RANDOM SHOTS.

[By Zamisl.l

*_me write, a neighbour's namo to lash ''.',lllO write-valnthouKhtl-for needful cash tome wifte to please the country clash, And raise a dm. VoT__3,_»_l*ln«VMfash- I write tor lun.

Tits junr.ta in urn — Land, Labour, and Jfliapital formed into a beneficent trinity in »_itT-*-*«c_ is the brilliant and ambitious ao-erae of tho Nostradamus of political •eokcoy, who hopes by such an auspicious conjunction to redress all social wrongs and inequalities, mako cvory man as good as every other, nnd keep down the price of fceef, bread, and boor! (I am not so sure about tho beer, but that trinity of " b's " seems most appropriate to tho subjoct, so let it stand ) This triune co operative scheme is propped up meanwhile by the authority of the Law and .tho I ro phots — Messrs (Rces and Tcbbs being the chief scribo and high priest respectively of this grand movement which is to regene rate mankind. And what does tho sehemo amount to, when stripped of all tho grandilo quent phraseology about "scope," and so on ? Simply to a big joint stock company in tho land -b.a.rklnf, .mckste.injr, and con tractor business. If big estates were tho eurso and ruin of ancient Rome, big com panies stand in tho stimo relation to New Zealand, and it would bo moro befitting tho weuld-bo saviour of suffering humanity if they devised some means of oncouraging individual effort and "bursting up" those colossal com_anies, instead of adding another incubus to tho already all but over whelming list. Oh, but this is a mutual •oncern, it will be urged—a Cooperative Socioty in which all the members share in tho profits alike. Is it. my dear brother ? Look at that proviso about preferential shares, and then toll mo w lioro tho " share and share alike" princijilo comes in. And another deluded one urge' : This is a sehemo to en courage individual effort, for has not tlio brilliant author of it declared that it is quite distinct from Communism, which tends to level down humanity, whereas Co operation levels up. Bit' '■-■ that really tho case' If a little attoi tton is devoted to tho details of tho "land and labour' branches, it will bo seen that co-operative farming is well-nigh impossible, because of the facilities it would offer for the lazy loafer and the incompetent noodle thriving at the exponso of the skilled and indus trious.

Our own Sir Wm. Jervois, not content with tho honour of being the first authority on military engineering, ia aiming at be coming a wit of the first water. Speaking at the opening of the Industrial Branch of the Exhibition on Saturday last, His Excel lency said ho had especially noticed among tho ladies' work a largo display of baby linen-" and this," he added, "shows how much we want additional population. This is the keenest and most refined humour, for is it not joking with the dismal science of political oconomy? Turns the thin« rightnbout-faco, don't you sco? 1 alw*ys thought it was the other way, you know—that tho "additional population came first, or at any rato. liko John Gilpin a hat and wig, wore upon tho read, bofore the baby - linen manufacture commenced ; but now I see my terrible mistake The ladies first of all make tho baby linen, and thon the " population " is bound to follow. If there's a non sequttur Sn the argument, puUt down, dear reader, to Sir William Jervois. Then the dear de lifhtful man went on to say that he wished tifdraw the undivided attention of Welling tonians to tho divided skirt! A pun, gentlo reader, and of course on original one'; but Sir William, with the modesty of true genim, objected to the people sp-itting their »idea over it. "You should not laujrh," ha said, " for there is a great deal of sense in tho divided skirt 1" That is a QE.D. which may bo arrived at by a proco^s of simple division, oh? Or by a syllogism, thus:-L_dy J. has a great deal of sense ; Lady J. wears the br— (well, «»y the divided skirt); ergo, " there s a creat deal of sense in tho divided skirt 1 Sif Wm. la Hunguiiie |ttaat woman suffrage will foon bo the rule and that the divided skirt will be among tho first things brought before the reformod Parliament for debate. Let me hope that thero will be as much sense in the debate as there is in the skirt, or in our comments thereon ! He'has shown true perception of the ten dency of things in associating the bifurcated garment with the oxercise of tho suffrage. "Petticoat Government" would never do, you know ; but with tho dear divided skirt the country will be safe even in the hands of female legislators !

Oft hive I heard it repeated that "thoro ii nothing like leather," and I begin to ap predate tho saying to a slight extent. Leather, amongst its latest advantages, give-" foveral hundred of girls employment in t his fair city, and thoy earn good wages in c inverting that, same leather into boots and . hoes ; out I vory much fear that it is not conducive to the development of good temper and sisterly love. A few evenings a<re a bevy of lively damsels came Hocking out of a factory not far distant from tho harb-ur. The girls were chattering at an amizing rate, evidently over somo matter in dispute, when one of them suddenly re ferred to another as a "great Irish thing." The words had no sooner been uttered than the couple olosed, and for a few moments the air was filled with screeches of vengeance from tho combatants, shrods of their para;ols, hats, and hair, all of which came to grief in the fierce struggle, whilst tho rest of tho party quietly formed a ring, and looked on to see who would get tho bost of it. They evidently believed, in tho_ oft repeated maxim about " fair play boing a jewel," and cariitd it into effect by allow ing the excited couple to scratch and slap each other until their injured feelings wero sufficiently mollifi ■ : Then tho girls doparted from the scene i the fray, fighting tho biltlo over again—on this occasion, however, using their tongues instead of their finger nails.

I cannot help thinking that things are sometimes very unfairly distributed. For instance, with" regard to Insurance Com panies, Fire Brigades, and the general public. The ratepayers of the city of Aucklar.d have at great expense laid over 50 miles of water mains in the city to dis tribute the water, which has cost an im mense sum to secure in tho first place. Then thoro are over 1,500 fire plugs placed at intervals along the pipes. An efficient Firo Brigade is maintained, and all this at the exp.nso of tho "sovereign poople," for it must bo remembered that, excepting tho usual rates, the insurance companies have absolutely refused to contribute towards the support of tho Fire Bngado, arguing that an occasional fire stimulates their business. If such be the case, then they =hould be doing an enormous business iust now, for they have been favoured with plenty of ttiis kind of stimulant during tho past few months.

It seems to mo that, under these circum stances it would be advisable, as soon as the spread of the fire to other buildings was checked to allow tho premises in which tho fire orig'n >tedto burn away unmolested. In stead of thiß, however, we pay firemen to stand for hours pouring the citizens water on the btrning mass, merely to save a little stock in order to increase the dividends of the insurance companies. If this is. men tioned a great deal ... .aid about the bal va<'c Corps, which the insurance companies maintain at their own cost; but it must be Emitted by thinking men that this depart ment more than pay* for if elf every time a fire occurs, for anything saved by them is a rleirsai i <•• theinsurance companies, as it is rZet-offa.' i ist tho whole amount covered. At Messrs"! auric and Co.'s fire the other evening" the Fire Brigade continued pouring w.ter onto I lie burning debris for many hours, although all communication was cut off from adj lining buildings. Surely it would have been cheaper to have let the stuff burn than to waste all that time and money in deluging it, for whon the fire was extinguished tho salvage was useless, and bad it been any good, would merely have been a gain to the insurance companies, and not to the citizens who had to bear tho cost, As I said at tho beginning, the ex pense ii not fairly distributed.

Whilo on this subject it would perhaps not bo out of place to cite the. following facts as an instance of how these companies reward those who assist them. A few ve_rs ago here was at the North Shore an Su^ion of inflammable material inta We shed at tho water side. On the day largo "»»- nU mber of picnickers had '- -2S thaVac and it is thought had visited tta PW». • Gk and then accidentally sot nre w "u° , ,' ~ fi left without having noticed that the nre -£__ *&smouldering. Towards eveuag

young man out beating saw smoko issuing | from'the roof of tho premises, m,d thinking something was wrong, pulled to tho shore, whon ho discovered that the placo was on lire. Without a moment's hesitation he carried water in a new hnt which ho was wearing, and succeeded in extinguishing the fire, but not until both hat and boots were ruined by lire and water. Next day ho called at Ihe Company's ollico to see if thoy would mako gootl his loss, as lie had saved them over i'__o. Imagine his astonishment when the manager quiotly informed him that tho Company did not feel called upon to mako good the loss, and suggested that it would bo a bad precedent to establish, as persons might sot tho place on fire for the purpose of getting now hats. When that youth returned, ho was a wiser but not a hotter man, having mentally re solved that in future tlio whole world might burn before ho would spoil a hat to put it out.

Tho worthy folk who reside in tho town ship hard by tho provincial Lunatic Asylum docided to change the namo of their place of habitation to' Avondale, a namo which is unquestionably moro euphonious than Whau, ami which had not thou those dis agreeable associations atlaching to the previous appellation. But (bad luck to tho offenders) thero is a tendency manifest to talk of tho Avondale Asylum, and tho pur pose of tlio good peoplo of tho district is soriously threatened Timo will bo whon onco moro thoy will bo compelled to look out for another colourless designation where with to honour their thriving township. It soems to ma that tho word " I'rofcasor has got into tho same plight as Whau is in. Onco it was, doubtless, honourable enough. Was not Herr Teufclsdrockh Professor of Things in General at Woissniclitwo? and did not tho "Profossor" personally con duct thoso delightful conversations at tho breakfast table? But of lato years it has kept such indillorent company that a decent man must regard it shyly. There was a time when Bill Lather was content to bo n simple barber, famous for his 'easy shavo :" but now ho is for sooth a " tonsorial professor." Young Knuckleduster was formerly content to be called a boxer or a pugilist, but in these days ho is nothing if not a " professor of the noblo art of sclf-defenco." A man picks up an old method of colouring anil glorify ing photographs. It is cheap and easy, tho thumb being tho best brush that can bo pro cured—and forthwith ho blossoms forth on his business cards and advertisements as " Profossor." I am quito aware that the word in question is not a patent, and that the law has no penalties for tho man who sticks it in front of his name. lam not going to quarrel with anyone for making it an assistant in imparting his art (?) at livo guineas por course of lessons. That is not what I am talking about.

Now that Profossor S. S. and Clara Bald- j wiu's clairvoyant, mosnioric, and thought- i reading entertainments aro all over in this district, it will not be libollous for me to say that I believe the wholo thing to be pure and unmitigated humbug. And tho proof of it lies in this—that whilo tho Pro feasor " professes " to bo no conjuror, it is plain, ovon to my limited understanding, that his so-called mind-reading, and Clara's alleged cluirvoyancy, aro accomplished by the agency of the conjuror's most ordinary stock -in - trade—sleight -of - hand, and a judicious uso of confederates. If I wore a charlatan, I would bock up my statement with a bet of £100 or so that I could show how tho most wonderful bits of Baldwini.iu are performed, or could offer a test in clairvoyancy which would defy the powers of Mrs Baldwin. But I will not insult tho intelligence of tho Professor by supposing for a single momont that ho does not know, better than I do,

that his wholo performance was n gigantic " sell" for a gullible public I But ho did it all so neatly and pleasantly-ho "took in " our " leading citizens " so amazingly, and by his explanations of some feats gave such an air of appirent genuineness to his unexplained tricks — that I, for one, heartily forgive him, and almost regret that such an ornament to his "profession" should havo resolved upon abandoning it, even with tho view of sot tlipg in this fair Auckland of ouis.

Tho best test of this so-called clairvoyant ] faculty is its invariable failure whon put to I any practical trial Whon the great jewel lery robbery took place in Wellington some months ago, a gentleman, who professed to bo clairvoyant, " professed " to doscribo the robbery after simply holding a lantern (presumed to havo bolongod to the burglar) to his lorehoad. But tho polieo could not got their indispensable "cluo" from this information ; and similar failures have occurred whenover it has been proposed to utilise tho clairvoyant gift. And if any people "put up" their monoy on tho recent wrestling match in the Lorne strect Hall, on tho strength of Clara Bald win's "straight tip" of tho result, the " cloar-seeing" follows who backed the best man, quito apart from "revelation," have had tho pleasure of "scooping the pool." The old saying has still forco " Put not thy trust in prinoes "—especially Princes of Humbug 1

A poetical genius has nrison on tho shore of the Wuitemata. Thore is no doubt about it, as any sceptic in such matters may know who will take the trouble to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest thoso spasmodic verses, addressed to " A Waiteniata Lady," which wore conveyed to tho listening ears of tho poet's lady-love on tho wings of the messenger. Why didn't tho newly fledged minstrel givo his proper namo instead of tho norn de plums, "John of Devonport?" Tho poetry literally .p.rkres with brilliants, and evidently, to tho prosy mind, tho rhymester is hopolossly (jonr. He is, or ap pears ta be, in lovo with the real or imagi nary nymph whom ho eulogises in Hashing terms. Ho hunts hor "behind the hills and tawny clouds, until th' otornal hill the valley shrouds ;" and when ho finds sweet Amy alono (without hor mother) " beneath tho hoary pino," in this young country, "thoy will together roam through tho dim re ligious silence of tho grove." (Shade of Milton, forgivo tho minstrel !) Ho then goes on to sing of "Dion's bugle," and uffirms, "Here piped and revelled universal Pan," but ho is careful not to attempt to prove it by pointing out tho marino rosidenco at the North Shore onco occupied by Pan. Aphrodite, he tells U3, i.e., the goddess of love, is still about, a spiritual presenco " lingering by Amy's sido." In fact, on last Regatta Day she "painted Amy's cheek with immortal beauty," at sight of which the roses of Victoria Garden- bowed thoir heads and withered. Tho divinely-glftod ono gazes at tho stony ridge of Rangitoto, compares it to " Babel's tower into tho sky's expanse," and views tho temples of tho gods imaged in tho clouds. From the top of Rangitoto ho hoars tho Muezzin's liquid voice, and tho Moslem's calls to prayer. At length, according to tho Hud sonian verso, tho "broezo flits along, and pats his cheek with viewless fan." _ A cor respondent withes to know if " Ziuniel " can discover the hidden meaning in the rhapsodical allegory of this ram avis of song, whoso * danglum rattan deli c.c liq rcligio bus cum poctc has charmod his ears, and convincod him that "Nature, not study, makes tho poet."

What a sad thing it is to suffer from absonco of mkid. Wnnt ludicrous mistakes at times are occasioned by this malady ! Tho tale has often been told about a man who went to post a letter, and instead of affixing tho stamp to the letter, placed it on his own forehead and tried to poat himself. I never could quite understand how this could bo accomplished, but during tho present week an instance occurred at the R.M. Court that was nearly as absurd. It seems that in ordor to expedite matters, a lengthy case was heard by tho R.M. upstairs, the ordinary Court crier being engaged in the Police Court. One of the detectives, well known under the sobriquet of " Tiny," was conduct ing the oase, and going through tho form of swearing the witnesses. He was naturally a little awkward, and at last, when he stepped into tho witness box to givo his own evidence, without thinking, he raised tho Bible in his right hand, and repeated the usual formula before ho became aware of the stupidity of tho situation. Ho was, liowovcr, recalled to his sonscs by tho roars of laughter from thoso in Court, and another officer was called in to administer tho oath.

Itisiathercurioustonote that while, in somo of the colonies, the Salvation Army is hailed as a great reforming agency, it is in others contemned and reviled as a nuisance and an unclean thing. In Victoria, for instanco, Marshal tiooth was honoured with an inter view with the Premier, but in Now Zea land, where Freethought rears its head in high places, he has been avoided, if not looked upon with actual suspicion. Even in different parts of a country this divergent , treatment of the Army and its agents ia i apparent. Thus in London, tho Queen sends an approving letter to Mra Booth, ' while at Manchester the authorities consign

lior ton to pri.-in. Again, wht.n Auckland is, in .-pile ..f her ■■lurrikiiw, giving a cordial weloomo lo Mar-hal I Joo»h and it hearty nssnnl to Salvationist methods (so much so that an "army" procession has ho 'ii applauded nighHy on the stage of Iho Opera House), the Napier Borough Coun cil aro busily devising a by-law te pub down tho Army n-t a common nuisance. Perhaps, if all were known, 1 ho attitude (if tlio good folks of Napier is perfectly justifiable. r In n letter written some months ago, a Napior correspondent told of how discord had boon introduced into a happy family by Salva tionist inllucnco. A young married woman who had boon induced to get separated from her husband by tho " Army " people was found by her parents allowing one of tho "oflice;. 's " to uso familiarities with her, and tho old woman with a stick, and tho father with his fists, gave tho ardont religionist a lesson in propriety. Tho correspondent concludes: —"Out-siders can form no conception of tho harm being worked hero by this organi sation of pseudo religious mountebank). Of course not; for although peojilo in gene ral havo heard a little of tho rakish ways o;T army officers of tho old stamp, they expoc* that "soldiers of tho Cross," not to say "ollicors of Salvation" and dovil-doraoli»hoi_ extraordinary, should show a little consist toncy in their walk and conversation. May I indulge tho hopo that tho visit of the Marshal will lead to tho enforcement of a: purer martial law in tho Army ! Tho most remarkable thing about the scheme is tho immunity from criticism it has enjoyed Its magnitude has so far been its salvation. An ordinary bubbl o would very soon havo beon pricked, but this groat inflated wind-bag soems to hay o awed all beholders into dumb admiration v True, thoro has booti a littlo correspondence i, and a certain youthful free lanco, \vh. o wields a sharp yet facilo weapon, hi is dared to attack tho Rocs-cum-Tobbs ere a tion. But ho has mado as little imprcssi. m upon the projectors of the scheme as 0 in Quixote undo upon tho windmill, for Ii .as not Mr Roci. oxtinguishetl him with the t mo word--" Inconsequential ?" Well, eve ry botly knows that Mr Kccs is a very cot ise quontiftl [icrsonago ; butmothinks ho wo uld uphold his reputation bettor by defoiu ling his fchemo on its merits than by try in g to exterminate aeritic with an cpithot, Ii nako no piotonsions to tlio higher criticism,. but I challongo anyono to show how tho Ihreo steeds of Land, Labour, and Co pital

nan bo gol- to movo in triple harness on : tho ba.is proposed. I challenge disproof of my assertion that tho success of this sr .home will simply moan tho establishment' of a now monopoly, with fat pickings and plunder for tho favoured fow who ho' id the strings of tho money-bags. Thoro is one consideration which consoles me, w Idle it also stays mo from further remarking on the subject, and that is this: Whilo I do not consider tho scheme too big for cri .ticism, I certainly believe it to bo too nig f or sue-

cess. The unwieldy monster, staggering along liko a throohonded giant, y, ill very soon come to grief and fall to pit ices. A more modest co-operative socioty- -such as that which aims at disposing of tho pro duco of the Waikato farmers—wo uld havo flourished, and perhaps havo fo< .•mod tho | nucleus of greater things, but ' 'vaulting ambition" will, I fear, very soon " overleap herself," and all her followers, c> :eopt tho fortunate holder of preference ehi ires, will "fall on tho other side "—tho so amy side of grasping after dolusivo divide nils, and wooing fickle fortuno with i atiloctual "calls." x x x To proceed. Another " Prof, issor " ap pears in the shape of a "spirit __.posor," and sot' dimnt " thought-reader' ': though in his case tho word is not rail dr. out of placo, for it will bo at once recol' Icctod that thoro is apantithe.-isof " professoi '" in "non performer." However, let that | lass. You have your bump: told by a " professor;" and another of tho samo kidney intcr|ircts your solfcomplaccnt grins an _ smirk., | Dancing, singing, elocution, t ho art of ' " equitation," gymnastics, ami h its of other iccomplishnionts are taught by " pro fessors," whilo another of the numerous company offers to cure you ot every ill by herbal remedies. IS ,'ow, what do tho genuine professors . ly to all this? What do tho real diamonds think of tho paste counterfeits ? Thi sis what 1 want to got nt. There's Prof- .ssor Aldis now—l omit Professor Tucker foi ■ tho nonce, although I am aware that what lie doe. n't know isn't knowledge. Profoss or Aldis, i ' .ay, has something to profo-S . All his ' I'oods are not in the window, thoro is a big 1 'took in tho warehouse bohino , a three ' storied warehouse too, bigger than most ! people suspoct. I was just abo ut. to men ; tion tho great mathematician in tho same ! sentence "with tho "professor" who smears ' clour on Iho back of a photograph with his ' thumb—but 1 really am ashamed to. So 1 ; will content myself with sugireshng that tho genuine articles should he rUh.il by some'" other titlo than that \v,_icli every j mountebank takes to assist him in gulling B tho public.

As tho member for Sloctim had an oppor tunity last week of relieving his surcharged bosom through thomediumof theso columns, I fain must yield a similar privilege to the elect of Podger :— Austercand Vonerablo "Zamiol,"—Formic ice a few concluding words by way of re joinder to your protege of Slocum. I shall deal gently with tho misguided youth. Ho still maintains his character for inconsistency. Thus, he promises not to use "big words" or "high-flown phrases,' and yet in tho same breath ho has recourse to a French phrnso, tho orthography of which ho barbarously murders. Again, "honover could deal" in "long-winded sentences," but unfortunately for him tho sentiment is embalmed in a hugo sentence of 11 lines. Theso anomalies of profession and practice aro unfortunate for Slocum's case, but thoy beautifully illustrate his simplo character. Tho pith of his letter, stripped ot its verbiage of conceit, is simply this: that, I havo admitted tho alleged absonco of young men from tho Parliamentary Union. I tlo noth ing of tho sort, nor could I do so, for on referring to the list of members of the Houso, I find that out of the total, !),">, no less than 30 are distinctively young mon. Slocum is perhaps right in saying that the Union" is ossontial for tho edu cation and training of young mon in political thought and public speech." It docs not, howover, follow that tho presenco of young mon ia essential to tlio existence and success of tho Union,though it m.y bo desirable. Adiou, my bashful and maco-oontemning friond of Slocum.—l am, &c, The Member for Podokr.

Scenes in the Cholera-Stricken Regions of Spain.

Tin-: Madrid correspondent of tho London "Standard" thus deeoribts tho region in Spain now smitten by the cholera : —

" Amid well cultivated fields, fringed with hedges of cactus, graceful palm trees, tho brightfloworcd caroub and aloes, and amid orange and citron grovos, livo tho peasantry whom tho cholera* is docimating. Tho pcoplo dwell on tho banks of tho rivor So gurannd in thofarmsandvillagosthatdottho lovoly Hitorta, a fow miles round Murcia. Among this unhappy population so terrible is tho opidomic that during tho last three days 510 cases and 230 deaths have occurred. Awful tales aro told of whole families having beon swept off before tho devoted village doctors and tho priests could bring relief. Yet still tho sturdy, wiry peasants, with thoir swarthy features, which po much re .emblo thoso of their Moorish ancestors, are at work in the fields. Tho aspect, of tlio town of Murcia is vory dull. Many of tho shops aro closed and many houses un tenanted. A few pooplo gather in tlio cafes or catitios. Proccsuons from tho churches pass along the streets with unwonted fre quency, tho priests carrying tho Host to the dying; and as the acolytes tinkle their silver boll tho pooplo kneel in the streets, uncover their heads and cross themselves. _ Other processions twice a clay parade tho infested streets, and carry about tho relics and im ages of saints. Tho Bishop has instituted solemn services in tho Cathedral and tho churches to implore tho Divine assistance. The Bishop ana the Governor are also un ceasing in (heir visits to persons attacked, and in the distribution of rations and mcdi eines to the poor. A picturesque camp of sheds and tents has been formed on El Maleoon esplanade, commanding a view of tho river and Huerln, and close to the gypsy quarter, wlioro splendid typo, of tho Gitano race abound, living in filthy dens. Day and night tho dreaded ' dead-cars ' pass to and fro along t-he streets, and often take bodies away without collins within an hour after tho decease"

SPORTING.

I.ivTHK Of I'H' IN<'i;'\l, AUSTRALIAN AMI) NBVV __I_Al__\Nl> HACKS. 'HAWcKsutiuv (J uinkah.—HeptcmbnrlO. Hawkto r.unv H XNiiii'Ai'.—'oiiteinbtr 12. A..1 C. JIHHHY. •.September 111. CIIK.IT MbTKOI'O i.ITAN ■- TAKI.S.— Sept. 22. CAI'I.KIKI.O Hi:|J ,KAS. -Oclillier 10. Caui.kihi.l) l.lvi*. -October 17. V.11.C. Dunuv.- Oe'ohurlll. ?.ii;i.iinritNi.Ci_ r .-November:i. Nauiki; sntinti llla.viik'Al'. - Cr.'obi rS. i'niNCK in-' Walks --Tweio". — ivjveinbor 10. N.y. Crc—Novo mbi r 10. Caxtkhiiukv 1)1 niliY.— November 12. Auckland Cup .—l.ccenib_r 20.

To Correspondents.

J..W.l..—Nowsteatl has an unbeaten record, he ' haviiiK won tho four races for which ho has started. <Otaii_.i_it_.—During his cat cor. Coiumotion has started.in Iff! races, of • Inch he has won Li, been S rime, seer, tiel, X time, third, and 7 times unplaced. Alukedus.—(l) Aa a tlirce-yc_r-old. Mylos-na- Oonaleen won _11 ri_ci races, but at four ho did j-.ot run. At Ii fa, he won two races out of the four in which lie stalled. J iic>-.mknt(lloleasvlllek-Commotion'stinioCor Hie Champion Ka co is iiiniii. 20.ee-., auu tiraiiil flaneur's recoiti for the smite race .mm IB.cc Urauil Flaneur w. is iiiitiuiton on the turf and his performances au a thror-year-old arc mv eiior to tlnwo of any other horso of the ratnc iu;o. Pkiiiokei. (Cainlii idge).—(l) Now Warrior is a bay hoj-.e bice; in Hiißliiiul In ISViI ; Kot by I'ylirruß 1. (son of _C_iini_l —Colooynth, by I'hyHlelan—Cuiumlluo, b; Whalebone—Caiiiel'j dam, by Kolim— Maiden, by Sir Peter. New Warrior was Imported to New South Wale by MoiSrs 'J'ait and Jcnnur In l-a(i. (2) We can linil notracu of the uiuro llebe that you refer to.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

The appoaranco of tho weights for tho Hawko's Bay ,1 oclcoy Club Spring Mooting, is tho warning noto that wo will shortly be in the midst of .another New Zealand racing season. Mr Evott's handicap for two of the principal events of tho gathering nameel camo to hand on Wed nesday, and n porusal of thorn con vinces 1110 that thoy have boon very fairly compiled. I think that had the handicappor commenced the Spring llandi cap on a bit highor scalo, it would havo boon an improvement, for sovoral of tho light division can havo littlo clianco with tho tol> weight Leonora, who is decidedly well in with list. On his running last season, Administrator also has a very healthy appoaranco with Sst Sib, and Pear' (S.t lib) has 'an impost sho is thoroughly master of. To ono of tho thrco montioned I shall not bo surprised to sco the raco fall, and in tho Flying Handicap, Leonora also strikes mo as being as well in as anything ongnged. Acceptances are duo on the 22nd of Septombor, which day is also sot apart for receiving tlio general entries for tho meeting. I learn from Sydney that Thunderbolt has been putting in some splendid work on tho training track, and his beautiful stylo of going is grcntlj admired. As will be seen from tho betting quotations, tho unbeaten son of Musket ha.-been heavily supported for tho V.H.C. Derby at, 100's to <), while his name has also been introduced into the Melbourne Cup quotations. In tho Now South Wales capital ho v quoted at 100 to •1, and in Melbourne' at a point loss. Tho two year old colt Kinglish. by risen teiiou.-Y-tteriiiu.lhat was recently taken over to Sydney by Mr.l. Bennett, I learn, has been' purchased by a well known -No» South Wales sport for 700 guineas. Kiugfish is still to run in Mr J. Stockton's name, and it is intended to start him in the Two-year old Stakes nt Sydney Tatte.sull's Club Meeting, which takes placo at Kamlwick to-day (Saturday), Derritt, I am informed, has been engaged to ride the colt At the meeting of the stewards of the Takapuna Jockey Club on Tuesday night, it was decided 'to til tor tho date of tho Autumn Meeting from tho Saturday follow ing tho Auckland Autumn Meeting, as was previously decided With ref.runco tv the atipoititmont of Secretary, thero were It! ii'nplicatimis, of which .ix were chosen, and ■.'ballot resulted in Mr l'ecl and Mr Bedley b.in" highest in tho voting. Tho ballot betZeen theso two resulted in tho election of Mr Hedley to tho position. Advices to hand this week itato that sonic l.cavv wagering has taken place on the big Australian races. Tor tho V.R.C. Derby, tho lITO. .'• White's iilly I'ralla has come with a great rush, having been heavily backed at 100.« to 10, 12, and 14, and it is said the money has been taken on behalf of tho stab,!o, Thunderbolt has abo been be friended towiualargOHinountatlOOtoO.and 100' ii to 10 ure taken about Dunlop, while Matchlock has friends at 100's to S. For the Melbourne Cup, Normunby has beon backed t. > win about __:i..,00(. at 100's to 2, and. S tornaway has had a commission executed i n his favour, he being backed to win £20,01)0 at tho eanie price, Thunder bolt and Tr onton have also both been heavily supported at lCO's to .'I. Lord Wilton 1 lias been introduced in tho Caultield Cup bottin" , and all tho money taken down to 100 to 5 i whilo Tho Israelite and Juanlia havo both bi en backed for a big stako at 100's to.'l. 1 'ho following arc the quotations telegraphed from Molbourno to tho Sydnoy papers on tho 20th inst : — CAiu.riKLD Cur. 100 to .a Lord Wiilonlt.) i 100 to I St. L .wrmico (tk) UK) to 1 Vcloclj>",li ( k and oil) .01) to", .I'lanmK'k) IHOtO.I The Israelite (tk freely) 100 to.. Archie (oil. 100 to>;: Hurricane (tk and oil) inn in :s St.. John (oil) ion to :; i Mantrap (tk) )(!tno';l ,o<hia(otn 200 to ill Uink Honny (oil) V .R.C. Dtitiiv. !«)to2o N owsteail toll") W0 to 121 rutin it's.) 100 to in _ tonte Uhnsto (tk and oil) 100 in 10 N orrtenfoldt (tk and off) 100 tr, 10 I. union (till 100 to 0T hunderbolt (tkand wtd) Hit) to S y. iitchlock (Ik) 100 to S Is inniny (tk a-id oil") MXI.I 10.HN1! C-T. 100to6Coi onet (tk) 10*1 toll Cot ninolion Hit) to .".Jul, . Itk) 11)0 toSSt . Inhn Itk) 1(0 toll Live riiool (tk) 100 to.I Tret ton Itk) IQO toll Nor nanny Itk) 101 lo.> Thu nticrbolt (tk) 100 to'J I'rot nctheus (kl IOOtO-NTort nnfi'ltlt(ik) 100 to 8 The . tiroker ( k) 100 to 2Tho 1 waolite(tk) 101) to 2 Lord Kxotor (tk) 100 to 2 Main :hCßtrr(tl_l KM) to 2 Stfim away (tk) 100 lo 2 Rc?,ii .nld(tk) 100 to 2 Mate llnck Ilk) 100 to 2 Mi>r>b jChiistO ( k) 100 to 2 Myl .1 -na-C'oiipalcen (off)

Mr I). O'Brien in: forms " Acfaeon " that ho has decided to ta' ;c Trenton over to tako part in tho Molbiv urno Cup, und ho will leave with the bi iltiant son of Musket and Frailty about then tmiddlo of next month A report has been itii circulation in Dunedin, that'fronton Kill undergo his preparation in Christchurch f or the gre it. Victorian raco, and bo taken, Ki.'oss two or three weeks before the raco is n it .

That great cross"-nountry horso Canard, who has been on the uholf for a long timo past, is all right again, and it is said his legs now look as sot und as whon ho was foaled. He is to bo J» ut into work for tho forthcoming season, 3 nd if all goos woll with him, wo shall pi obably soon hoar of him repeating some of, his brilliant achieve ments.

I gather from " Hippo's" notes in tho "Napier Telegraph" that J. Miinn has Christina, Bonny Blink, a filly by Musket— Uira, and an tl ngUsh-t ired colt, belonging to Mr Douglas McLea n, in hand. Thb latter is by Uncas out of Tho Tilt, and is said to boa good leggct 1 one and fairly well shaped, but as Munrr has only just got, him, he will not, havo to i much timo te got him (it for tho Spring I ieeting. The colt was foaled, about Maro h, 18S2, at Marao kakaho, his dam—Tho Tilt-being in foal at tho timo sho was ship) led from England. The same scribe states i that The Arrow is now in Percy Mnrtin'f t charge, and Mr Gilpin is hacking Kinir Etoy, and trying him ovor fences.

Late Sydney papers to hand record that tho work dono on the Eiandwick training track i* now of a very interesting nature. Fennolly I notice is at his. old tricks of deceiving tho " touts " by changing the weights on his I'orby horses each mnrr>'->r. and all of his team aro reported to be in excellent health. Tho Sydney correspon dent of tho "Sportsman" describing a recent morning's work, says anent throe of Musket's progeny :-" N't vrdetifeldt, Per cussion, and Matchlock, after cantering, ran home half a mile. No).:denfeldt had to bo ridden all the way, anc' was a couplo of longtha behind Matchlock, who finished in front of Percussion.

From Wanganui I loam that the D.-ttid, tho winner of tho last big Sfcsoplechuso thero, has becomo tho property of Mr C. Endorby. Ho is to bo prepared lor next season's en gagements by Sam Powelt It has been rumoured in Sydney sporting circles of lato, that the V.R.C. Derby favourite Nowstond is owned by a couple of Sydnoy bookmakers. Lato papers stato tho celt is friendless for tho great three year old race at 9 to 2, and tho stable have net a singlo penny about him so far.

Turquoise continues to bo w.ll supported j in Hitiiedi-i for tho New Zealand Cun , (writes " tteacon,")and 10 to 1 would bo readily taken up to a largo amount ; j 100 to 12 is, howevor, tho best offer. Pro- j Cisely the samo romarlis apply to Captain j Wob. ter.mvi thopairdisputotho favouritism botweon them. Lochiel has been backed at 100 In S. and tons is now tho best price to be obtained. Hermitage has been intro duced into tho quotations, Mr O'Briens colt finding backers down to 100 to 5, Mil) M.Kinnon has selected tho following names for liis two-year olds : -Hay filly by Antoros - clam by Bay Camden, Brown Ro.c; bay gelding by Storlingworth -dam by Dainty Ariel, Scot Free. "Mn/.eppa" states that approximately £•170,092 was passed through tho totalisators at tho various mootings hold in Now Zealand last season. The largest amount invested was nt tho Dunedin February Mooting, 1.15,3.0; tho Canterbury Spring Meeting coming noxt with £_1,f>07 J whilo tho Auckland Summer Meeting comes third on tho list with £24,581, A friend of "Augur's "in Sydney thus spoaks of tho Now Zealaudors in work there:-"Tho Hon. W. Robinson's horses aro fivo as grand specimens of horseflesh as you could'wish to look at. Mason gives them ' peppor,' with clothes on, long striding work quito different to ours, and more liko what Mr John Tait gavo his horses in tho old days. Liverpool is araking.iinechestnut, liver-coloured, a lovely mover, and nover gets up. Of Thundorboit and Winchester, I like tho latter bost; he is not doing tho same strops work aa Thundorboit. A capital judge hero likes Vanguard best. I fancy tho bost of them will be hard to beat in the woight-for-ago racos." I havo' had several fancy wagers to chronica, lately (says "Vigilant"), but the following is porhaps tho most sensational of tho season :-A wealthy wostorn district squatter, returning f.omthoOnulliold Grand National Mooting, offered to lay a medical friond £10,000 to a fivor that ho would not pick tho winnorsof tho CauKiold Cup, V .R.U Derby, and Melbourne Cup. ' Hone, cried tho doctor, and bo at onco selected Lord Wilton, Uralla, and Sardius, and offorcd to accept tho same price about another trio, promising to tako neither ot the horses ho selected first. Tho squatter was agreeable, and laid him another CIO,OOO to t's against throe outsiders— Mozart. Isonomy, and Stornaway. Tho salo this yo.ir of Mr Blankney 8 yearlings was tho most remarkable cvor known.' There woro twelvo submitted, ten of those being by Hormit, one by Gnlopin, and ono by Rosicrucian. Tho twelvo brought in no less a sum than 10,560 guineas, or tho splendid avorago of 1,0:10 guineas each. Mr Heck purchased a sister to Quoon Adelaido at B,oooguineas, This is tho highost price evor paid for a yearling filly, and it is not a littlo strange that tho previous "bost on record" for a yearling filly was tho 3,000 guinous given for an own sister to tho tilly under notice, by Sir John Willoughby in 18S2. Sam Darling (for Mr Lea) gavo 3.0..0 guineas for a filly out of Stray Shot, an own sister to Slictovor. An ingenious American photographer has hit upon tho idea of calling in tho aid of his art to decide tho finish of a rnco, Ho wants to have ovcry finish photographed, and then the judgo, or tho stewards, or whoover may bo appointed—a judge, as the word ia now understood, would bo of littlo use—can oxamino tho plate, wliich will show n per manent record of what happonod as tho two horses passed tho post. I can imagine pictures of a close finish coming out badly, so that no one could tell whothor tho horso on tho near or the off side had his noso in advance. Or n horse might win by a couplo of lengths, and tho photograph oftho socond Blii'ht bo taken iti place of tho winner. '"' Pendragon,"of tho English "Keforoo," .ays :—After all tbesilly bother that has been mado about tho deterioration of tho English racehorse, it is grand to hoar Mat, Dawson, a man of tho highest nnd hardest practical o_|>erioncc, expressing bis undoubtod opinion that thorouiflibrods aro better than ever they were before ; and that with regard to the iiiuch-tnlkednbout stayers of the days when four-mile boats were fashionable, a moderate horso of now could stay by tho side of n champion of then without being in any way extended, and therefore without being in nny way distressed. When tho timo for coming away arrived lie would conio away without, an effort. I'aei. is the real criterion of staying power, as has boen hero so often insisted, hclipso is supposed by many to have been tho fastest runner and tho best stayer that ever lived. Mr Daw son would bo inclined to favour tho chances of Eclipse, if It were possiblo to get, by miracle or otherwise, that, wonder of wonders back into best shape acain, nnd ho woro in tho Cesarewitch of ISSS, with any woight his trainer cared to declare was best suited to him. Tho fact i.«, that it would bo impossible to handicap the best horso of as littlo ago as 50 years with the best horse of now by means of weight, unless some thing quito out of all fair consideration were to bo put upon tho latter-day sample : tho raco would havo to bo arranged on tho pedestrian principle, and tho nnr.iont timer bo allowed a start in yards, if not in fur longs.

CONDENSED ITEMS

Tho second forfeit for tho Caulfield Cup is duo on Tuesday next. Off Colour has been scratched for the Great Metropolitan Stakes. Arsenal has recovered from tho accident ho mot with n couple of weeks back. Lord Falmouth was an oxtonsivopurchaser at, this yenr's Nowmarkot blood-stock salos. Nigger has beon blistered recently and is not likely to bo put in work till Into in the season. Tho admirers of tho V.R.C. Derby colt Cairo will bo glad to hoar that he is doing well. Midwinter, tho well-known enckotor, has joined tho ranks of tho Victorian wicldors of Iho pencil. It is thought, in Molbourno that Urnlla will start lirst favourite for tho V R.C. Derby. Sting's full brother Wing has been heavily supported in Sydnoy to win tho Hawkcs bury Handicap. Antoros's son Rockot won tho Flying Handicap nt the Lower Uoathcoto V.lnter Meeting. Tho much fancied Molbourno Cup candi date St. John is reported to bo looking in great buckle. A yearling colt by Lo Loup from Jossica has been ehippod from Dunodinto Molbourno for disposal. I'itzhorcules is to stand at Now Plymouth this soason, having boon leased by a " sport " down thorc, King Arthur is said to havo pulled up vory lame after winning tho Open Stoojilo chaso at tho Christchurch Hunt Club M coting. Mr .Tamoa Wilson has lost a two year-old colt by St. Albans out of Royal Maid. Ho is said to havo boen a very promising young ster.

Mr S. Martin's brilliant colt Reginald has been taken over from Molbourno to Sydnoy, for the purpose of taking part in tho A..J.C. Spring Meeting. Tho death of nnothor old jockoy is an nounced John Butnby, who piloted Alice Hawthorn to victory in the Choster Cup of IS 12, having passod away. ;Thc two rival racing institutions at Adelaide havo come to terms, and a-now Club with the littlo " Adolaido Racing and Coursing Club " is boing forinod. Folly, who is ongageil in the Hawkcsbury Handicap with fist, is credited with having lately performed the greatest gallop over witnessed on tho Rand wick courso.

At tho annual.meoling of tho Wellington Racing Club, tho balanco sheet showed a credit balance of £2(5-1 18s fid. £3,241 5s were paid away in stakes during tho year. Or. L. L. Smith of Molbourno, has nomin ated a colt foal by Liborator for the valuable Rclipse Stakes, to bo run in England in ISSS. Tho youngster is a light bay. Energy, by Storlingont of Cherry Duchess, who was purchased at Mr Mantnn's sale for 4,000 guineas, won tho July Cup at the Newmarket Mooting. F. Archer rode him. Ariel, tho Auckland Cup winner of IS;7 ---78-70, and who passed in nt Buckland's last week, has been purchased privately by Mr Fullerton, of Mauku, Tlio price paid was £150. ~ . _ Tho Hon. W. Pearson recently received an offer of 3,000 guineas for Commotion from an Amorican gentlounn, who wished to secure tho gallant ton of Panic for stud purposes. Dr. L, L. Smith's Louiso Borta, won tho Sapling Slakes (for two year-olds) at tho V.A.T.C. Winter Mooting. The winner is a daughter of Darriwoll, who promises to bo a success at tho stud. F. Archer still heads tho list of winning j-ickev* Ho has 111 wins to his credit; Ihonc.moC. Wood with 155. G. Barrett, with 4(5, A. Giles with 40, J. Watts with 36, and F. B irrett with 3D. Theopinion of tho well-known bookmaker, Mr Joseph Thompson, who visited the recent Adelaide Mooting, is'that the South Australian two-years-old aro months in advance of those of Victoria. Sir William Clarke's mare Potrca has foaled a colt to Dofoo. This season the maro will visit St. Albans, who will have a rare clnnoe of still furthur distinguishing { himself as a sire.

Mr Frank Reynolds the Now South Wales Stuilmuter, has lost, his brood maro Rosalie by Peter WUkins Mr Reynolds has also lost the foals from Cornelia by the Drummer, and from Corisando by Gotdsbrough. Tho steeplechase maro Minerva broke hor loir nt tho Caulfiold Grand National Meeting, and had to bo destroyed. Sho was insured for €200 in tho Australian Livo Stock Association two or three days previous to I tho accident. ~.,_• T1 , Writes " Aufur " :—lt is high time July nnd Trenton woro hero. If thoir owners wish them to havo any chance for the Mel bourne Cup they must bo here before the end of the month, otherwise their prospects will bo tho reverse of bright. During a recent vist to Adelaide Mr .1 Thompson laid 5,000 to .100 against Com motion and Coronet, and 5,000 to 200 against Sardius. For tho V.X.C. Dorby ana Cup, 5 000 to 25 was accepted about Nowstoad

and St. John. _ Mr J Field, tho successful Tasmanian breeder, has purchased for stud purposes lYoto-Martyr, a half-brohher to Petrarch, whoso son Tho Bard has this season, been sweeping tho board of tho good things in the 01 Tho'saiiiiown Park Clab is again in the field with a big prize, tho Eclipse Stakes ol 10 000 sovereigns. It is to bo run at the Sandown Park Second Summer Meeting in July 188S and is for colts and hlliosof throe 'nnd four years old at timo of running. At the sale this year of Her Majesty s yearlings at Hampton Court, the average realised was but a poor ono, viz £142 ihe hi_hest.priced one was a bay colt by Springfield out of Bglentync, bought by Mr Douglas Bnirel for 010 guineas. The Agent, winner of the Hurdle Rnco at the Victorian Racing Club Mooting, also appropiatcel tho "little sticks " in tail ant Sat the Caulfield National Meeting. Wymlet, however, failed to gain a situation in the Steeplechase, which fell to Granvi lo In concluding a lengthy analysis of the Melbourne Cup weights, "Nemo thinks tho best in appear to bo Commotion, Trenton, Sardius, Sheet anchor, Nowstoad Coronet St. Lawrence, Warwick, Liverpool Thunderbolt, Nordonfeldt, and Prince "Xtho Victoria Amateur Turf Club Mooting Mr T. Jones's Bohemian, a four vear-olSson of Maribyrnong and Mna, won tho Balaclava Stakes, boating a field of -.>. Ho was ridden by Cracknel . Strange to say, tho Bohemian's noarest attendant at the finish of the race, was Too Too, an elder full sister. _ . ... Thero woro two well bred 'uns contesting hack races at tho Lower Heathcoto Winter Mooting (Christchurch). In tho Hack Hurdles, Faro, by King of Clubs-Aglaio, was .undo a great pot, but it did not come ell; and in the Hack Race, Tit Bit, by Musket-Rangi, who was kept dark fortius event, could only run into third place At a recent up-country mooting in Now South Wales, a jockey was reported to Mr vV R Virgoo.onoof thostowarde (whoisalso President of the Club), for boing lato at scale. " Fine him a pound," was tho mandate. Immediately afterwards a complaint was mado that another jockey bad not weighed out. " Fino him a pound too, said the popular and onorgctic President. "Oh, replied tho complainant, " it s tho ndor ot your own mare, Skylark !" " Fine him two pounds, then," was Mr V.'s response

THE GARDEN.

[P.V l-ORTUS.]

Caloudar of Operations, August 22,

Houtub is wllllnK to answer any quorlcs. Cor respondents must Klvn their full namos and aildresses, though not for publication.!

Tin-: schedule of prizos for tho Anckland Gardeners' Horticultural Socioty's Spring Show has conio to hand. Tho Socioty has mado great strides sinco last yoar. All intending competitors should obtain a copy, There aro a great number of prizos of con siderable valuo offered for competition. Tho numbor and variety of special prizes offered for both the Spring nnd Autumn Shows shew that Iho lovers of both flowers, fruit, and vegotablos aro doing their best to bring first-claw specimens on tho competi tion tabic. Tho Committco are eanguino that this Spring Show will bo tho best over held in Auckland. Kltcnon Gardon. Tho main crop of onions should bo sown as soon as po.siblo now. Pons should bo sown fortnightly, so that a continual succession may bo always ready for picking, choosing tho dwarf-growing var.ot.io. so as not to havo much staking to do. Rhubarb should bo planted now. Sow mustard, cress, , and radishes ovory fortnight. Continue planting out a few lottucos, tio up old plants for blanching, sow a fre«h patch. Mako a small sowing of turnips, carrots, and parsnips. Plant out a few more cab bages and cauliflowers, oarth up tho grow ing crojis, sow a fresh patch for', ate. spring planting Plant another patch of early potatoes, nnd earth up those that aro grow ing. A fow Feeds of tomatoes should bo sown in a pot. and placed under glass for early planting out. Also a fow cucumbers, pumpkins, and marrows should bo treated in dm same mannor. Clear away all debrit of cabbago and cauliflower, etc., as soon as cut, so as to dostroy shelter for slugs and snails. Havo all vacant piecos of ground dug, and manured to bo in readi ness for tho later spring crops. Kcop tho hoe continually stirring the coil botweon rows of growing vcgetablos, thus keeping wcods under. Careful attention must bo given to all seeds coming through tho ground ; use limo frequently to kcop tho slugs from them. Thin out all seedlings that are becoming too thick in tho rows. Flowor Gardon. All lifting and transplanting or planting of troos and shrubs should now bo finishod for tho soa6on, as the warm weather is beginning to cause tho sap to riso in a num bor of plants now, and it is better not to move plants after it gets active, as thoy re coivo too much of a chock, nnd do not thrive well afterwards. Hosos should now all be pruned. Tho buds in some cases havo burst, showing that tho pruning cannot bo much longer doforrod. Tho cuttings of soft woodod plants that wero struck last autumn, if well established, can now bo planted ont. Tho oarlior thoy are planted tho better they will grow boforo the hot weather sets in. Sow somo of tho hardy varie ties of annuals out in tho opon ; these that woro established in pots under glass plant out. Somo of tho tender annuals should now bo sown in pots, and placed in tho house or undor glass for plant ing out as oarly as possiblo. In fino weather all tho beds and borders should receive a good deal of well-rotted manure, and tho manure should be well forked in. Tho moro manure the bettor tho plants will grow during tlio ensuing months. All seedlings and tender plants will nood carofull atten tion, so that the slugs do not got tho greater portion. Often soodsmon got the blamo of bad seeds when the fault lios with tho grower. Slugs, if not checked, com mence operations as soon as tho littlo seed loaves como through tho ground. Lawns should bo mown frequently, and often rolled. Tho more attention given in the spring tho easier tho lawn will bo kept during tho summer.

Greenhouse,

A largo number of tho plants will now r-quirc to be repotted. Ferns should be divided and repotted, using two-thirds fibrous turf and one sand. Cineraries and calcoolarias give plenty of water, and keep near the glass. Hepot when necessary. Civo frcquont waterings wihliquid manure. Pot off all fuschia cuttings struck last autumn. Havo all dirty pots washed on wot days so that they may be clean and dry for future use. Givo plonty of air on all fino sunny days.

Onion Growing. (t 'unt in lied from Last Week.)

The hoe can easily bo kept going between the rows whilo they aro growing. While tho seed is coining through tho soil tho .lug is sometimes very troublesome. In such cases, frequent dustings with lime, in tho evening after dark, while they are out feed ing, will effectually dispose of this pest. When the seedlings are about six inches high, thin them out to six or sevon inches apart. Some of theso thinnings will do for transplanting out olsowhoro. If moro are wanted they will mako as good bulbs as thoso sown, if tho transplanting is done early, and in moist weather. Dibblo them out in rows twelve inchos apart, and six from plant to plant in row. Thoy will give no farther troublo, save hoeing and keeping tho weeds down, till thoy ripen. If you still further want to improve the chances of a good crop, before tho buds aro beginning to swell give a good dusting of Peruvian guano, especially if you get a wet showery dny. Do not apply it in dry weather. As soon as' pos siblo after applying it hoo tho surface again. Onions will begin to ripen about the beginning of February. If there are

any of them thick at the neck they mus bo bent down about two inches from the bulb just as the tips of foliage begin to change to a vollow colour. Tho eflect ol this win te tey -tep the flow of the sap .ndh«t« the maturity of the onion. W£enthe foliaco has become withered, and the necks are snivelled up, that is an.indicat.on ftrt they are ripe enough for pulling. luU them up and spread them out carefully to dry turning them over onco or twice during to drying period. W bile doing so separate & tho_eXt are thick in the neck or aa sound for immediate use or sale. W hen the sound ones aro perfectly dry,.clear off all useless debris, and place them in the storehouse or loft, where they must be spread out very thinly on the floor Those which are to be kept the longest will bo better strung on ropes and hung up to the rafters, where a current of air will always be passing through them. Onions for piotkng Kid be sown in a bed broadcast sometime n September, and when large enough thinned out to about two inches apart When nearly full grown thoy should be covered over about ono inch deep with soil from the path, so as to blanch thorn. Tho following varieties are those most in, use, in New Zealand :-Brown Spani-h (whicht consider the best for general use). Brown Globe, Giant Roccu, Trepoli, and for pick ling the Silver-skinned. In conclusion I would liko to add that on a piece of ground or three years I grew alternately onions for summer crop, and cauliflower for winter crop. Every autumn the ground was trenched and heavily manured, and planted with cauliflower. I always had a "P»«£id crop, had them out of tho ground before Augiut, gavo v slight dres-.ng ot n.ght-^il, , forked the ground and sowed onions. IHe , last season under crop I took at the rate of ; nineteen tons of onions to the acre, all first class bulbs. This ought to tell that first , class cultivation will pay.

Disoasos of Oranges and lemons. j (Continued from Last Week). Lemon Smut or Black Blkhit.—This , fungus forms a black film or coating over , the surface of the leaves, and usually do- . velops short erect filaments, one tenth to one quarter of an inch in length. Un old neglected trees ovory leaf may bo covered with this parasite, so that tho tree presents , a disgusting appearance. By some writers it is said to bo caused by the excreta ol tho largo white scale (lcerga purcbaso). This, howovcr, is erroneous, as it is of purely vegetable origin, and has been observed infecting lemon treoa in the Auckland Domain for moro than twenty yearn, whilo tho lcerga has become naturalised in tho colony within the last ten years. It, may bo easily destroyed by dusting tho leaves with sulphur or with lime, or by frequent syringing, with soap suds, etc. Tho fruit is sometimes attacked by this fungus. Borer —All citracoous plants are subject to the attacks of boring insects, and in some districts thoir ravagos aro excessive. At present tho material collected is not eutli ' ciont to enable mo to identify the pest with any degree of certainty, as it is only known in tho larval state. Prevention and Curb.—A further know ledge of tho habits of this species must bo obtained bofore satisfactory remedies can be suggested. All wounds should, as far as possible, bo covored with a thin film of tar or somo othor eubstanco calculated to pro vont tho deposition of eggs. Branchlots attacl-od by tho inFoct should be at onco removed and destrojol, caro being taken to remove them below tho extremity of tho barrow. Probing tho galleries with a fine pointed wiro und perforating tho larva would bo found cfl'cctivo, and might bo easily carried out when tho inecctß are few in numbor. Mr Campboll, manager to W. J. Hurst. Esq., M. U.K., injects soft soap dissolved in boiling water, with the addition of a littlo embolic acid, into the burrows, by means of a syringo with a line nozzle Ho informed mo that this mixture dissolved tho lnrna, so that the outflow pre sented a milky appearance. I is possible that tho porfoct insect might be trapped in open pots containing a mixture of honey and treacle suspended amongst tho branches. Trees extensively Infested by tho borer presents a somewhat straggling appenranco tho branches being partially denuded of leaves, but fruit is produced in abundance until tho energy of the tree is exhausted Tho least amount of harm ia caused whon the borings arocarriod on near the centre of a stout branch of tho m»in stem, tho greatest when tho excavations are mado Immediately beneath the bark. When the excavations nro numerous, branches are continually broken off by the wind.

The Last Stand at Majuba - Fierce Onslaught of the Boers.

The whole Boor fire was turned on tho last point of defence in the left rear. There tho mon woro crowded bohind a clump of stones, but tho officers mado them extend to tho right and loft, lost they should be out- Hanked. Our direct rear at ono part was held by only thirty men ; luckiiy, the ground there was so steep tho Boers wero unablo to scale it, thus all their efforts wero hurled against tho left. " Men of the Nlnety-soc ond Highlanders, don't forgot your bayo nets 1" cried Major Fraser. Colonel Stew art called on tho men of the Fifty-eighth, and Captain Macgrogor on Ihoso of tho naval brigade and all did their duty steadily and well. In somo places the Boors wero seen, pipe in mouth, taking pot-shots quiotly, as thoy do when practising at pumpkins rolling down a hill. Nearer and noaror the fatal cordon of doath was closing round tho devoted band on tho hill of Majubn, and through the smoko the officers woro soon doing thoir utmost to urge tho dofanco. In tho centre of a group that hold a knoll was soon Sir Goorgo Colloy, animating tho men and behaving in the most rosoluto manner, though one by one they quickly dropped around him With fixed bayonotsand shoulder to shouldor at last, formed in semi-circle, our men con tinued firing, whilo ammunition began to fail. Many moro fell, but there wa* no sholterto which they could be removed, and, if thero had boen, not a man could havo beon spared to succour them. Tho Boers at last reached tho few mon who hold the truo front; tho latter broughttheir bayonets to tho charge, but beyond striking distance, and all save threo woro shot down whore thoy stood. With tho General there were barely one hundred mon of tho main body loft. The advanced line had been long sinco shot down or driven in upon the last or main position—this had been described as boing about two hundred yards long by fifty broad-whore tho whole survivors now lined tho rim of tho basin with fixed bayonets to ropol thonssailants. The Boers, with fierco and exultant shouts, swarmod up Iho -ido of the hill, and made furious at tempts to carry it at a rush, but oach time wero driven back by tho bnvonets, many of which woro dyed with blood. After oach rush, tho firing, which ceased during tho melee, broke out with renewed fury, nnd again tho air becamo alive with whistling bullets. Ad at onco Sir Goorgo Colloy was seen to throw his arms abovo his bond, to reel wildly fovwarl and fall dead, shot through tho brain, and then all was lost.

A Strange Accident.

London, July 27.—0 n Saturday ovoning, at Chatham, on tho Mcd way River, over a hundred Sunday excursionists wore sud denly onvolopcd in an accident which, for a quarter of an hour, seemed likely to occasion a shocking sacrifice of life. Shortly after 11 o'clock tho steamer plying botweon Strood, a villago opposite Chester, and tho South End, called at tho Chatham pier on its way down the river. A largo numbor of excursionists were waiting on the pier-head for tho arrival of the steamer, As soon as the vessel was moored alongside, a stream of passengers passed through tho barrier to descend te the lower tier of the pier by meanß of the iroi structure known as a •' brow," whon, without a soeond's warning, at a n otnent when sovonty cr eighty people wore on the brow, it oscil lated violently nnd ultimately twisted ovor in tho most extraordinary manner, precipi tat:ng all tho persons awaiting to go by tho sleimo" into tho river, which just thoro is very deep. A panic ensued among tho hun dreds standing on tho upper portion, and tho piercing shrieks and struggling of those in tho wator were perfect ly indescribable. A largo proportion of tho intending passengers were women, who, in many instances, wore accompanied by children, and it was only by tho exorcise of prompt skill that the boatmen at the pier-head managed to thread their boats through the entire en t;n»!emer,t of broken iron and woidwork. Sevoral of thoso saved received fractured limbs by falling on wooden piles, and sev eral women were taken to a hotel hard by in a half drowned and unconscious condi tion. But the coolness and efficiency of Mr Whitfield, tho pier master, assisted by the watermen, enabled all tho persons im mersed, it is boliovcd, to be brought snfoly to land. Fears wero at first expressed that some might havo been drowned, but a care ful search leads to the belief that all \. eie picked up.

GOSSIP FROM STAGE AND STUDIO.

(B_ Euterpe.)

Mary Anderson is going to play llosalind at Stratford-on-Avon. She promises to dress liko a real boy. A General History of Music, in three volumes, is to be published by Mr J. F. Rowbotham. Beyer's opera, " Ligurd," in four acts and nine tableaux, has been given with immense success in Paris, Ono of Prince Albert's compositions, the " Chorale Gotha," was sung at the opening of the Albert Palace, by special permission of tho Queen. i Genevieve Ward has put off her Ameri can tour till the fall of 1880 Arduous work of tho lato Australian tour has affected

lier health. At thcSydncy Theatre Royal, "W««J»" continues its attractions, and at the Gaiety -Tho Professor " nightly fills the house to its utmost capacity.

Tho Sultan of Turkey has been con verted to Wagnerism, and spends several hours each day at tho piano murdering the works of that composor.

Mr Alfred Moul, a well-known Austra lian musician, is endeavouring to organise a firßt-.fas- opera company in England lor a tour through Australia. An orchestra of female performers from Vienna, appearing in national Austrian costume, is one of tho attractions at the Albert Palace, Battersoa.

Herr Vogrich, being about to leave Aus tralia, has resigned the conductorships of the Sydney Liedertafel and Philharmonic Societies. Each society is advertising fcr a successor.

Stephen Heller, tho favourite composer of drawing-room music, has suddenly be come blind, and is destitute. Subscriptions aro being raised in England and elsewhere for his relief.

Michael Davitt has abandoned his pro iected lecturing tour through Australia, and announced his intention of remaining in Ireland "until the overthrow of Dublin Castlo is finally accomplished." _ Mine. Rhea visits Australia in August, 18S0 playing thero several months, hhe eoes to South America somo time after, to fulfil a promise to visit Dom Pedro. In Brazil hor reading will bo in French. . „ Henry Russell.composerof "The Maniac -The Gambler's Wife," " Man the Life boat," and many other songs, and formerly a capital singer, though now 71, sang The Ship on Fire " at the Hanover Square Club dinner in April last. _..__'■ * The famous band of the Seventh Regiment of Cavalry of the Mexican Army, which numbers seventy-five men, is enraged.on a crand concert tour throughout the United States Capt. Payen received in advance one month's pay for himself and the band. Bret Harto, contrary to what one would expect of tho author of "The Luck of .tearing Camp" and "The Heathen Chinee? is a voritable Anglo-maniac. He affects mutton chop whiskers and a single barrelled eye-glass, and tho checks of hie clothes aro of the loudest variety. Recently in Germany a scientific journal mndo tho statement that it would be bene i ficial to tho oyesight to print books m dark blue ink on palo green paper The first volume printed in thi. way, "The Natun History of tho Women of Berlin," has just made its appearance. Mr Dion Boucicault, it is reported, wbb to marry, previously to his departure from Sydney on the 27th instant, Miis Louisa Thorridyke, a member of bis company, to whom he has been engaged a long time^ Tho wedding had beon postponed on account other mother's death. Madame Adelina Patti, whom the decrees of tho Divorce Court sentenced to pay £1 800 annually to the Marquis de Caux, has now extinguished the claim by giving te her former husband a lump sum of £10 000 The dim has opened her _bth season at Covont Garden, and is a bigger . ucco?b than evor. In the Rhine provinces of Germany, according to ministerial declaration of the 24th April, 1885, at Bonn, it has been decided that teachers of music shall be com.elled to pass an examination in its various branches by Commission oppomted by Government, and produce certificate as to their character. Consequently they cannot give lessons unless provided with a permit granted after a successful examina tion. It would be a great error were similar examinations mado compulsoiy for tho qualification of teachers in this colony. Miss Genevievo Ward's farewell perfor mance in Sydney was signalised by the presentation of a wreath of laurels by Consul Griffin on behalf of the America., citizens. Tn his speech Mr Griffin gushed thusly: " It is a proud day for mo to be able to stand In the presence of this vast audience and state, after having seen all the great queens of tragody who have adorned the stage during the last thirty years, that not ono of them, in mv calm and deliberate opinion, ever surpassed you in powor'nnd brilliancy, or in truth, boauty, grace, and natural ness." . . n J J.U Remenyi gave a concert in Sydney the other evening in aid of the Kendall Memorial Fund. Ho was presented on this occasion with a gold medal and clasp similar to that recently given to Herr Kruse; tho ribbon was of Hungarian colours, and the medal was Inscribed " Honour to Remcnyi, from his musical friends in Sydney." Mies Downing has now finished her engagement, and will shortly return to America. Mr Rudolph Himmer concludes his term after the Bris bane trip, and intends to settle in Mel bourne, where already his cultured, finished singing has found so many admirers that he has eeveral pupils awaiting him. Mr Luck stone and M, Remcnyi go from Brisbane to Java. The acrent of an American pianoforte making firm who recently visited Australia writes in " The Music Trade Review " that of tho instruments ho Baw in the colonies

" tho French and English pianos only had their actions in proper ordor, and that ninety fivo out of the ninety-nine German pianos showed tho hammers loose or gone in clusters, two here, three thero, tho " bush ings" of the centre pins often worked out of their places." Again " the sound boards of tho pianos split in ten or a dozen different places. It is a remarkable fact (I shall pro bably be charged with prejudice, but I can only guarantee to the absolute truth of what I affirm here) that ninety-nine out of a hun dred German, two out of five French, and one out of three English pianos wore found with the sound-boards split or cracked.'^

One of tho most interesting events in a dramatic way that happened in London this season was the representation of John Fletcher's pastoral, "The Faithful Shep herdosso," in the garden erounds of the Coombe House, on Juno 27th. _ Fletcher generally wrote in collaboration with Francis Beaumont, but this pastoral is his indivi dual work. Its revival was dueto Lady' Arch ibald Campbell nnd Mr E. W, Godwin. The character of Perigot was sustained by Lady Campbell, Amorot by the Princess Hollon of Capthur_a(daughter of an Indian potentate), Cloe by Mrs Lucy Roche, and Amarillis by Mrs Georgo Batten. Other parts woro taken by Lady E. Sponcer Churchill, Mr Elliott, Mr Herman Wzin, Mr Wade and Mr Bindloss. Everything classical was carried out in tho minutest detail. Two braziers, used at the festival in tho honour of Pan, wore patterns of Greek art; the incense burned was if Eastern woods, and all that could remind spectators of the.present day carefully eliminated. Everything was severely correct The Bhephcrds walked with baro legs and arms j the shepherd esses were arrayed in tho clinging robes, which, as tho wind blew them about, showed their forma most classically.

Madame Materna, tho greatest of living dramatic singers, is the daughter of a poor podagoguo in Styria. Christine Nilsson was a ragged street singer. Jenny Liud was a peasant child. Campanini was a servant. BrignolH was a cook. Nicolini "tended a bar." Had not Rossini given

Alboni instruction, tho first lialf of the century might havo lacked a great con tralto. Hor successors — Cary, Emily Winnnt and Hopo Glenn—ate simply American girls The Bach family, illus trious musicians for 200 years, wero always so poor that they had to take lessons from oach other. B dfo was the son of an Irish cottager. Beethoven's mother was a cook's daughter. Haydn's father was a wheelwright. Gung'!, who ha 3 written the most delicious dance music, learned to sing while his father wovo stockings. Lucca is a peasant's daughter. Paganini was born and brod in want. Schumann's childhood was spent in a print shop. The father of Liszl; hold a petty Government office. Wag ner's father was a police court Dogbsrry. Tho only representative of royalty who at tained a respectable placo in music was a woman—tho Princess Amelia, sister of Frederick the Great. So much for the de niocraey of art!

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

(vaoMOUBIOK^S j

TH E se.isation O f th6fort^H!llf pHodbythe"P allMallG^S of articles with tho catc ; Kll "The Maiden Tri buteof 2^ iZ' veracious and un ßxegge^n a responsible "secret co^2>(H woeke part been O Sjii' ■ "soxualimmorality" of*),_ g,st! Z The publicat JonwI'^ Z cove"es''wa a advertUed.U>"f^ hand „, a character^"! *_*k st editor announced thro r th «i I severely underlined lea. «fe«W:t purest motives poesibleTrl VJ f Gazette "would, onthef-li .'f'W i-ue the first portion ofit:^« horrible revelations «t'""Si wrote Mr Stead, %l 7*iC|| horror that will' thri ] th, » '' world^' Ladies fa warned o_ no account tZW* M during tho week, a „d pZh^ZZ'Z to bo careful and keepK^ reach of young children BP**£: : Z tthi,^ that ''afirstdVlfe highly -respectable" i o .ml "SJH whet prurient c_rE,g*lß unparalleled sale waa don. °d lcp4 The result can easily to i . ■_§ foar o'clock on Monday tlffi** :^ streets in tho metropolis IIW the lowest class of __2 NM . sheave, of "Pall M^ft^l flaming poster, " Hid.n«_ t *■ is'F. s-v Metroes! A ppaU„7fer^ . " Mr SteadfidealS^Z Z in general and the newtiratZ L! particularbytheears.hellt^^ ably. By six o'clock on Hi W Malls" wore selling at fiJj&M newsboy who could beg, b.m 'wl " Globe," " Echo" and "Ste«2 _M other hand, foundthefflSt^:; and dry, unable to distributetfa^-'V 11 even amongst regular oaahti?A: is good authority th_. on ffiH day, and Wednesday tho ctircnUt; " i '•OlobeI'(usually stLyilSji 7,000, the halfpenny still greater sufferers. B! 0lll,*l«g On Tuesday morning g^ §8 and Willtngs, who, between thtDT^ffi the Railway book-stalls thtwjZftH and the three kingdoms, decH,2____ I "Pall Mall" whhsttheltJStfl commission' was appeariai- _, ,*!",■ ;: quence, the street sale doabled ikH E fillip being given tothefiflan.,L?_Mi of 40 newsboys in the city \> charged under Lord CampbeWH! selling indecent literaturt. XkM____m naturally declined to take the rs^fe' of damning a powerful jottraiiyl "Pall Mall Gazette" ontheJjßl moment. The cases TOe.te__^JH| ;.. week, and the ex-culprit. diatUiH BE turn to Northumberland-Btteetwit'V' supply of the "spicy"ißßues. r 'wm-? The sceno opposite the vftott^ji. f ■ nal's premises on Tuesday land ff«iSi afternoonebeggars deacriptton.i itjjff 'Z'' police declined to keep (rtet.i^jl ' light between a dense crow) ol Zap; runners ensued, the "fall MiUc-Wi;; office being eventually c_|ri..|ji3S , men shot through win_omjttljia3H forced in an appalling mama Zjj_lßl i Each day's issue wai"(iutof|jiii'Mi , on the evening of poblicalioa, i_j.j , cording to rumour, the "WHS!iM-U, S. i would not republish " the tepon,'^ II numbers containingitwefeoiifiiiM' Z, ; ing at prices varying ffoWijftli&j^ :f' a guinea, according to thrgifiiji|| i purchaser. Of the artiria tlaaiHji - shall not attempt to t&finti JffP , awful facts disclosed in _nnm JBj on the investigation: of <Wm!I_HBB ■ and Mr SamuelMorley,. jo hiZisw. i be that the good certain &fewmH| <; !i • crue will justify the meat* ttla liiflH fi such infamies known. attbeim^HHl: , find a journal of thestsalUjj^.lb'lHl j G. " not only handling ffl^tolj'ttJlll f i openly, but writing,"aboutjifaij ■■'" j naked direetnesß which 'mm ni. i hardened men blush, gives... s , 1 " What next?'1 Baid.^aa oldgtn__c; <=-;"* , tho Reform Club, "P ' r dare to take a newspaper tan it. j.-j , till I've read it. When 'fculi-.'W . lished these revelations Ife i..r i promptly suppressed jt »_ id |m§ - print!" The 'PallMalU L will be lauded to the sk Wlaiy . Up to the preeonttbißjprm-entii^ ..,. ---5 not been fulfilled. mU^«Ch', 1 banished the offending-jmlfli domain, Smith and WuSjiii'WH | have it on their stalls,'ffli^wg j street selling, tho MMtrfymflljgg [ like dwindling to nothing. _| H| j A very disagreeab_tap««H| f; i created by Mf Cava-diil "*_M " f avers that the '.pabli»*i,.•»,'!. "P.M.G's" 'UoathMmewW \ I in every sense . the facts "dis-loaed'(#::««^BB "secret commission "j m ™_$_WI , to the Parliamentary; :|^|h| I [ framing the Criminal li«I»W. i Bill. The question.;"«!£■ , ihoroughlygoneintowita.wJJM . portions of the evidraMP»JHL Blue Book. This Blue Book, ln«| ' contends, is the principal»PlMi j the "P.M.G." has TOf^ aliiv^ The Bobo 11 U\ ,;• Talk in eooiety is aU o^^f1, f "Rose Ball,"given.bj.oMb#Mj cratic maidenß to thßi : rg°J,_BHHl [ Wales. The maidens;.pWS«JH| part in theaffair B»dKWMfflß| j' committee of great laffl* «"flB v subscribes £5, in returnfoi^W| five invitation «^ets;;»»^ : J ' filled up with the njm««,«CT| friends she cares ttfwvifc «»||J : Duke of Portland an im* . eligiblofwy have eight cards apiece. !*•«»" ]! ' the light of bwcMß^Jm-lj; which promhes tobea«iW«jM withßtanding_the $**£M t Wales, who is cpld-shoW|™ ■ because his part'? ularSsH|i: American Miss Cha»Mg| » huhotooi«^M j 1 "Is this feat engaged"d*;, 11" "i and perspiring fat »aa.« occupant of half of aw M sir; it is not," was tbo.SpH ' He whistled t_e.dog?ffilMß_ besido the gentle-,*™•-■ ; ing, gazing upon the W "T|. . - admiration. "a M'l__H : And such a *"^jfl'M.': looked as if it hadbffj^m ; hammer and the and his oars had M» y,!«Ll •: that they resembled tM» W< | saw. . . i^'Ali'Wlß'il' "I'm not going <»«*, %_W' ! explained the ol>» %^-«t. | do^ieandifyon*^*™. , the window at obleegcdtoye.,The«s^^ dorg at Tucker's. Jf*go__K neck and slack o the J§M| him . You must look **fltm . him on Ihewnw*. °Mffl| i him for V^&T«»*tW mister, and S°f!S}o_m ■ A witty and *&_%» postmaster of a po^&lj is famous for the repartees. e^Mm_m ing pleasing things | W kfflf| .o-ngmanwftgftafrglß/, well acquainted. n \^tef_f__ > grandfather well, blandly, "^l^Sli'' flro aZorthy d««n^JM parentage. | x $t)> ,»?,,;. haughtily.' "^Z,;^;"1' famous for VgWmm -Yes," answered "I^*ll twinkle of relish *$&_§■ wo see the cannonsflM^MM' r •° ar; " b ß Uuch IS «¥ I before me." . JmfflKm : As a promoter \*£i<it_B< piano has ever b«n a r* e(t( Let, match-m« £*%'' > piano's forte. M^fi-, dialogues like thejo^>M io.fr He- ffPMimm and fcr your sake 1 rapture, turn over and on it our »n*W:W should alone f*J:_%WLU cheek just • russet apple &3SKB ; ' theswayfaK,,f h g e ;W?i',, : littlehand ato'.^^jM,. ~ , tremulous keys, n^cP' oiano has m«y ffi M ' tlKl'T delightful V' I (ccompauimente.

)BK AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1895.

4



Woman's Friend.—A mother's advice to mothers: "Keep by yo„, tor yourselves and daus-litcrs. Mrs Dr. 1. tuart's female nniu'dr.s I havo never met with any mcdicii-oo so well meriting the inline o£ ' Woman's -Mend.' Thoy are invnluablo for tho wc-i_ne__C3, heiulachis and othor troubles experienced by teraaiea' Read,'—[Ad vt.;'



FLIES AMD RUGS, telle.. l_™oU, r„v-l_.. »i.1... ivl li'lKi. >_ts,|i_it.. |~|>._i.>, clil. uiuilkl. ilv-rttl uut 1. " Kmu-li <* _..___. EwDl'lboni., rnwser A Co., Age-.-, Auc_]__.