .March :■:> Tartuiala Anniversary Meetint; Mi.rcli -il. '..'S Onehunga ii.C. Autumn March ._S Auokland ItC. Autumn April I und fi Cantorhury J.C. Autumn Mci tliift April li. 7 IVkapuiia .l.i'. Ant limn April 11 (.'amhrldßO J.C.Autumu April Uaiid It! I'itpukura Meeting ...April ~l Wellington lI.C. Autumn May 1 mid '-' Ttikuimtm J.C. Winter May 'it Auckland K.C. Steopleehas-.i Moutliitc .. Juna 0 Australia. IbiwKesbufv 111. Autumn Mit roll 211, H A.J.C. Autumn April (I, S. 10, 11 Dates of Nomina-tionn. Sntrlcs tmtl Aocoiitaiiocs. Nominations principal evootti Onolumw.i Meet ing March IS General entries and acceptance--! Jletiilersmi'-i Mill Mectlnu' <v<"tell I» Arcepiii!i(v>.(!rciit Alt' nmn 11-m '.i.- i;i.. Mnroli 11 1)1 rst forfnit Auckland tCuitor Handicap and Steeplechase M-.'feli _!7

To Correspondents.

A X Commotion will carry list 611) in tlio Champion stakes, and Off Colour 9st. Nkwmahkbt.—QarllrUl won the last two races lie st'irted for ns a iwo-yonr old, und defeated H.irKO on oa<-li occ-aaion. W. P.—Kvettonlifld, tho winner of tlie Dunedin ChampntjiK! -Stakes, was piirchascil by 3:r Stcphviison when a yearling for o.'> |.;ulnein. Kurd.—Odd 1 of 7 to 1 were laid on Martini llenrv when ho wilts defonted. by be (_rm.il in the A.J.C. rit. Leger. Lo Omnrt Rulueqiiemly dofeated him in tlio Cumberland !stako:i. V.'. R. C. asks—When level money is bet on one horse arr.i'nstiinntlii-r, in a race with condition "ou« to win." and one of the horsed so hacked is scratched, the other beaiini? the (ield end wins tho race, is the he; void owiii'j to the sci-iiN-liiiv,' of the on., h-irs- nfl.n- tlni lii-l Is made (—No; you had a ehaneo of winning when the wa;;er wits made.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Tiik weights for the Croat Autumn Handi cap, which comes up for decision on Easter Monday, camo to hand during tlio week, and I think it will bo agreed that the linwdieappers have left littlo to grumblo at. With list lib (or lib over his weight-for age), Oudeis has not boon forgotten, but until his owners soo fit to lot him be seen on a racecoureo, they are quite justified in awarding him such an impost. Good oolt though Trenton is, it is not fair that he should be called on to give Liverpool tHb, but despite this the son of Musket will require watching, and his stablo companion Bubina (Sst) is nicely handicapped on her rocont form. Lady Emma reads particularly well with tho same weight, for s-lie carried 151b moro Into third placo last year, and July (7st 1011)) lins got tho weight off hia back to eueh an ex tent that I will not bo surprised in the least to soe him plaeo tho race to his credit. Among tho light division, Wapiti (fist K>lb), Captain Webster (Cst 01b), and Lady Evelyn (Cat) oach havo a very tempting ap pearance. Tho acceptances are not due till Saturday noxt, but out of tho 27 en gaged, I think that at the present timo July, Liverpool, Lady Emma, Trenton, and Bubina aro most worthy of support.

The Victoria Racing Club Autumn Meoting will bo concluded this afternoon. Of course, all interest will bo centred in the Champion Race, and aftor Commotion's defeat of Malua in tho Bssondon Stakes on Saturday last, it look 3as if tho gallant son of Panic will tako somo boating. lam inclined to think, howovor, ho will find a foeman worthy of his steel in tho best of Mr Branch's pair—Off Colour and Silver King. Tho number of nominations reooived for the principal events of the Auckland Autumn Meeting show an increase on the threo previous seasons, as tho following figures will show : —

1532. ISS.-J. 1881, IRSS, Raster Handicap .. 21 i'l 1!J 2!) Autumn Handicap .. '-'I •'l" "" »l Htcopleuhaifi .. .. 13 18 lo 18 61 C 751 73

By telegraph this week wo arc informed of tho death of Mr M. H. Oram, of Christ church, a prominont supporter of the turf, and brother of Mr If. Or am, of this city. Deceased has always been associated in his racing transactions with Mr P. Butler, and was among the Southern visitors who attended our Inst Summer Meeting. In Canterbury and Otago, where Mr Oram was bost known, his demiso will bo greatly felt by a wido circle of friends. Mr H. Goodman's Billy is tho only ono who declined tho final payment for the Napier Handicap, tints leaving tho good number of eleven to contest tlio raco for the first (JOOsovs given by tho Hawkc's Bay Jockey Club. Clogs, Smeorach, and Billy are tho only names missing from the Flying Handicap, and thero aro half-a-dozen still left in tho Hurdles. Among the entries for \ ' two of tho events appears Mr J. Marshall's two year-old colt Derringer, who will be shipped on Thursday next. What a pity it was that Vanguard and Tastnan did not meet at: wcight-i'or-age in tho Marshall Memorial Stakes, run at the Dunedin Meeting on Saturday last. I presume that Tastnan was suffering from the effects of bis gruelling in tho Jockoy Club Handicap on tho previous day. But in any case, I think that both fit and well, Vanguard has proved pretty conclusively by his running ibis season that be is master of Mr O'Brien's horse. The New Zealand Cup nominations for ISSS number eight less than last year, and four the year previous, if the telegraphed list can bo relied on. All things considered, I think this must be considered very

satisfactory. Wolcomo .lack's name is again conspicuous among tho onirics, but several well-known names at« mi-Hug, tho most notable being Snlvngo. The weights arc not due until the Ist of June. Musket's son Fusilier was quite tho lit-.-.) of Ihe hour on tho til -t day of I lie Wanganui Mooting, for bo pulled oil' both tLc Derby and the Wniignnni Stakes the lai. named race boing tho big event of tlio Afternoon. Those aro tho two lir-t races he Ins placed to his credit, and tho success of Mr Bailor's colours will bo hailed with satisfaction, for of Into he has bail a cruel turn of bad luck. It is searoely iicce.l sary for inn to mention that Fusilier fir*! saw the light of day at Papa kura, ami ho win bought by his present owner at Mr Walter's salo whon a yearling for IKB guineas. from'a letter received in town this week 1 'earn tho Antorns-Sylvia yearling cold, belonging to tho N.Z. Stud Company, has hml his hocks blistered, nnd is turned out at tho If oil. -'. White's farm. Thoro Is cv. ry probability of the colt being brought back here whoii he has thoroughly 're covered. The Australian Cup resulted in a victory for Mr N. Wilson's Kingwood, who carried 7si lllb, Sheet Anchor (Tst (lib) boing his immediate attendant, and Stornaway third. The 2[ milo was cot over in the fast timo of -Imiii. 1-J,«cc. which lias only beon bouton by I'nllio, who took one second loss to compass tho rli«tniiro. C-ronct started a warm favourite for the race at even money, but he collapsed at the turn for homo. Tho cable is silent as to whether Welcome .lack started The Wellington r.acing Club hr.vo do ciilotl to boli^a two days' Autumn Meeting at tho llutt on tho Ist and 2nd May. Froui tho published programme, I gather that 1.700 will be given in added money, dividcil among twelve races. Tho two loading ovotus aro tho Autumn Handicap of 200-sovs, 1.,' mile, and Herctaunga Handicap of loUsovs, 1$ mile. "Sir Launoclot" says that Vanguard romped homo for the Dunedin Cup in almost as easy a fashion as ho did for tho Is.'/.. Cup. The samo writer states that Trenton ran in plates, anil considering tho race was run in the fastest time recorded, it stamps tho son of Musket as ono of the greatest colls wo have ever si on. Probably tho most extraordinary record ) mado for some timo by a thoroughbred sire is that of St. Albans. Ai tho compiled statistics for Inst season, he topped the li«t, whilo during tho present ono ho can lay claim to having sired tho winners of tho Caulliold Cup, Melbourne Cup, Ilobnrt Cup, Moouco Valley Cup, Newmarket Handicap (won by Coronet), and Australian Cup (wou by Kingwood), to fay nothing of several small races. All of tho above mentioned events wero appropriated by a dill'oront horso too. Silvor King has at last proved his worth by placing tho V.B.C. St. Legor to his crodit. Tho performance must bo reckoned a most meritorious ono, for behind him was that Ronsistont oolt David, whilo Mozart (who ran third) lias shown previously that ho in no duller. Silver King claims that great portormer First King as his siro. His party mast have been a bit swcot on tho oolt'a chance, for at last advicos I notico they v.'oro accopting (i to 4 about him winning. A misunderstanding arose boforo tho Dunedin Cup Kaco botwecn Mr .1. Stephen son, ownor of Captain Webster, and Mr.l. W. Cotton, owner of Adamant, as to tho service* of tho jockey Sharp. Both gontle meii wore under tho impression that thoy bud engaged him for that race, and a meet ing of tho stewards was called to docido I ho question. Aftor investigation, tho meeting decided in favour of Mr Cotton, and O'Connor was consequently put upon Cap tain Webster. Tho programme for tho Grand National Steeplechase Meeting, to bo held at Christ church on May 2Sth, has been Issued. Tho added monoy amounts to .£520, or nn increase of £45 on that of last year, dis tributed thus :—Grand National Handicap of 200sovs.; Maiden Plate of lOOsovn. ; Hurdlo Handicap of SOsnvs. ; Tally-ho Handicap of lOOsovs. ; and Consolation Handicap, "Ada Mantua" has forwarded tho names and addresses of the persons who drew the first, second, and third Itnrscs in her Dunedin Cup consultation ; also tho gontlo mon who constituted tho committeo. Writes "Beacon " t—"Mr G. Bate in forms mo that: tho circumstantial report re cently telegraphed from Wellington as to his having decided to tako up quarters near the Butt is scarcely correct, and that the rumour arose simply through his having remarked whon attending tho late Welling : ton meetings that with somo few improve ments tlio neighbourhood would offer great inducements to owners and trainers to settle down thoro." There has boon a lot ol speculation during tho week tis to whether Welcome .lack started in tho Newmarket Handicap. I don't think thoro can bo much doubt about tho matter, for the Melbourne papers state he was backed to win the raco for about £ 15.000 at lOil's to .".. Apropos of Welcome Jack, I take the following from last week's " Sportsman " -.--During the past few days . rumours have been afloat to tho effect that! tho Malua parly would match their crack j to give Welcome-lack a stone and a beating for £500 or t'l,ooo a-side. Wo are not aware whether there is any foundation for the report, but feel convinced that, as far as Mr Pilbrow is concerned, a lrntch on these terms for, say, £300 a-side, with a reasonable forfeit, over a milo and a quarter oramiloand a half, could bo arranged to-morrow, to take placo aftor tho V.B.C. mooting, and wo think most Victorians even at a stono handicap would bo inclined to lay C to 4 on Malua. ' The New York " Spirit of tho Times" of a reoont dato gives some interesting statistics of trotting records, viz., a table of best times or, record, at all distances and " all ways of going," up to December 20,

1884. Tho best railos aro quoted:— Trot-, ting in harness, Maud S., 2m. 2Js.; trot ting to waggon, Hopeful, 2m. Kl.js.; trot-' ling in waggon, drawing _(,0001b., Moun tain Maid, :im. 42A5.;20 yoars ago ; trot ting under saddle, Ureat Eastern, 2m. 15Js.; j trotting double team, Maxy Cobb and Nota Medium, 2m. lfi.i's.: trotter with running mato, H. B. Winship and Cabe Ca_)o,_ 3m. lis.: pacing in harness, Johnston (gelding), 2m. lids. ; pacing under sadtllo, Billy Enrico, 2m. M.s. : pacing to waggon, .Sweet/.nor, 2m. 17Js. Up Northern (Queensland way, where tho rum is plentiful and cheap, and whore tho heat is also tolerably plentiful too, Christ mas comos but once a year, but when it docs roll round it genorally managds to leave its fe-divo mark on somo of them. At the recent Boxing Day races in a certain town up North only two horses started in tho last race, a grey one and n black one, and they finished so closely that the bulk of the spectator* who haiiut joined in the doxology too much that day were strongly of opinion that the lluttcr had resulted in a dead beat. A rush was made to tlio judge's box, and that gontloman upon boing asked for his decision, held on to tho rails ami spluttered out. "Well, fan' is, ladies and geinmon, I'm not- shertnin who was firs'—hie -but 'pon shotil, 1 think th' piobald horso won it." And then ho sat down on his hat and shouted. Tho " Indian Planters' Gazette " has tho following useful hints on tho schooling of jumping horses t—Tho gonoral defective ness in tho jumping education of hor: es is often shown, aftor their education is sup pised to bo complotcd, by thoir quickening thoir paco very much boforo gotting to a fenco, and when they have jumped it suc cessfully, unless they aro immediately restrained with tho bridle, they go oil' at tip speed. Thoy will also jump better at ono time than another, and jump bettor over ono sort of fenco than nnothor. If thoy do not want to jump a fonco, thoy will gallop at it just the samo, anil then ship short anil spin round. Now a horso docs iiono of theso things unless he has boon taught to do them by sonioono. If a young horso that has never beon jumped ovor a fenco or viddon at ono is cantorcd up t.i a small hedgo or ditch, ho will not quicken his pace on approaching it, but will canter completely up to it. When ho gots to it ho may jump it, or ho may stop ; but if he stops ho will not spin round, but will stand with his head looking ovor tho fence ; and if ho jumps it, ho will not quicken his paco on tito other sido. If ho stops at tho toncc it is cither because he thinks ho can not', jump it or ho is afraid to try. In cither case tho application of whip or spur will only frighten him worse. Ho may jump it if ridden at it a socond timo; but it not, ho should nover bo triodathird time. If tho fonco is too big to bo jnmped stand ing, ho should bo taken away to n smallor fonco ; but it it can bo jumped standing, tho ridor should try if tho horso will do bo, by koeping his hoad to it, and just kicking him gontly with his heels, lotting him tako his own timo in looking at it and his own in getting over it. If ho will not jump it aftor a certain timo, ho should bo taken away. If ho jumps it, however awkwardly, ho should bo allowod to go his own paco half ovor tho noxt hold, and then either pulled up gently or ridden on to tho next obstacle. He should not bo encouraged or petted as if ho had done somothing wonderful ; but it should bo taken as a matter of courso, and tho idea improssod on tho horso that you wantod to got into tho noxt liotd, and in ordor to do so ho had to jump tho fonco. For this reason it is al together foolish to strike a horso after ho has got ovor a fonco, and still stupider to turn him round anil make him jump back again. A horso soon loams that you want j him to got into tho noxt liold, but if you ; striko him whon ho has got there, ho | doesn't know what you want him to do ; j and if you turn him round and jumpbaok, ho doson't know whero you want him to go. A young horso is vory soon puzzled, and a puzzled horso iH vory soon frightened, and a frightened horso soon loses his hoad, nnd iis then liablo to bocomo dangerous. If a j horse refuses a fonce, tho great object is to ! provotit the fact being impressed upon his momory ; and if ho is trotter! up to two or throo small obstacles and stopped, ami then taken away without jumping them, ho will very soon bo unable to distinguish between the times when he stopped to please himsolf and tho times when ho stopped to please his ridor. Now, as a horso which has never jumped a fence never rushes at ono, it. follows that they oniy rush because they have been taught to do so ; and this is pro bably done by riding them at a fonoo, holding thorn tight by tho head for fear thoy should spin round, and spurring them for fear thoy should stop, and as often as not striking them just as they aro taking oil' for fear thoy should not jump high enough. Now a young horso disiikes all throo of these things excessively, and if ho bus at all a fender mouth, all three of them hurt him in different places at onco. No wonder, then, that he aoquircs the habit of going as hard as he can pelt at a fenco, to gel: ovor with as little punishment to him self as possible, and soon acquires tho habit of doing this oven whon ho is neither spurred nor whipped."

CONDENSED ITEMS.

' Mr W. Bobbett's colt Tetford is on the sick list. Tho English Derby will bo run very late this year—June 3rd. The disappointing Archie is stated to bo suffering from rheumatics. Mr Jodan's Conrad (the sire of Trump Yoss and Banter) has ht.d to bo destroyed. Mr J. Stephenson has purchased the brood mare Fallacy (dam of his colt Everton Lad). Mr H. M. Lyon has been appointed per manent secretary of the Wellington Bacing Club. The Adelaide Racing Club will givo away i' 2,307 at thoir throe days meoting in May.

£Th Kuukajrtiiapa 'Racing Club hold heir annual raco-niccting on tho 25th March. Vanguard is the first horse to carry oil he two leading events of the Now Zealand r.urf in ono season.

Mr K. Wockes, tho well known Indian trader, lifts purchased the Hon. L. L. Smith's stables at Cnulticld.

Tho Melbourne "Sportsman" says Welcome -lack is about the handsomest hors" on tlio Flemington ground. liargo hit. his leg while doing n gallop •it Flomington. It necessitated hira being scratched for all his V.X.C. engagements. On tho Dunedin Cup £4,20") was invested in tho toinlisator, which is the largest sum ever put through on any single race in New Zealand.

Mr 11. Hay visits Australia at an early date, and in all likelihood will tako Sou' wester and tho Musket-AVai-i-ti colt over with him.

Tiio Tasmanian jumpers, Colebrook and Morron, havo becomo tho property of Mr Martin l.o.tglilin, of tho famed Dowling Forest stable.

Coronet's time tor the Newmarket II audi cap was tlio slowest, yet recorded for the nice. This is accounted tor by tlio heavy nt'ito of tho going. For tho information of backers, I may mention that Tigredia was scratched for all her Wanganui Autumn engagements on Monday last, at-1,55 p in.

Mr W. Kelso's Bryan O'Lynn fell while exorcising on tho Randwick course a few days back, nnd brnko both his fore legs. Ho bad to be destroyed.

At tho settling or. tho Dunedin Jockey Club Meeting, £4,080 was paid over in stakes. Tho lion. W. Robinson's cheque amounted to C 1,255, and Mr B. O'Brien received CtlliO.

.Mr S. I. Moody's horso Itevengo, who won the principal hurdlo and Hat races at the recent. Tauranga nnd Rotorun Meetings, has boot; purchased by Mr D.Twohill. The price paid wus C7O. The Auckland-(,red colt Matchlock was expected to have mado his dehul in tho Ascot Vale Stakes, run at Flomington on Saturday Inst, but Melbourne p-'ipers to hand state that ho was scratched Inst wook.

Tho sporting residents of Tasmania have discovered tho merits of tho totalisator as a medium for betting. Tho machine was used during tho three days of the llob.trt Meeting, and in one race a dividend of £40 was paid.

The Dunedin telegraph department had its resources somewhat severely taxed after tho raco for tho Cup. No fewer titan 387 messages, mostly urgent, woro despatched from tho course to various parts of the colony. ,

How are tho mighty fallen ! The Czar, who ran second lo Zulu in tho Melbourno Cup, carriod silk in n ten pound soiling raco at Doncastcr (Melbourne) lately, nnd finished a bad last, two or throo hundred yards behind everything. Tho popular Christchurch sportsman, Mr G. G. Stead, seems to havo a very slippery young lady in his three-year-old filly Marion. She placed twomorc races to hor credit at tho Dunedin .Mooting, nnd boat vory respectable fields in each.

Tho Canterbury Jockey Club have on dorsed tho disqualification of tho horse Mamnion nnd tlio rider (Watts) for two yoars; ulso of Alexander Koir for thrco years from January 13th, 1885, for gross disobedionco of orders and using insulting language, Ono of tho best and gamest horses that evor trod tho Australian turf was Rich mond, by Miiribyrnong from tho Fawn. A two-year-old son of his called Uncas, mado his debut at a Victorian country mooting lately, and ran second in two races.

Tho "Canterbury Times" says that it wan rumoured in Christchurch on Dunedin Cup day that tho Hon. W. Robinson pur chased Trenton prior to tho start. All of tho other Christchurch and Dunedin papers aro silent on tho subject, so the rumour may bo put down as " bosh."

Tho quest ion as to how much money could bo obtainod from tho bookmakers agaii.st a Newmarket Handicap horse cropped up in course of a discussion at the Victorian Club rooms, and the general consensus ot opinion was that the Aus tralian ling is good for t'SO.OOO on a New market Handicap, and ;£l-_50,000 on a Mel bourne Cup.

A Villain of the Coldest Kind of Blood.

111-: was coming down tho street with a broad grin on bis face, when an ac quaintance halted him anil inquired if ho had made a strike.

" I just havo '"was the reply, fallowed up by a hoarty tough. "My wife and I haven't lived happily for the last year, and sho has mado up ber mind to apply for a divorce." " Has she ? Why, that's too bad I" " You wouldn't, think so if you know her. She expects me to light the' proceedings, you know. Sho is going to allege cruelty lon my part, and for the last two weeks sho has been working up scars to show the jury. She's torn up a bonnet^ nnd will have tho pieces to show what a bad temper I havo. She's cut the buttons oil'a dross, and will have it in court as evidence of my tyranny She's going before a jury to swear that I threatened her life on several occasion* and she's got two servants to remember that I once cut hor corset strings with a butcher knifo. She's caleulatitig°nn a bi" sensation and a crowded court room-—hi" ha! ha!" '

"But whero dots the laugh como in?" "Why, I skip the town for Denver! and shell havo to pay Iter own lawyer and get hor bill without sensation. The papers won't give it three lines -there'll be no mry to see the scars-no lady spectators to weep —no boom to float her into tho market on If you want to sco tho maddest woman in the State of Michigan, just drop around to morrow and ring my front door boll—he' ho! he I «' Detroit Free Press,"

FIELD SPORTS AND AQUATICS.

(BY ACIVISON.)

CJRIOJCE'/' (■'iir.TUKTSS. CIAiS MATCHES. March 7-Oorton v. Newton, And. .ami v. United (itouUniiivi). Alpha v. Auokland 2nd, West Knil v. Otalniliu. March II -Wc-it I'.i.d v. Otalniliu, Nev/lon v. Gordon. Ij'r.it'.d v. Auckland, Aljjlki V.Auck land 2nd. Alan:U 21-West Km! v. United, Newton v. V.'i-si, .-.nd 2nd. Alpha V. Our Hoyn. Aiicl:l:in(l v. Vavaliondii, t.oid-in v. Otalniliu (at Ol.aiiuhu). March :!S. -Went Kml v. Unit'd, Ncwion v. Wi.;,i, Hhidtind, Alpha v. l'arniill, Auckland v. Vat-abends, Gordon '~ UtahuMt. ial Olaliiiliu). April 1.-West, ICnil v. L'niU. . Newton V. Auokland 2nd. Alpha '.'. Olahtilni, Our IJOJS V. United 2nd, Auckland v. Gordon. Anril il.—West Mini v. Alr.lia, Newton v. Auckland 2nd, United v. Ourßojs, Auckland v. Gordon,

AQUATIC FIXTURES.

March II -Jiult.-o's ilav Iti-r.-alta. March 28-Hiinlnn v. Head), >:"'*) a-nidii and clniiniiioiiKhip of the world, on the I'ai'Uiuattu River. (JUfibrd v. Toenier, ft'iOO a-side.

-It.'o :t:'.t Uav annual regatta takes place on tho I ith inst. Another sailing match between the Dream and Mascottc for about £'20 aside is likely to take place soon, recent trials lia.ing proved unsatisfactory. Tho ten-mile race between O'Connor and Power camo oft' in Melbourne on Saturday, February '21, and re. tilted in the former winning by two yards in £.84 minutes.

I hoar it prophesied from various quarters that thero will ho no Ponsonby Regatta this year, but I am inclined to believe quite tho contrary. Tho Regatta Committee should wake up ! Dining tlio race between Clifford and H.-inlan on (ho Paramatta nil steamers on tho river were moored, and woro not allowed to lift their mnoriiigs until directed by the Marino Board. Only a launch followed tho race with tho umpire and " working members" ot tho Press.

I'onnor is perhaps tho hardest hitter of the present day. On enc occasion in Mel bourne ho hit a ball 150 yards, and on another at Mitchara, England, 140. C. I. Thornton was for many years the biggest "miter in the old country His best hit measured KHH yards.

Many instances of several runs being made from one hit have been reoorded. In (be olden days, when iho hits wore run out, eights and nines were of frequent occur rence. Some years ago in New South Wales 15 was scored from ono hit, Tho ball was driven into a creek, and floating on Iho water, "lost ball" could not be called. One of the fieldsmen was, obliged to undress and swim for the ball, and while doing this the batsmen had run 15.— Adelaide " Observer."

The sculling matohos between Hanlan, Bench, and Cliflord which were arranged last year havo eventuated with one excep tion, viz., tho match for £1,000 and tho championship of tho world, between Beach and Hanlan, to take placo over tho Paramatta course on Saturday after noon, tLc i'Sth instant. From our news by euolc, ie •.■'ill bo seen that Beach beat Cliflord on Saturday hist, but so far very few particulars have com.T to hand. Recent matches between the thieo I'rcat scullers havo resulted as follows t — August 10, ISS4.—Beach v. Hanlan, for i'l,ooo and championship of tlio world, over the Paramatta course, Beach won by 0 lengths. February "111, 1885.—Hanlan v. Ciili'onl, for "1,000, ovor tho Paramatta course, Hanlan won by !. lengths. February 2S. —Bench v. Clifford, for ...'I,OOO and championship, Beach won. " A molanchaly record ,; (fays the "Standard") " is that of the English rowing season of 186-i. For nearly 50 years English oarsmen coitltt hold their own in

any country whero rowing was practised. U hen, however, it was discovered that an adversary from the oilier side of tlio Atlsn-

ti • was able to dispute our claims to super iors y tho unpleasant fact was suddenly re ilicdilthnt wo, had no ' fooman worthy of his. steed,' and after making ono or two abortive attempts our scullers sank into tbciv p-.^cnt slato of apathy. As soon as this conditien of aquatics became patent,

tlio public were similarly ailiicted; and, judging by what one scos at boat races nowaday?, they seem to have forgotten that ■.•owing was only a few year's ago ono of our most favourite sports. The increasing popularity of cricket, bicycling, antl nth lctios may in a great measure account for some of the decline of the interest in such contests: but v.c aro afraid that we shall

have to look a little further into tho matter bitfora coming to any conclusion. Cricket was always p.onular. and the introduction uf bicycling ' an.l J.th n tennis has

had little 'or r.z C-....CZ1: on the national game, which never had the hold on the public it lias at the present timo on the public it has at the present day. Certain it is that professional rowing has shown a wonderful falling oil ever sinco U-'tnlnn first camo to this country, nnd showed us how greatly they had improved on the either sido of the Atlantic in what may be described as tho scientific handling of f.iciujj boats and their appliances. During the ye. ._■ there have really been only half ado/on Ijttai; racis pi) tlio Thames that cculd by any stretch oi: imagination bo termed first-class, although t ho host mon we, havo were engaged ; and there lias not been a race of any eon._T.quenec r.t ail on the Tyno. Ross, of New Brunswick, who has subsequently turned out to bo by no means tho best man in the United States of Canada, showed us how conclusively wo had fallen off v. hen ear!)' in (lie year ho gave our presumably be;-t wan 10 seconds start over the Thames course, ,i;;d won with the

greatest ease. On this occasion t!;e atteii d inco reminded ono somewhat of old times. 13uhear had just previously beaten Elliott, an ex-champion, and there were many who fondly hoped that he would bo nblo to show the New Brunswick sculler tho way to Mortlako. Sinco then, however, Buboar, who had aspired to championship honours, has failed to hold his own in oven our moderate front rank. Perkins defeated him in November last, and Gedwin is ready and willing to givo him another chance of winning his money, but Buboar is reticent on tlio matter. Ever sinco the Ross-Bubcar race nothing of ike kind has proved in the

slightest degree attractive, and tho in difl'erouco becomes more marked on the occasion of every race."

The Romantic Career of a Pennsylvania Boy.

Ni-.iM.Y forty years ago, in South Hunting ton township, Westmoreland, Pa., Hvod John Ilinton. He was an orphan boy, rude and uneducated, nnd had wandered thoro

from the neighbourhood of Masontown, Fay ette County. With no known relatives, he •A.'is kicked about from one family to another till manhood. Enlisting then in the regular army, ho served in the Florida war. At its

close ho helped to escort tho Chorokccs

beyond tho Mississippi. From Indian Territory bo went to Kow Orleans and shipped as a common sailor on n_ vessel bound for tho East, Indies. At the city of Madras, on tlio western shores of the

Bay of Bengal, ho deserted, and enlisted in a British regiment. He served many years, and during the memorable Sepoy rebellion was noted for his daring bra vory. At his discharge he was presented with a gold medal by tho Governor General himself. He is noxt heard of travelling in a caravan from Delhi westward across the Indus River, through Afghanistan and Persia, to Turkey and back. In time, from trading, he became immensely wealthy, and was the owner of fivecaravans, conl. iningovor 13,000 hsrsos and camels, and fifty elephants. In ISO I he visited Cabul, the capital of Afghan-

irtan, for copper, grout quantities of which are there mined and smelted. His magni ficent retinue attracted the attention of the Ameer, and he was invited to an audience— an honour never before received by a Christian. A present of a 100 of his best

horses and a three-tusked elephant mado tho Ameer his eternal friend. When yearly it was followed by similar presents', besides camels ant' merchandise, John Ilinton had v.ho monopoly of trade from tho summits of ' he Hindoo Koosh Mountains to the confines of Belochistnn, and in real power was second only to the Ameer himself. About IS7O he v. as made military commander of the district of Horat, and in 1876 suppressed a local re bellion to the great satisfaction of his sove reign. Trained in the arts of war among tho savages of Morih America, and among th'> superstitious natives of India, where ho became thoroughly familiar with British soldiers and resources, together with his yoars of service as tho idolised commander or tlio_ Mohammedan tribal armies of Afghanistan, amounting to tens of thousands of half-civilised men, ho is _ to-day tho ablest soldier of Asia. Desperate from a knowledge of t.io studied diplomatic chicanery ot tho representatives of tho Empress of India, wjth whom from fear of treachery ho refuses to treat, as well as tho Ameer, bribed with millions of Russian roubles, ho will lead the armies of the followers of tho Prophet to victory or to death.-" Frank Leslio's taper,

STUDIO.

(Bx Edtebpe,-)

OJX't". U'JUla ilull-u- _~__ v, . . v vi*« i" Xtalv _ itemcuyi is engaged to givo "J' six concorla at Christchurehinl- *J*k ol Bland Holt, the actor, i^M' Dunedin High {School in l^Wtyit, Miss l.iancho Lewis lino ■_.' attack of typhoid fever !„» W w Miss.Margaret Tyl cr has „& powerful play entitled «'AnnlS S»_, is n tragedy in six act.,. °Bol W | Kin Kitehio,oneof Wood»__.7. * Tntureht.keliisle.^tjW Gore lately. c otQ>iagit The Dunning One™ Ca~ .Sydney till the end' of thftSft *» X trip to Brisbane is eontem».<, Georges Ol.net, the noivcelw , of " Le Maitre do Forge I" ft****. Knight of the Legion of BvS***Z _ Rufus Porter, the founder of L <, 0 . tide American," died recently <mLs* Connecticut, at the ripe ace of 9. N Mr Goowo Augustus §ata taVaJl Ins first lecture at the Town » ,?*» hourno, on Easter Monday nerf ThM Miss Flora Anstead is W^ nnd may probably join Mr WvWb H Company should Mr AbbottCl-^' wi!h liim prove successful. BoMlllii)__i Mr Dion Boucieault intends writt now plays. One will be callM«j* ballagb." It will bo aelS,«rS*» sporting life. gUBpMof &A The subject of the now onera a. J Sir Arthur Sullivan is at work L ? * II: will bo produced in the SwiftS? Surrey Theatre, London, EnS* B'll' It is reported that Lawrence W anxious to cancel his Australian «?' but that Mr Williamson iSS* fulfilment. SWs n P°» b Messrs Rignold and Allison hire JL a notification from Mr Georee JW1 * Sala of his intention to leave fan pJg* for Australia on February 14, * " Princess Ida " is shortly to bsimw) i at the Melbourne Opera Houseb?R& and Allison, with Mdme. Poussarf m?

Yon Snpp«S has written a new ifci opera entitled, "Die Matrosen" M_ Mariners "), which will probably _ 1 dirced shortly at the Vienna HotlCr M r Joseph Arch has nearly ready foil press a work dealing with the 3£ Jtree trade v. Protection. Mr'itclt strong Freo-trador. :' ," Just before Brignoli died bo append i, be listening intently, and thenTSi* lighting up, he cried, in Italian'"ill listen. The music has begun, bntaliiii cannot sing to it any more."

The veteran American actor, \Mli&l' again playing tho fine young buck Wk standard English comedies, althougHuS past GO. He is pronounced to be ti__l incorrigibly juvenile as Charles Mattien Tho Majaronis commence their mnt tho Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, on Mail 7 with "Fedora." The Misses Blanclem Florence Lewis aro amongst those ensili for tho production. ">. ™

The bronze statue of Garfield, ettuW by Profossor Lcntz of Nurembarg « a order from San Francißco, is complew and has been placed on exhibition at £ burg. It is of heroic she, the {gore ifa 10ft high. ■ *-?■;*?. Mrs J. C. Williamson (MaggieMporelk abnut to pay a visit to San Francisco. __. will meet Mr Williamson there onhimr out from Rurope, antl they will plsyaiM season in San Francisco before retuntinsd Australia. "■ ' s

Tho licenso of tho Prineesß Theatre,lld bourne, having been peremptorily refii^ this famous, pretty, and convenient \f_ is closed for good. There capjiot let doubt that the successful triumviratetj shortly rebuild it.

M. Lassalle, the leading baritone ol lis Opera, Paris, is to receive fZO.OOOforia months' tour in the Upited State!,: Iti stated that he is tluouly singer in thei. whoso voice is capable of filling the Ira theatre of the United Stated. ..':'■.'_

In the course of a review of "tii_ Helene," atSydney, the "Bulletiiil'EJj!: ---" Hireling's most elFeetive effort ire» "Twits but a Dream,' with P|aistee|.Hi the pace is telling on him.and loitif his upper notes aro a bit rough," if The supers in the Drury Jjanelte mime, " Dick Whittington vt&.pfj,', arc said to havo number, ■mm thousand. Tho Morocco maSK*; included a nightgown-dance fij.ij children, nightenpped, and eachki&;ui electric night-lamp. ;. The accident which Mr GeorgeßuS met 'with whilst playing in "fii.inj South" has turned out far raOW:M«-J than was at first anticipated- 3t\ui ready undergone two operations to m amputation, and his arm is stOllltta being out of danger. lima di Murska, having failed to; W her fourth or fifth husband, Join El, whom i-he married iv Netr . ZoalgttE, applying for a divorce from Him, wis other divorce arising out of this is on ft? tapis, in which Mr Hill vrillappeirniß' respondent. The Kov. Stewart I). Headlanj, !um clergyman; who seems to be a kt^m[ visitor at the Alhambra, and a discnaJ* ting and appreciative critic of tho/MW danxeuses, has just pennetj an pliWj defence of tho modern ballet as'itjJOJif at tho famous resort in Leicester Sflitt» From Stockholm tho death is aopoiiif of Johnnn Jolin, the popular Swedishfw and playwright. He was born in'MM* published his two beat poemn, ',|H of the Castle " and "Tho Mountain Mi in 1844-5. 8.-th these works _% national prizos fnm the Swedish Aatef Tho Fins Ayt Society aro now palffiH a new lino engraving: by Mr LumbjM 11.A., after Sir Frederick' Leipifl picture, "Tho Sistor's Kiss,".mi lW etching, " Cromwell's First Intervtar»» Milton," by C. 0. Murray, aftersp* by David Noal. _% Mr Georgo G, Adams, the ecntom took a mask of tho features of:th6 m Dukeof Wellington for the purpose of m qnontly making a statue of hitn.htttl* done tho samo of tho late duke, whofMj great. This will make the fourth oW work of tho kind'that Mr AdfflM executed for the Dukes of Wellington. . Mr Han-iO Thornoyoroft, A.R.A.i -Wfl so many applications for roplipqs cf g bust of S. T. Coleridge, which«« cxhibitod by him in the E0y01.4,f 5$ nnd which is destined as thegifW American lady for' Westminster WW that ho has rosolved to cast2om*» plaster. After the 20th cast ißtak«.» sculptor will destroy the mould. , A queer lawsuit hos been propWj Now-York, Mdmc. Scalchf, MM songstress, suing Mr 11. E. Abte/ffi paid salary. It appears that in AprtP Mdmo. Scalchiwas required, at twig notico, to sing Fides in "LePropM *» having just eaten a heavy breokfarf,«» could not comply. Henco the trouble. Reliable information is at last to WW to which of Mdme. Simunson s daug^ was who died in San Francisco n__ first version, which said Leonora, fl» all correct. The deceased lady *» * wife of Mr Alder (not Baron AHtffflffl Francisco, and was formerly tlieWiieo|.? Davies, of Christchurcli. b+artfieli A combination, styled "D'AreySt^ and George Dean's Comedy-Ope^ MS pan,," which will include-WttjS FiJ.er, Ida Osborne, NelHe«| Vernon -. Paget, and Mi* Buns* nandex, 11.A.M. (solo pianiste), M*K Stanfield, John Lindsay, **£*£& havo opened a season at the MmA Institute, Launceston. They wmWM merice on Monday last with thrH comedy of "The Amazon" andtheWS diotta, " Uncle Samuel." In «Sj will bo presented the farco ot , Turtle,'' "Indiscretion" (conn*'*"; "His Only Coat," (farce). „ t£ .Mr John Kadclitff whom t*« '^ tralasian" says everyone ****%■&■ greatest flautist in Che WW* "*& in Wellington ill a week orW.^S assisted by Mdmc. Pauline W_Wm known p-ima donna k? mj'( e o Comiquo, will givo a series ot em* men Is throughout tho colon}. #^j cliffs programme is not merely. one. 110 gives a lecture ob the»«., first musical instrument the «™' W nnd traces its hirtory from p. J^ down to the present time. .« '* y^es .1. S. .Smyth, who marnod Miss J«r Simouson. Wnlmffli^' The death of poor Harry *°gfa_ scenic artist, was received m * j-jj with feelings of great regret, -»»> many year" ono of thet most MJ1 ~ prominent of scene painters in »"SM the cry days of the Austra «tf and Musical Association, M jJEH the position of ono of the «» J* was very energetic in f^^Vj ment. Mrs Holmes, wholuaj" some years, held a Melbourne stage as "a %%&_ M and his daughter, *_ s _h%__,<^,M the commencement of h? rJ^Lfe»lj» I gave promiso to become °f 6°7„ {t |ed,»», | actress. The latter lady wnow MM . | living in Sydney. .iifflfiS

THE AUCKLAND EYEMwe S'JLAJX, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1885

4



DECLINE OF MAN—Necrotia wvaici,.- . Dy,p»,,.i,, Ironolai',?. Semal UnUlitr. <->"«J br " Wnita • lt..,lt_j iieiiewsr:* r' ~,,i£J3 JfcM-ytUor*;., Pnmer & Co., Ajttita, AuckUnJ



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