SPORTING.

PRINCIPAL RACING FIXTURES.

New Zooland. H aWko'B Bay J.C. StoojjloohOßCß. ~.... .. June 25 Wellington R.C. Steopkchono Mooting .-July 18

To Correspondents.

F J.M. |Pon»onby).-Clarenoe (13st21b), ridden byiunn. won tho last Hawko's Bay Steeple chase, Scrutineer (list) boing second, and Bat man {list 3lb) third. H.W.-Oudelß has an unbeaten record, ho started throe times a' a two-year. old. and he made but one appearance as a thrco. e»>co thon ko has not been seen out with the silk up. WAOEB.-It la a rule in all sporting matton. that abet made on a certainty Ib nowogor. Tho onus of proof lies with tho losor. Rule 1. on botth>K, saya :-"Iu all bct ß thoro must be MtWfltylo win when the bet Ib made. • you cannot win when you oannotloso. IXQCinBR.-Fi9horman. the slro of Marlbyr nong, and who was importod to Bouth Aus tralia by tho Messrs Fisher, aa a two-year-old ran alx times without winning: at three years old, rap thirty-four times, and won twenty throe races; at four years old, ran thirty-five, and won twonty-two races; at fivo years old, ran thirty-two, and won twonty-one races; at Six years old, ran twelve, and won three races. -Summary, 119 races; 60 wins, inoluding 2C Queen's Platra. It ls stated that tho MoßSrs yiaher paid £1,000 for Fisherman.

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Nsxr Thursday, tho big Stooplecbate or our Hawko's Bay frionds comes up for decision, and it promises to bo the best crosscountry contest that has yot boen fought out on tho Hastings coqrso. Tho acceptances, which foil due on Tuesday last, show that 18 •till romalp In out of the 31 nominated, and the lot include thepick of the jumpkighoraos that New Zealand now possesses. Auckland owners are wall represented, wo having no ICM than fivo engaged to do battlo on our behalf, so that tho result will be looked for ward to here with interest. The following aro tho hamgs of tho acceptors :—

Hawick's Bay Steeplechase of 400SOVB. Dls tanoo, 3 mlloa aud a-hal.

st lb st lb Macaroni , .. *U 3 Whalebone ..10 2 KavenßWOOd „ Romeo .. ..,10 0 Jim .. •• 12 0 Qullp .. .. 10 0 Sorutlneor .. 1110 Erebus .. .. 012 Tho Druid .. 1 I Ab3o«u,l .. .. Oli Director .. .. 11J Denbigh.. .. 010 King .. .. 10 10 Claude .. .. 8 8 NowYoar '.. 10 7 Ngata .. .. 9 J Pfl^time .. .. 10 7 St. Dnnstan ..9 7

Including 71b penalty.

Tho final payment of 8 eovs on Tuesday next will probably be thomeans "of ono Ortwo dropping out, but I shall be quito prepared to see a dozen go to the post. As matters stand at present, tho race certainly ben-"> a very open aspect, but still I think that whatever beats Ngata will win.

Tho local gentleman who conducts his raelng affairs under tho name of Mr Balmain has loosed Mr Bowman's stables at Greon Lane for a term, and in future his yearling colts Musketoon, by Musket — Atlantic, and Musk Rose, by Musket •»]. isotte, will bo located thero. Mr J. B. Williamson, owner of Tho Dauphin, I undorstand, has boeu engaged to prepare tho youngsters for thoir two-year-old ongagemonts. Thundorbolt appears to havo como iv for a lot of attention for tho V.R.C. Derby and Cup in tho Australian betting rooms. Prom a private letter, I learn that ho has beon eupported for a big amount in Melbourne, whilo in Sydney a commission was put in tho markot from New Zealand for Derby and Cup to win £5,000 at 100 to 10 and 12. Por the Derby, 19 to ono is tho best prioo offorod against the unboaton son of AHiskot. MrGrainger.tho architect for tho Auckland Racing Club's new grand stand, arrivod from Melbourne on Tuesday. Tho ground has already beon laid off, and tho work of pulling down the old structuro commenced.

Captain Webster has shortened in price for tho New Zealand Cvp, and 100 to 12 is now tho best on offer. Ho has also beon backed to wina few hundreds indcubles with Stonyhursf and Hanlan for tho Derby at 100 to 4. Loohiol has also boen enquired for, and Ike is backed whenever 100 to 5 Is to be obtained.

Mr J, Poole intimates In our advertising columns that as ho loaves at the end of noxt week for his usual winter sojourn in Sydney, ho will tako it as a favour if his clients will comparo books with him on tho V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup. This is a most sensible Idea, and will bo tho means of pro venting mistakes occurring. Nowstoad is a firm' first favourite for tho V.R.C. Derby at 6 to 1, ond during the Adelaide Meeting an offer to tako 7,000 to 1,000 about the Maribyrnong Plate winner met with no response, although two of tho leviathans of the Australian ring were present. Dunlop has been backed at 10 to 1, and the same price can be obtained about Monte Christo and Uralla.

Mossra Lyons and Blaikie's two-year old colt Enfield has been added to the list.

Mr Donne, known on the turf as Mr " Bate," has been compelled by prossure of circumstances to seok the protection of the Bankruptcy Court, and has filed his schedule in phriatcnareh. Tho Poet ond Minerva have passed into W olllngton hands. The yearling colt by Musket—Onyx, purchased by Mr H. Osborno in January last for 800 guineas, has boen christened Hyacinth. The youngster has been nomin ated for tho noxt Maribyrnong Plate and V.R.C. Derby, besides several othor events. Mr J. Balmain's (four yearlings and the colt by Anteros—Sylvia have also been entered for the noxt V.R.C. Derby.

Captain Russell stated at a committoo meeting of tho Hawke's Bay Jockey Club last week that the not income of the Club last year had been £1,250, but the totalisater had contributed no less than £2,200 to its revenue, Without tho totalisator, there fore, tho Club would have beon working to the bad at the rato of £950.

"Robin Hood's" consultatien on the Christchurch Waterloo Cup closes on 7th July, tho meeting taking place ono week earlier than usual. The list is rapidly fill ing, A trotting horso called Axo has beon im ported from Victoria to Dunodin by Mr E. Lyons, and is now in the hands of Mr H. Goodman, who will look after his training. The Geraldine Racing Club havo passed the following resolution:—"That a depu tation from the Club wait on the Hon. W. Rolleston to ask him to use his efforts to get a Bill passed through Parliament legalising 'Calcutta Sweeps.'" Welcome Jack's absence feom tho Mel bourne Cup has caused a great deal of as tonishment (writes "Augur"). From Sydney I learn that the omission was puroly accidental, but if this be true, I can hardly understand how it is that his name appears among the nominations for tho Caulfield Cup. Ho had beon backod In New Zoaland for large sums, and not so long ago a com mission was effected in his favour in Sydney.. Malua's name was expected to appear, but Mr loglis determined that ho should have a fair spell, and therefore, determined to reserve him for tho Champion Stakes. Foulsham tells me that he hears the son of St. AJbans hasdono famously since he went to his owner's rotate, and, all going woll, he does not seem to fear another meeting between Malua and Commotion. Tho latter has been put into work again,so has Fryin g but tho lattor's leg is again slightly ushed.

"From Melbourne comes nows of tho death of Mr S. Gardiner's stallion Anglor, Ho was 23 years old, a good round age for a thoroughbred, Angloi was but a fair per former during his racing career, and it was at the stud he made his name famous. When he was four years old Chrysolite visited him, this being the only mare ho had that year, and tha result of tho union was Cleolite, one of the speediest fillies of the time. He also begat Lord Harry, ono of the best all-round horses of his day, and who, after his Australian career, won so many races in Singapore that at last he was barred from running. [Subsequently Angler was purchased by the late Mr George Petty, and, remembering tho successful nick between Angler and Fisherman in CleOlite, Chrysolite visited him again more than once, the result being Onyx (owned by the New Zealand Stud Company),;and Chrysolito.the former a good mare and dam of Sardonyx and Nordenfeldt, and tho latter a first-class colt and sire of Navigator, one of the beßt three-year-olds that ever trod a racecourse. Coquette's pledge of affection was Progress, a real good colt, and many other winners claim him as sire. He has loft several pro mising youngsters behind him, a colt from Ace of Hearts ond fillies from Nevada and Topaz especially. Angler was by Fisher man from Marchioness, the dam of Rose of Denmark, Fishhook, &c, and therefore could boast of a first-class pedigree.

A prospectus has boen Issued in England for a "National Breeding and Training Company (Limited)," which is to be formed with a capital of £50,000, in 5,000 shares of £10 each. Mr William Day, author of " The Racehorse in Training," and himsolf tho trainer of moro big handicap winners than probably any othor of his calling, is the moving spirit, and will bo the Btud managor, &c, and the idea is to have a modof establishment for breeding and training cavalry, hunting, carriage, and draught horses, and polo ponies. The Dukes of Beaufort, Hamilton, and Portland, Prince Soltykoff, and the Earls of Durham, March, Roselyn, &c, are patrons of the undertaking, which it is proposed to carry out at Cholderton, an estate of 800 acres, now held by Mr Day, from whom it will pass to tho Compatay, and it is further con templated to form a racecourse on tho estate Tho Australian Cup winner Ringwood, has boon sold for 800 guinoas, and will be taken to India. His nominotion for the Melbourne Cup reached tho V.R.C. Office too late. King of the Gipsies has beon nibbled at for tho Melbourne Cup by a rather success ful punter, who has also bockod the double, Velocipede for tho Caulfiold Cup coupled with King of the Gipsios for tho big two mile event. Mr A. R, Robertson has engaged R. Griffiths, of Adelaide, as his private trainer, and hoB sent over Dunlop, Tho Toaoher, r,nd other horseß to the lattor's establishment at Glonelg, noar tho Morphetvillo Racecourse. .' David is being troatod to a well-desorved spell. He wont through a lot of work, and his performances in tho V.R.C. Derby, Logor, and Champion were of an oxcellent character, tho little follow boing of tho gatnest sort. Tho Victoria Racing Club, in its pro gramme for 1885-6, has introduced a novel foaturo In tho dhapo of two woight-for-age jumping races to bo run at tho Cup Meet ing, Ono is to bo a hurdlo raco and the other a steoplochase, and tho Club adds 200sovs. to tho former and 300sovs. to tho lattor.

Mr John Field, tho well-known Tasmanian studmastor, for some time has had an oyo upon Gang Forward with a view of secur ing him for the Calstock stud, but Sir Thomas Elder does not caro about parting with tho horse. Sir Thomas, however, has generously consented to allow Mr Fiold to put three maros to the Two Thousand winnor free of charge Mr D. M. Robortson has changed his mind about remaining in Sydnoy, and has roturnod to" Molbourno, taking with him his liorsos Coronet, Moonsheo, Anchorite, and Claudlan.

Fred Archer has taken to brooding blood stock, and ho has just named a couplo of his foals—a colt by Childeric out of Hazy, Falmouth, and a colt by Childeric out of Potticoat, Boscatvcii—a well meant compli ment to his first master aud chief patron.

THE GARDEN.

[Br HoKTtjs.]

TO CORRESPONDENTS,

Gkai'tixo V. Buddino (Amateur).—There is no (inference in treea that havo beon grafted and budded. The operation is tho st>me, only in spring It Ib bottor to U9e a considerable por . tion of wood whon performing tho operation, whllo In autumn the operation is called bud ding, simply because only a portion of tho bark and a bud is used. The French make no distinction in tho terms. Ono roason why budding is üBOd moro oxtenßlvely on sonio fruit trooa (especially stono fruits) is that tho bud takes more readily than when tho othor . method of grafting is employed. Again, it ls Bonibtinics mOro convenient for mv aorymon to uso tho budding nnithod iv tho autumn, as|thoy aro not so busy then, In purchasing treoa it mufces no diltoronco by which of tho two methods the trees havo boon worked.

CtJPitEssEa Mackocaui'A (G.l).—Jn moving plants ot tlio above about from throe to four foot In height you will rcqulro to lift with balls. A ball about Uftcon Inches In diameter would do—oven lossif you havo a considerable distance to tako them ; but if only a short dis tnnco tako as largo a ball as you can manage. The more roots and soil you have attached to the troo tho bettor. Thoy will get established ooonot-. Now Is tho best time to movo them. Fekns (Forn).—Yoo, yon ru get any quantity of thorn from tho bnah now. Thoy ought to grow If put out In any shady part of t ho garden, but you must auo that thoy are supplied with flontyof wdterdurlngthodi-yßuajinerinontlis, t you can obtain a lot of rough Irregular Btonea Ibulld a rockery, putting plenty ot soil in tho centre bo as to plant tho ferns and othor rock plants, 1 havo also Fcen them suocood 1 woll in tho cornor of a verandah only covored with a piece of canvas; but it you are goftig to ' start growing forns you must recollect that ; thoy should bo welt Bhadcd and rocclvo plonty of water, and you will bo sure to suoceod. I havo often wondered that, with tho nuinbor ; of splendid varieties of ferns, growing hero, they aro not moro extensively cultivated by our amateurs. . .

FROM CELLAR TO GARRET.

Frightful Condition of tho London Poor.

A clergyman who has been at work for a dozen years as a diocosan missionary in ono of tho worst districts of contral London, tho Great Wild-street region behind Drury Lano, and who ten years ago publishod v work entitled "From Cellar to Garret," has now issued a second volume of extracts from his notobook that morits attention in connection with the problem that is at present being inquired into by a Royal Commission. Tho author is tho Rev. D, Rico-Jones, an Oxford M.A., and the title of his new book is "In the Slums." It contains a terrible chapter on the slaughter of innocents. Mr Jonos asserts that of the children born out of wedlock many are murdorod by their own mothers, either deliberately or in a fit of desperation. Tho rest aro mostly entrusted to women whoso business is to check tho increase of the population, who understand tho art of murdering children without rendering themselves amenable to tho laws of the land, and who, "for a consideration," aro ready ,to "polish off" any number of infants on tho shortest nstico. In these baby-farms there Is a wholosalo slaughter constantly going on. But tho illegitimate children aro not the only victims to the cruol disrogard of infant Hfo so pre valent in the slums. Ono of the commonest methods of gotting rid of babios in tho present day is for tho mother to go and deliberately got drunk, and then tako the baby to bed with her, and lio upon it, until it is "smothered by accident." Another method is to lock the baby up in a room and leave it there all day by Itself, with a feeding bottle near onough for tho littlo creature to take hold of and feed Itself, if it only had the eonse and tho power to do so. A third method is to soncTtho baby out into the streets in chargo of another baby not much biggor than itself, and to loavo them in the streets all day ond late at night, exposod to tho wet ond the cold. Tho chances aro that if they do not get killed by accident thoy will both sooner or later get killed by exposuro to the inclemencies of the weather. As tho result of his pro longed experience among the denizens of tho slums, Mr Jones declares his pro found conviction that " wo should do thorn no good by merely pulling down their houses and driving them into other slums." There, are other cities as well as London in which the superficial viow of this matter has been taken by certain people; but every practical person knows, like this Groat Wild-street missionary, that something else is needed than the mere demolition of tho rookeries, Indeed, that may provo to bo only an aggravation of the evil by conveying the contagion of the slums into districts in habited by respectablo working people.

Cranmer's Old Chain Bible at Canterbury.

At Canterbury Cathedral yesterday the Old chain Bible was replaced in the position it originally occupied upon what is known as Cranmer's desk, in the northeast aisle of the cathedral. Upon receiving the Bible from Mr Wetherelt, by whom it had been care fully renovated, the Bishop of Dover said that it gave him great pleasure to replace the volume in tho position in which it was chained in the reign of Queon Elizabeth, at the time when Bibles of the same edition were placed in cathedrals and deans' hsuses throughout the country. The event in which they wero then engaged was one that would recall to their minds tho commence ment of ono great era in tho history of Christianity, inasmuch as tho position in which he hod just replaced that volume was undoubtedly constructed in the reign of Henry VIII., and was the place from which the first English, Bible was read in tho English Church for the benefit alike of the clergy and laity. Tho Dean of Canterbury and ArehdeaeonHarrison also spoke. —From the " St, James's Gazette." . . .

A Night of Horrors.

On tho night of the 31st December ult., at Allihies, a village near Castletown-Boro haven, happened an incident which, for suffering and horror, has not boen surpassed In tho most thrilling narrativo of the prosent day. On Now Year's Evo night Sorgeant Michaol Blake, of Allihios police station, was returning to tho barrack, and, as tho evening was rather dark, being about seven o'clock, ho took a short cut across some fields, in which, unfortunately for him, was an old disused shaft of the Allihieß coppor mine; which had no protection whatever, as the paling which had onco encircled it had long since rotted away. The pathway loads closo by the mouth of this shaft; but, being well acquainted with tho place, tho sergoant approhonded no danger. Ho stopped for a moment to light his pipo, his cover fell, and groping for it, his eyos being dazzled with tho glare of tho match, ho tumblod headlong into the pit. Whon about half way down tho back strap of his overcoat caught a projecting rock, and ho hung for a moment; but tho strap broko almost im mediately, and then he fell to tho bottom, which was covered with mattor of all des criptions, as this pit had been tho receptaclo of nil tho carrion of tho neighbourhood, such as doad hogs, horses, etc., for tho past fifteen or twonty years. Into this mass of putrid mattor tho unfortunate man foil, and found whon ho attempted to movo that his right foroarm had boon broken and his left anklo dislocated. As in all possibility no porson would pass that way until morning, tho poor man had to contomplato tho foar ful fact that if ho did not die in this homblo holoho would have at loast to spend tho night thero. But matters got worse, for Boon a hordo of rats collected, who, thinking this man legitimate proy, attempted to cat him alive. Tho feeling of Sergeant Blake at this ponod may be bottor imagined than describod. Tho agony of his mind must havo beon some thing droadful. With an old bono which ho found in tho placo.ho defended himself; but tho attempt was only partially successful, as, lying on his back and nearly disabled, ho could but uso his loft hand, and ho frequently found tho rats running across his faco, and ho found him self obligod to shut his oyos to excludo the filthy matter with which these vicious animals woro rooking. When daylight came tho only intimation that tho poor man had of its appoaranco was a light which looked liko a star far abovo his head. Ho began now to shout with all his might, and a young lad namod Donis Harrington, who hoard tho noiso, and fancied that a dog had been rocently thrown into the pit, commenced to throw down stones to put tho animal, as ho thought, out of pain. This was cortainly not what tho poor man below oxpectod, and it must have heightened the agony of his mind. Whon this lad had satisfied himself with throwing stones ho wont away, and hap poned to meet a woman who was lookin™ for her husband, he not having returned the night beforo. Ho told her of tho noiso in tho pit. She immediately wont to tho place aud shouted clown, and on receiving tho answer that it was Sorgoant Blako who was down there, sho wont to tho barracks and told tho police (who had boen looking for tho sergeant all night) that ho was down tho Kiloguo shaft. Thoy immediotely procured ropos and all noccssary appliances for the descent of tho shaft and tho roloaeo of tho poor sergeant. But no ono could bo found to inako tho doscont, until nn old miner named James Kolly, who had worked in tho mino about twenty yoars ago, camo up and volunteeredto roscuothoman bolow. Ho was lowcrod into this black holo, and on roaching tho bottom ho fastened tho rope around Blako's body, who was hauled up to tho surface moro doad than alivo, at about tho hour of ono o'clock p.m,, oightoon hours after his fall into this loathsome den. Tho ropo was again lowered for bravo ■Kelly. Blako rocovorcd.

Hardworking and Solf donying Generals.

In application, gonoral activity, oarly rising, and hard oxorciso, many groat gonorals havo outdono tho most laborious mochanic or morchant. This characteristic is indood tho most poculiar and distinguishing trait in tho porsonal history of successful comman dors in anoiont and modern times. Sloop loss energy and watchful attention nro as cribed to Achilles, Ulysses, and insensibility to fatigue is tho chief mark of Roman horoos. Ctesar was not only the groatest soldlor of his ago, but in eloquonce nnd in litoraturo he far excelled all of his contemporaries who had exclusively dovoted themselves to such pursuits. Ho studied books as woll as plans of battle in camp, and swam rivers with ono hand, holding his writings out of the water with tho other hand, and many illustrious commandcrsalternatoly followed tho plough, bent ovor books, and led armies to victory. Mahomet" mado his own fires, swept his own houso, milked his ewos, and mended his shoes nnd pantaloons with his own sacred hands," and he was withal so tondor and considorate that ho ordored tho sleevo of his garment to bo cut off rathor than to disturb tho slumbers of ono of his favourite cats. Of Gustavus Vnsa, it is said "that a bottor labourer nover struck steel," Gustavus Adolphue, King of Sweden, tho horo of the Thirty Years' War, wasa marvel of onergy, in dustry, and endurance. Of Charles XII,, coupled by ono of our poots with " Mace donia's madman " as " the Swodo," extra ordinary storios aro told. He was frequently on horseback for twenty-four hours ot once, and fhus ho travorsod most of his dominions, oftentimes tiring out all his officers. On one occasion his horso foil dead, when ho at on'co dismounted and marched off with tho saddle, bridle, and pistols on his back. At tho nearest inn ho found a horse to his mind in a Btablo, which ho was about to tako when howas stopped by the innkeopor, whoso natural question ho replied to by saying that he was tired of carrying tho saddle himself. A quarrol onsued, swords wore drawn, and but for tho arrival on th& scene of the King's guard, a mortal combat might have taken place.

Sir C. Napier.

To the same class of commanders belonged Sir C. Napier, who, in 1849, created oxtromo consternation in' India among the lordly officers with cocked hats as he gallopod in tho simplest possible military attiru in front of tho Bengal troops at Mcoan Meorreviow. Tho fiery glanco of tho great chiof fell terribly on tho officers who bad allowed tho mostdisgracefulirrogularitiostobopractiscd on parade—one of whom is said to hav'o actually fainted under bis rebuko. But with tho soldiors Sir Charles, though a stern disciplinarian, was a general favourite, in which respect ho reaomblcd General Suwar row, the Kussfnn hero of Catherine's time, who was remarkable for tho cruelty of his ! orders, tho devotion of his troops to hig person, and the unflinching example he sot of Self-Sacrifico, sharing in; overy privation with the meanest of his camp followers, and ,in diet especially displaying tho utmost j dogroe of nscotic rigour. Ascotlo Generals. '■ Bonaparte was proverbially abstemious, 1 and Wellington has beon known to sit on his horse all day, making his dinner of bread [and a slice of,pork. Tho indifference of I Napoleon 1. to sloop was still moro extra ordinary, and it largely aided him in Bomo of his enterprises. It was not that he was morely able, like Lord Brougham, to do without sleep for a long.period,and then to take a long sleep. Napoleon is said never to have slept moro than three or.four hours, however many hours he went without Bleep. I Frederick tho Great, oven in old age, never slept later than four in the morning ; and Peter the Great always rose before daylight, whether he worked in Holland or Eng land as a shipcarpenter or blacksmith, ruled Russia in his palace, or led his troops to battle. In both these heroes another trait of Lord Wolseley's character was conspicuous, tho habit of chatting and joking freely at certain times with their Grenadiers on tho eve of a great battle. It is curious how Shakspoaro, in Henry V., has faithfully reproduced this touch of nature in tho lound mado by the gallant young king among his men on tho eve of the battle of Agincourt. And the same popular manners' were a characteristic of "Old Zach, or General Taylor, a former, President of the United States, whose attire of loose frock coat, wool socks, and shoes was not less similar to that of Sir C. Napier than his eagle eye and calm, determined mind.

The "Gardner" Gun.

At tho present crisis tho following informa tion will bo interesting to Our readers. Tho employment of machine guns in tho army as woll as tho navy has long occu pied the attention of all European Govern ments. In Juno, 1880, the British Govern ment orderod a Select Committeo to ex amine all tho existing systems of machine guns. After exhaustive trials the Com mittee, on tho 21st March, 1881, roportod that out of ten points, on which oach of tho different machine guns werecom parod, on nino of thoso points tho "Gard ner" guns woro preferred ; andthe Com mitteo rocommended tho adoption of the two-barrel "Gardner" gun for both ser vices; and, where a moro poworful gun is desired, the adoption of the five-barrol " Gardner " gun. Large quantities of these guns havo since been purchased by tho Go vernment, andthoir efficiency andvaluehavo been clearly proved in tho Soudan at the battles at El Teb and Tamasi, whoro they did great execution, thus dourly bearing out tho Select Committee's report. Tho working of tho gun is as follows :— The bullet onds of the cartridges aro in sorted in a periorated woodon block, and are thus conveyed to the "reservoir" of the gun. This "reservoir" has a flanged way or a T groove, which holds the car tridges by tbo head or rim, and the car tridges fall by gravity to thoir placo at tho rear ond of the barrels. Tho turning of the handlo, or hand-crank, actuates tho simplo mechanism, and tho "plungors " push tho cartridges into tho barrels, whoro thoy are discharged, while tho continuous rotation of tho crank extracts tho empty sholl of the cartridge. In tho ono and two barrel gun tho empty shells aro oxpolled through orifices at the side of tho gun, and in tho fivo-barrol gun thoy aro withdrawn from tho roar end of tho barrels, and aro forcod through apertures in tho cartridge rest, and fall to tho ground nearly verti cally, Tho speed in the rotation of the hand-crank necessarily gives tho ra pidity of fire. Tho one-barrel gun has j been fired at tho rato of 300 shot per : minute, tho two barrel at 600, and the live bnrrol at 1,200. Tho cartridges fall by gravity, but the gravity is always acceler ated by tho firing of tho gun and by tho insertion of now cartridges. It is com plained, howovor, that tho exporienco in tho Soudan war has shown tho gun to be inoffoctivo in actual uso, 25 por cent of the ' shots failing aud tho instrinent oasily gotting out of ordor.

Enfants Terrible.

Candour is an attribute of oxtremo youth. • As tho world and this commcndablo virtuo ; do not get on as woll together as might bo desired, it is hardly surprising that tho childish trait is unappreciated, and the enfant terrible slnppod and sent to bed. A : littlohardoni/w. HMiMpticr, butundoubtodly i excusable on tho part of his oldors. It is tho ! minuteness of Master Tommy's truthful ness that rondcrs him so truly fearful, INo physical infirmity, mado to appoar as , though it woro not, oscapos him. Undo ; Fred's promaturo baldness, so skilfully con- I by a wisp of hair, cosmotiqucd ovor i the shining surface; Aunt Annio'a fading charms, touchod up with just a soujk-oii of ; rougo, and quite a soup ludlo of poarl ! powdor, are what thoy aro aud nothing i moro to Master Tommy. Humbug ; and ho informs his undo and aunt of tho fact without tho slightest compunction. In a very short time, howover, Master Tommydis covors that his natural inclination to truth fulness does not pay. Asking Uncle Fred j why his bald head is liko heaven entails an I answer to tho riddle in tho shapo of a box |on tho oar. Holding his tonguo admits of levying black mail in tho shape of shillings I dispousod with a smiling faco and a hand hitching to thrash tho infernal little bruto, who if tho advont of tho shilling bo tardy, monacesthounfortunatowispwitn malignant oyo. " You mustn't lot Mr Smith kiss you, Aunt Annio, or your colour will como off," in volves ultimately bed for having sent poor Aunt Annio into hysterics. "How protty yuu iuuk, .aunt Annio," is a cortain draw of .butterscotch, especially if said whon Mr Smith is presont. Small wonder ia it if, with increasing years, Master Tommy coasos to scare tho world with his homo truths, and learns tho oxpodioncy of living nnd lotting livo.

The Silver Star Brigade.

Tuis sooioty was established in 1579, with Nottingham for its hoadquartors. Its ob ject is " to help young pooplo to be good, kind, and usoful; loving, puro, and truo." Its: members pledge themselves to tho fol lowing rules: — 1, 1 promiso, by God's help, to strivo to bo good and useful, and to try and spread happiuess around mo. •2. I will try to help others, especially tho weak, the poor, tho sick, and tho sorrowful, : 3. I will abstain from all intoxicating liquors, from tobacco, swearing, and bad words, and gambling. •1. I will bo kind to animals, and try and save them from cruelty. 5> I will strivo to bo loving, puro and truo, in thought, word, mid docd. The presont hoadquartors of tho brigade is Wolvorhampton, whoro Miss Purslow, tho commandor-in-chief, resides. On tho 30th Docombor, 1881, tho S.S.B. had onrollod 6,374 inomberß. At tho close of tho past yoar tho total was 18,715. Regiments nave beon formed in all partsof tho kingdom, somo of them boing over 500 strong, and ono has 1,500 in its ranks, some of tho Silver Stars hail from as far as India and Canada, and thoro is a continental branch. Tho work done by the S.S.B. is very varied., Ono rogimont subscribed £20 towards keep ing a poor boy in a homo, others give enter tainments and bazaars on behalf of eomo charity. Others again collect flowers for tho Inmates of hospitals and workhouses. The S.S.B. has an organ, "Sunrise"—a pictorial monthly.

One of Ward's Practical Jokes.

"Snow the gentleman up," said MrGough, ond a pleasant introduction followed, after which Artemus Ward said : " Mr Gough, I am chaperoning thoso gentlemen, ana we are indulging in a little of tho sparkling, and if you do not object I will order up a round for thorn and myself. , Gough didn't object, and Ward ordered up four stiff cocktails. When they wero placed boforo tho merry guests thoy quickly quaffed. But ono glass remainod un touched. " What is this for?" queried Gough, pointing to the extra decoction. "Oh .that's for me," with a merry twinklo of his oye: " when I tako a drink I always foel liko anothor man and I always treat tho othor man, see ?" Each member of tho coterie, save Gough, orderod a round of four drinks each. As the last round was boing carried up, the landlord of tho hotel asked where in thunder all that liquor was being tukon. " To Gough's room," replied the boy, " How many aro In the room ?•'.;. " Four, including Mr Gough.,, . "And four drinks—why tho fcfernal old hypocrite, he shall bo oxposod." It was tho work of a foW. moments to inform tho nowspapor reporters, and when morning camo tho wholo city resounded with tho newsboy's shout of " All about Gough on a drunk !" Gough; boarded tha first train out of tho city, and has nover dared to venture there sinco. Ho was the innocent victim of a practical joko, but the Erie people bolievo him to be a hypocritical old sot.

Mrs Garfield's Fortune.

The subscription raised through the instru mentality of Cyrua W. Field aggregated, when invosted in Government bonds, about $312,000. Gen. Garfield's life was insured fov §50,000, tho payment of which the companies, for the Bake of the extended advertisement it would give them, if for no other purpose, promptly made. Congress also voted her the remnant of the salary which would have been due Gen. Garfield for tho first year of service as President, which amounted to $40,000. Tho little estato which Garfield loft aggregates some $30,000. This was all .that ho had been, ablo to accumulate after a life of unusual activity. This makes her total estate, in round numbers, about $450,000 in money well Invested. From this an in come of probably $16,000 is derived. In addition to that, she has from Congresß an annual pension of $5,000, Which is now voted to the widows of all evPresidente.

Costly Vermin.

Who would havo thought that tho impor tation, twenty years since, of a few couples of wild English rabbits into New Zealand woro destined to produce such dire effects as aro now reported from that otherwise flourishing colony? We read in a weekly contemporary that " the depredations of rabbits, so unwisely introduced into New Zealand, aro resulting in such soriouß incon venience and loss to tho sheep-farmers that they ore at their wits' end to know how to got rid of their enemies," The colonists having tried Bhooting, trapping, and poison ing without any diminution in the swarm ing arraioß of furry rodents by which their crops are devoured and every green thing is oaten off tho face of the land, have at last come to tho conclusion that their only hopo of relief lies in the importation from Europe, at any cost, of the rabbits' natural enemies, the stoat and the weasel, of which small carnivora the Australian colonies wero originally loft destitute by tho hand of their°Creator. Dospite tho admitted: fact.that tho prodatory little bloodsuckers, —large consignments of which have already been received —aro known not _to confine thoir murderous attentions exclusively to rabbits, our Australian kins mon aro advertising largely in English newspapers for gtoats and woasels, to be dolivorcd alive in Now Zealand ports at £2 or more por head. Assuming that of these £2 one-half will bo spont in transferring tho mustolid;u from England to tho Anti-1 podes, a margin of £1 is loft to tempt England gomokoopprß—or, it may be, poachors—to catch stoats and wcasols in box traps and to deliver them alivo to an agont in London. Wo ontortain no doubt that, at tho rate of £1 ahead for animals which havo hitherto boen rogarded as worthloss, and nailod by tho sido of carrion crows, hawks, and magpios upon tho keeper's barn-door, there will soon bo an ample supply for transmission from this country to New Zealand. Five guineas for a livo stoat! Wo trust that tho onterprising New Zoalander who has had tho pluck to give fivo guineas a hoad for English stoats will find that tho New Zealand air has not mitigated their ferocity and disinclined them for hunting down .rabbits by tho scent, and springing upon thoir backs to suck tho blood of tho victims. It is possiblo that tho rabbit-besot farmors may find tho English polecat a moro poworful and efficacious ally than his smallor brothorn, tho stoat and tho weasel. Tho polecat is at presont a comparatively scarce animal in thoso islands, but in former times he was invariably usod by thoßO who desirod to exterminate a warren of rabbits. "Thoso vermin," says Lord Coleraino, " aro truly boasts of proy, grocdy of blood, voracious and insatiable, as may bo interred from tho numorous dead carcasso3 of their proy which havo boen found in n sioglo hole." It is from tho polecat that tho forret deduces his origin and tho instinct with which ho helps man to extirpate thoso two übiquitous pests, the rut and tho rabbit. A good timo scorns to bo coming for all animals of tho woasol typo, whon largo prices are offered for them in a land with a climate clOßoly resembling that of England, and teeming with fur to an extent of which tlio hungry littlo bloodsuckers havo had no provioua oxperionco. Instead of being pur sued to tho doatli by cunning gamokcopers, skillod in sotting traps and laying poiaon for thoir destruction, tho English stoats, woasols, ond polecats will bp turnod looao into happy hunting grounds, whero man's hand will no moro bo lifted against them, and whoro thoy may rovol to thoir hoart's content in tho blood of thoir enemios,— London "Telegraph,"

A Prosperous Communistic Town ship.

Evkryonk knows something of tho pros perity of.Swiss townships, whoro so many things aro in common, but a moro romark ablo instnnco still of n thriving conjmune is givon by M. do Lavoloye in this month's "Contnmpnrury ltoviow." It is tho town ship of liroudenstadt, at tho toot ot tlio Kniobis, in Baden. Thoro aro 1,420 in habitants, each of whom has aH muoh wood for building purposes and firing as ho wishes,while ho can sond his cottlo out to pasture on tho common land during tho summer. Schools, churchos, thoroughfares, and fountains aro all maintained by tho communo, and ovory year considornblo improvements aro mado. Tweuty-iivo thou sand.dollars wis spent in ISS3, for instance, on establishing a now water supply in iron pipos. A hospital, too, has boon built, and a pavilion in tho morkot placo, whoro tho communal band plays on foto days. Tho villagers havo nover paid a singlo farthing in taxos, but, on tho contrary, each year a distribution of tho surplus rovonue is made among thorn, andoachfamily usuallyobtoins from §12.50 to i?ls. All this is dono with about fivo thousand acres of pino forest and meadow land belonging to tho township, a fact which scotns to show that communism is not always unfavourable to tho production of wealth,—From tho "Pall Mall Gazette,"

Disinfectants and Their Uses.

At a meeting of tho Association of Public Sanitary Inspectors, on Saturday, a papor by Dr J. W. Tripe was road by tho Chair man, Mr Jorram. After mentioning tho antiquity of tho uso of disinfootants for pre venting the spread of contagious diseases, tho papor procoodod to discuss tho morits of tho several disinfectants commonly in uso, and doscribed tho way in which they could be most satisfactorily employed. It was st . tpd the most certain and usoful disinfoct ing agont was dry heat. This was applied in so voral ways, the operation being generally carried out in what might bo termed largo ovons, which aro heated either by coal or gas, Condy's fluid was of little if any use, in tho caso of smallpox, oxcopt for tho pur pose of removing any unploasant Bmells. Carbolic acid was of still less use, and could not bo safely breathed when ib existed in tho air in sufficient quantity to provo a disinfectant. Tho occasional use of this acid to sowers was also of very little use, ob tho quantity of sowago quickly carries it away; but if the gullies were trapped it might bo employed with advantage, as it prevented matters., from arising at a state of putrefaction beforo thoy found their way into sowers. The offensive smell from venti lating openings from sowers at the level of tho stroots was believed to be best remediod by animal charconl boing placed in trays or boxes, botwpon tho openings and tho sewers, Profossor Kingzett said that no ono disinfectant could bo used for every purpose, for if it woro efficacious in one case it would not bo in another. Sanitos oil and fluid, ho thought, wero tho most satisfactory disinfectants yet discovered, for thoy could bo used for nearly ovory purpose.

A Roman Catholic Bishop on Freemasons.

Dh.Baoshawe, tho Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham, devotes tho main part of his Lenten pastoral to a denunciation of Free masonry. Alluding to the differences ex isting botweon tho Lodge of England and tho Grand Orient of France, ho says-^" It is much insisted on that the English lodges hove disowned those of France, since the latter refused to make the acknowledgment of God a condition of membership, and erased the mention of God from their for mularies. It seems to us to matter little whether they acknowledged or did not ac knowledge a'Grand Architect of the Uni verse,' for in saying Architect they already implicitly deny tho true God, who is the creator oi heaven and earth. Let us suppose, however, that the recent refusal to com municate with the Grand Orient of Franco was intended as an act of homage to God. But are not the English Freemasons, who are Christians, thereby judged and con demned out of their own mouths ? If to erase and omit all mention of God be on in sult to God, why is not tho omission of all mention of Christ in their lodges an inSult to Christ ? Is not Jesus Christ their God and Lori ? In very truth, Freemasonry is anonti-Christianinstitution." Dr. Bagshawe proceeds to Bay that although he has spoken of Freemasonry only, most of tho secret Bocietiei are its dependants and accomplices. " So soon," he says, " as men begin to band themselves together to commit murder, to oxcite sedition, or for anything else whatsoever which the law of God and God's Holy Church forbid and condemi, they at once bogin to do the i devil's work, and to promote the plane of the chilcren Of the devil," , ' J

THE END OF THE WOULD.

How it was EHpectefi In Maine La«t I April.

When the sun rose on Corinna, Me., this morning, says tho Springfield "Republican of April 29th, it found anxiously awaiting its advent a grotesque group of Borne fifty men and women, clad in cotton garments that was a cross between a Burpllce and a butcher's frock. These wero the disciples of Prophet John Nickorson, who appear to believe that some' time today the Angel Gabriel is going to blow the trumpet which shall "summon the good ond the wicked before tho Ancient of Days," Mickerson, who Is described as a stout, bearded man of forty, and somewhat magnetic, has spent tho winter in Penobscot county, combining theology and mathematics with dramatic effect. He has inculcated the theory that tho whole of tho seventh chapter of Daniel has been fulfilled up to the 13th verse, and by a perfect labyrinth of mystical calcula tion, he has demonstrated to the believers' satisfaction that April 29th is the day set for tho ond of the world. The prophet has propagated his religious teachings in a striking w:ay, making the scenes at one of his meetings weird to thoso who misßed theirabsurdity. Gathering hU little band in a small, kerosene-lighted room, he would cover tho walls with pictures in flaming colours, portraying the allegory of Daniol with a vividness that displayed a bold imagination ; mixing horned dragons, impossible monsters and Tioars eating their own cubs in the wildest confusion. Tho Nickersonian idea, like those of all minds in advance of their ago, has mot persecution and opposition. Even among tho ranks of tbe elected aro thoso who argued that tho prophet's figures make the year 1889, but are willing to tako their chances to-day. And whon tho Bun shall have set this evening and the seventh great seal remain as closely shut up as ever, we fear much that the farmors who havo left thoir wood-cutting and ploughing slip by undono,_ putting off thoir dreams and their ascension-robes to gether, will wish thoy had attended to more commonplace horned beasts and tho tin horn blown at the farm-house door sum moning them to business. The prophet will lay it all on the arithmetic.

Horrible Debauchery in Liver pool.

ATthoCityPolicoCourt, Liverpool, recently, bofore Mr Rallies, Ellen Hanratty appeared in answer to a summons charging her that she, on tho 18th inst., did transmit without previous disinfection bedding which had been oxposod to infection from a dangorous infectious disorder—to wit, typhus fever contrary to tho provisions of the Public Health Act, 1875. Mr Marks, who prose cuted, statod that tho defendant was summoned undor the llrd sub-section of tho 126 th section of the Public Health Act, by which any person who transmitted or ox posod clothing which had boen previously oxposcd to an infectious disorder, without disinfection, was liable to a penalty of £5. Information was received from tho medical officer of health, and on tho 19th inst. Inspector Edwards visitod tho defendant's houso, 4in 1 Court, Raymond-street. This officer iound that a quilt had been removed from the bod on which a woman, the defendant's sister, had died from typhus fovor. He discovered that tho quilt had boon pledgod by a woman named Margaret O'Neal, who was present as a witness. It was pawned at a shop in Vnuxhall Road. Tho ollicor wont to tho pawnshop, got tho quilt, and had itdisinfectod. Thedofondant, it appeared, told tho woman who pledged the quilt that tho porson from whose bed it was takon had died from typhus fevor,— Inspector Edwards stated that when ho wont to the houee in quostion he found all tho pooplo in it drunk. _No preparation at all h^d been made for tho removal, of the deceased woman's body. It was lying on tho bed whore deceased had died. When he spoke to the defendant about the matter sho said, " I had drink. Wo all had drink. I got a shilling for tho quilt- and spent it in drink."—Evidence was called to prove that tho defendant's sister died of typhua fovor on tho promisoa in Raymond-street, and that tho quilt was takon from the bod after the death..

Mr Rafilos said this was a horribly disgusting case; Defendant. ~-I was the worso for drink.

Mr Rallies.—Yes, and that is a disgusting confossion. No sooner did your Bister die than you wont ond pawned some of tho clothing from hor bed in order to indulge your beastly taste for drink, Gotting drunk over the body of a deceased sister ! I will fine you 40s and costs. The fine and costs amounted to £3 5s 6d.

Bill Nye's Philosophy.

To tiro young tho future has a roseate hue. Tho roseate hue comes high, but yva have to uso it in this place. To tho young there spreads out a glorious range of possibilities. After tho youth has' indorsed for the inti mate friend a fow times, and purchased the Eapor at the bank himself later on, the orizOn'won't soein to horizon so tumultu ously as it did aforetime. I remember at one time of purchasing such a piece of accommodation papor at a bank, and I still havO it. I didn't need it any moro than a cat needs eleven tails nt ono and tho same time. Still the bank made it an object for mo, and I Bocurod it. Such things as these harshly knock the fluff and bloom off the cheek of youth, and prompt us to turn the strawberry box bottom side up before we purchase it. Youth is gay and hopoful, ago is covered with experience and scars whoro the skin has boon knocked off and has had to grow on again. To tho young a dollar looks largo and strong, but to. the middle-aged andold it is weak and inefficient. When we are in tho heyday and fizz .of existence we believe everything, but after a while we murmur, " What's that you're givin'usV'or words of a like character. Ago brings caution and a lot of shop-worn experience purchased at the highest' market price. Time brings vain regrets and Wisdom'■ teeth that can bo left in a glass of water overnight.

A Goose in Court.

A very Bingulor case that rivalled the judgment of Solomon is mentioned in an Indian paper as having been heard beforo a> Mofusell court the other day. It is almost unnecessary to say that the judge was not a native bowildered with the responsibilities of criminal jurisdiction. Tho plaintiff was a gentleman's cook, the'defendant a notori ous thief, and tho chiof witness a gander. The bird, it appears, was a groat pet, and was appropriated by the delondant. The plaintiff having recognised the bird in the bazaar, brought this suit. There was hard swearing on both sides, and much hissing from the gander. At last the judgo ruled that tho goose should decide tho case fer itself. The parties wero ordered out of the Court, and the gander put upon the table. The defendant was then recalled, and ordered to take away tho bird, But no sooner did he approach the table than :he was assailed with overy symptom of a gander's utter abhorrence, ■■■ The plaintiff was now ad-' mitted, And tho bird at once rushed to his bosom. The judge was affected, pleaders shod tears, and the bird was at ohce re stored to the happy home from which it had been so ruthlessly abducted.

The Cutting of the Largest Diamond in the World.

The Amsterdam firm of Mr J. Metz is busy with tho erection of a special workshop, in which the cutting of the largest diamond in the world is Bhortly to be commenced. This diamond, which has recently been found; in South. Africa, weighs 475 carats, and is said to be greatly superior in colour and brilliancy to all tho other famous diamonds of the world, tho largest of which, the " Grand Mongol," iB in the possession of the Shiih of Persia, weighing, after being cut, 2SO carats ; next in size follows tho "Orloff,"of 195 carats, which, adorns tho point of the Emperor of Russia's scoptrc ; tho English " Kohinoor," originally weigh ing 116 carats, but in its present form reduced to 102J carats. Tho "Regent," one of the French crown jewels, weighs 136J carats. Tho time spent in cutting this last jOwel Was two years, during which time dia mond powdor to tho value of £SSO was used. The •"; Star of the South," which has been c ut at Amsterdam, weighs 125 7-16 carats,

NEWS OF THE MONTH.

SUMMARY FOR HOME READERS,

AUCKLAND, N.Z..

20th June, 1885,

PabliAmbnt was opened on Thursday, 11th inst., by His Excellency Sir William Jervois, The " Address from tho Throne " customary on such occasions was an able and comprehensive document — that is, it displayed a singular ability in the way it avoided any opening for criticism, and it was marked by a comprehensiveness that embraced almost every conceivable subject of legislation. As was anticipated, there was but little discussion on tho Address, and on Tuesday evening last it was adopted by tho House of Representatives on the motion of Mr Pearson, seconded by Mr Hislop. ! In point of fact, the indefinite terms of the Address havo had the effect of postponing debate on the Government policy until their measures aro introduced, which is the preforable course, as it is better, if there is to be a Government defeat and appeal to tho country, that it should take place on a woll-defined issue, and not on an amend ment to tho Address-in-Roply. Tho Govern ment aro manifesting a desire to expedite business in overy possible way. The Financial Statement was;brought down last night, and their policy bills are all ready for presentation as soon as the Budget debate is over. -. '

Of tho measures by which tho Govorn mont will resolve to " stand or fall," the most dangerous is decidedly the Native Land Settlement Bill, which proposes to revolutionise the system of dealing with native lands. Their timber conservation, fisheries protection, and other legislation' will be accepted. Protection of a modified kind may even be swallowed; but they will como to griof if they press the Maori Land Bill prepared by the Hon. Mr Ballanco. Native Minister. There are al ready indications that the measure will be modified, so as not to excite hostility, though a rumour has it that Mr Ballance will standby "the bill, tho whole bill, and nothing but tho bill," and that he will therefore have to retiro and make room for a more pliable Nativo Minister. It is this spirit of concession on tho part of tho Cabinet which renders it extremely diffi-: cult to prognosticate the probable course of political events. The Stout-Vogel coalition Government are. numerically as strong as over; but their followers are show ing signs of disintegrating, and the Opposition ib at the san.o , time hardening. Still, tho astute generalship of tho real head of tho Government may be expected to carry them safely through the session, and past the dangers of internal dissension on tho one hand aud external attack on tho other. This, the second sossion of the ninth Parliament of New Zealand, to present appearances, will be quite an uneventful one. During the fow woeks immediately pre ceding tho opening of Parliament, a num ber of representatives addressed their con stituents. Perhaps the mostimportantspeech was that of the Ex-Premier,Major Atkinson, who, addressing his constituents at Hawera early in tlie month, announced his intention of offering vigorous resistance to certain Government proposals. His attitude during last session having been completely quies cent, this change of tactics ia considered significant. Major . Atkinson addressed another meeting at Now Plymouth on the evening of the 9th ioßtaut. , With reference to immigration, ;ho said he rogrettod tho ; system of nomination, of immigrants had been suspended, and thought it a great mistake. 'He was quite prepared to support a vote for that purpose,, but doubted whether it would be wise to go any further. He thought that the direct steamers were a good advertising medium, and if they could bo subsidised so as to get the passage money reduced to about tho same as the passage from Eng land to America, they would soon divert the stream of immigration to this colony. A depxitation consisting of ColOnel Fraser, M.H.R., and Messrs F. J. Moss, M.H.R., W. J. Hurst, M.H.R., Thos. Peacock, M.H.Rf, and E. Mitcholson, M.H.R., waited upon the Hon. the Minister of Mines on Wednesday; May 27, for the purpose of urging tho advisability of Go , vornment offering inducements for tho in troduction to the Thames' of Mr.La Monte's new method of gold-saving. Mr La Monte, the Inventor, was also present. In reply,' the Hon. Mr Larnach expressed his opinion that it would bo a fair thing to pay Mr La Monte at the end of a year's trial a bonus of £ljooo provided his .process of gold-saving came up to expectations. Mr La Monte remarked that such a con dition would be. satisfactory to him,' and the Minister therefore undertook to make such a recommendation to his colleagues. The great fight of thecdming session will, as we have said, take place over the Native Land Settlement Bill. This bill provides moans by which native lands can be dis posed of, either by way of sale or lease under tho land laws of the colony. After thoy have passed through the Native Land Court, the owners of a block of land will have power to appoint from among thom solves (if they are eight or more in number) a committee, consisting of seven persons, who will have the right to deal With the laud, subject to certain powers of control on the part of the owners. If the number is seven or less, then tho owners themselves will havo the powers of a committee. Native boards will be constituted for certain de fined districts, ond will have the power upon tho recommendation of the committee to' take the land and use it for settlement pur poses in a way similar to the operations of the Waste Lands Board. The com missioners of those boards will have large powers entrusted to them, but always sub ject on tho ono hand to tho recommenda tions cf the committee of owners, and on the other hand to the regulations of the Governor in Councillor bringing into force the land laws under which the land will be administered. Land is now being rapidly put through Native Land Court with a view to bringing it under the operation of the new bill.

The proposal to increase the length of the now Calliope Dock by 100 feet was discussed atthemeetingof Auckland Harbourßoard on Tuesday, June 2. • The Mayor stated, on the authority of Mr Errington, that the total cost of the work, including the ad ditional length of 100 feet, and the increased pumping power necessary, would come within tho proposed £120,000. Mr Clark said that according to present plans the dock would have a greater depth of water on the sill, but would not be so long as tho Fitzroy Dock, Sydney. It Was agreed, on Mr Clark's motion, "That there te pre pared a detailed estimate of the extra cost of maohinery required, and a separate es timate of lengthening the dock now,, and lengthening the dock after completion." Mr John Sheehan,, the newly-elected M.H.R. for Tauranga, died at Petane, Napier, after a very brief illness, on Friday, 12th inst. By his premature" removal at the age of 40 years, New Zealand loses one of the most familiar figures in domestic politics, and one of the most popularly esteemed of her sons. His death is sincerely mourned by an unusually wide circle of friends. Deceased Was the first New Zealand-born European to sit in the House of Representatives or to hold a Cabinet portfolio. In consideration of his services to .the colony, the Government Bteamer Hinemoa was eont to convey his re mains to Auckland, where, after lying in state in St. Patrick's Cathedral, they were interred in tho presence of somo 4,000 mourners, •

Tho ceremony of laying the foundation stono of the new Public Library and Art Gallery for Auckland, performed on the 4th met., marks an important stage in a vast and beneficial undertaking. By the munifi cent bequest of the late Mr E. Costley, tho City Council were placed in a position to undertake the erection of a suitable building to hold the literary Rnd art

treasures of the city, which i , Sir^orgeGrey'siam^UßlTbSatt^ treasures donated from time t«f; V lB 8t» McKelvie, ore of ererf L?- tu?8 by Mr ThebuildWwilM^S4, posing, and commodious, wSt me .'iai' very convenient. The contnu* ~to» £21,851, and it is expected .w P L ticß «• building will be ready for^n^,l th? »8 * end of tho year. . . iur ocou Pat.n by «,, Today, the new steamiw t loft Auckland on a voyage to T™ cNIW« Tahiti, and Rorotengl.; !jS"?"' Samoa, augural trip of what is intend } h k regular two-monthly, mail 3 _ *• • South -Sea Islands'. unde r S*" *• subsidy The special Julius Vogel in establishing __\ * vice being to encourage and £ ?»■ trade between New Zialand o df eH islands, various Chambers of (W *» sending down delegates bythe ,♦ CBaw report upon the products, inda s t?niertfl commerce of the native khiedom?. l,^ over these seas-Governtnonn a ? tter «l passage money on'condition ffiRSM. gates' reports are published for I? Tele' Formation The commere&W^ mission and mail service, thond, f v "^ no doubt be considerable, win IsifiSfwiU cant in comparison with the uoliHiSiT?" which may be expected. * Uoal «*• ancf Wakanui _BWU*_ House o£ Representatives &ter_\ ™» vacant, the former by, tha d« n .i. pi?eit Sheehan, and the latter by S3 ,ot«« of Mr Grigg., ,W_h)&Smmm ISf m now elections, that for 'ffiGSftS*l* tumable on the 21st, a Mthrtff .*** on 27th July. , 4 na- MMi« Tsatangj Tho New Zealand Shipping Com n »_,„i. communicated to the MffiHft? merco a list of, dates of dona** °' Steamers for Auckland, whichSK* °' removO the just causes otcompS^ experienced by merchanta aT'tu WKa owing to the omission of Anck2? rt tho benefits of. the direct selvS T Km siderable time has ,c la psed eincT & r „-n' man of tho Company SZT"' meet the wishes of.Our _& 1 _ this- matter, .but no doubt &£&_ in the Company's Sfflft^ not bo made immediately, Mr nJr? now in England, and the fe fitt ! the fruit of his . conßulfeHona. Sf&E management in London. It,comp_«S both requests made, by -V&s rw»k namely, that a fair share ofLZ^' shall come to and take fefife" from Auckland .and.thattSfttt longenoughnoticoftUeadtp^bleffl in London to give the preference toS_ loading for this porC. T& f^fe Shipping Company'?, st^e »^ frequent visiteteAueWandttXS few months as the Mo _^detß show :-R.M S. Aorang leftflymoS May, and makes Auckland first,SS Is expected to arrive 23rd',in^nMs •Rimutaka loft Plymouth; _3td ifc! f» Auckland ; is due 9th, July,,.^jfaV'j koura will load for; 'Auckland tod MaZ ports leaving Plymouth 4tK&fe Auckland 18th August. E,^E leaves Plymouth,, Ist .August, fa jw Chalmers, Lyttelton, 3wE«S Auckland, majring Auc^lajn^hwtwfpMt

MINING SUMMARY.

■■'■■■■>■ '«' :■<•• '''T^ik^jTiiteji'1; The hopes enconrag^'dbyih^'^j' for the treatment of-quartz shortly til lie to. troduced, together wit^'attMj^iMi^' the prospects.of tbe^^dpal-jD^ei,'^j. caused quite.a tevulsipmof fesliflgwtfo Thames and u'p-c'otin^y, fepl^f&l'^lr La Monte,jpatenteerof fel ftato«st Air Blast; Smelting^Fplacyjf J^j.! Karangahake, Waibrorigomavai-! &a># early in the month, andscamßtothe con clusion that his gdld-sivirig '^stem^.^ adaptable to therequire^atoo^theitoais., tricts, andespeciaUyßerrtoeableaVEw^iga. hake.' On histetornte!teo^|irj|jiaiv, cats was formed for.theiptu-chaßfc-ofiMs- patent rights; jahdarrangeihSiiti 'Sfe jjjily concluded. The proprietors'of _$_%s.■ ■ stock claim, Karangahake, noti«|;f6B.tlß argentiferous wealth of its }cct^f ayi&ads terms with MrR. 'D'.'K,'Bariß,-a libber <jt, the syndicate, for the erection pf a baem," which is to be in working orderWwSt October. ' Both-pirtiea 'totb'e ciiftraef.;are sanguine of the success of the ventnje.', R' is. also intended to erect a similar plant' at. the Thames, which will, however, be'W chiefly for the. .redhotioft-:Of';ocS<»iitri!al tailings. The i material' for born 0 ftirhacos is expected to arrive from Australia1 within ; a month. The tour of the'a .MB^f ,of Mines through :the goldfields '■ ,'fsm v■'Cow-.. mandel to Te Aroha has tofiJjSrijU(.vs of good. Mr Larnach .uhdefteflk ;to' |il ara £10,0C0ou the estimates for the construction . Of a high level water -rage at t^ Thames,;' deriving its supply Item BirtTteMY-healKr' groinised a: subsidy ./of \.iSJW,,ft ,I"tia''j aledonian Low Level Company; contingent upon the Gounty Council addltigilM, md the shareholders expending both if which.conditions will beduly f olfflled, Assta tance was promised 'in the "borisWaiyiDf' certain goldfields roadri, and'.ehs^_WP peering works at Tapit and Coromahdel, and for public works at Ohlnemuri." Intertat in the, Cambria; mine has beetflWWed,:bj[lte discovery of gold at the ioW leti. M|ie line of the main-shot of precioib total, and , also by the richness of an uudeslaid stope at the intermediate level. The latter jW;' duced 12owt, of specimens within a fort' , night, which yielded 1,8610z5. of gbld/and when augmented j>y the produi^of S? loads of general stuff,; broughtthe return Br; three weeks' operations to S,S42loa' The directors have been enabled toT^rtflftV'" dend of 3s per 3 l,6oCth. shatei-pei*, seems to bo strong likeUhoodttatnA'pa will continue beneath'.thet pfMMit.low , level. The next prosperous £__*■'■ is that of the Thames GoldepCrtvrtiCim pany. In opening the chamber wfNdi" level of the new-shaft,_2Bo;fett fed. gg, surface, the manager,hastfonnd'two'gbltt; bearing lodes, not to me. Hon the Wfw No. 5 reef, and.has obtained- m___W picked stone from: both-'HThe preWUigr, work will be accomplished^ .afe*; w<S«B, and the manager will theiaddMW wm. tothedevelopmentof the;ieef." MSwift. donian,Low,Level-Companyhas ttmiaw . prospecting operations on the eWffl resip. the 640-feet level,.but thereiareirartitaK-. able features to be noted inconnfctiOT^B1 other mines, most of iwMCh artgg peering or just meeting theiriexpot**,". working, _ pp i \i Ahstbact op Gold RErtiMs.;; !.*• From May 20. to June 10, inolniv&.,^' Adelaide '.. .. ..: ■••'l'J":;,.J 1 1. Alburnlatributes .. .'. :■_..' •"•','_._ " Caledonian ~ '..;.,. .... i •'t«,s«''. Cambria "..' .. .'. .. •• ,MM Don Pedro tributes - ... "•■',, g_J U Deep .Level Cross ..--.-,'..;•; :-.t '■"•■_■ '!!,,,•< Kuranul Hill tributes .. __ '• •'!> *rT_, ~ Moanataiari (Williams' tributer),.:;„'jjl* v! 2701b88tone .. ... :.' i,.;. Sf' Moanataiari (other.tributes) '.'.- :• ',*in,i New Eureka (Otamii); ....;■-.._ -nli'l 'M ,«■ ,••, New Prince Imperial, '..' .... r,i -.^___" NowManukau .. ... .. ••■■■ S'n New,Whautributes -.. ;.. .'.•'•'• .'_■_- Queen of Beauty .. ._, ■• : •'•■■-'•';' ,S i ■■' Reuben Parr tributes, - .... ■• : ■.'<?! '• S «".,: Rooky Point.. .. .'. . •;.,„,•_ -. '.W« ' Saxon, ...■:. .. .. • .'. -' -" "•• ! rtS'n ■'"■'" Sundries .. _ .. ... . ••- '.SSiS - Walotahl .. -..: .. ..-, :.:-_ w._ ---■ iTM.:<7.--7r yil?7t>*o&'-'-' WAIORONGOMAI DI^TBI^'•' !V P Now Find, 270' trucks ".'. ••■■:A'*»:'&_A Canadian _ .. .... ,' .. .\_i «if-LI*!"'.. Premier .:„••■ ..-" „ .. -_ i 3_' : ,; Total.' ' AP'....'■■.f.i-pP^'0:7 OHINBMURI DISTBIOT.' -*P '•' Martha Extended (Walhi) ... '•• 2_l Waltekaurl (Klely'a tribute) '... « _\1 , Wattekaurl (Moore's tribute) ... .. .?_ .&% ' Ivanhoo (Earangahokc), 89 tons ' -___Z_2 : , . Tptal..,; ~;-.. ''v'!;^s : : TotalforGold^elds ;..!;.;,.,:#^ f!

The Savings Banks returns laidon-tto table of the House show the total amM»w doposits received in 1884 was £l,2wW. with ono exception tho \^o__^S__t , deposit since the establishment <*•__* _Z office Savings Banks; the withdraw" during the year were £1,195,931, as ««»* , £1,291,719 for 1883. The' deposit' W withdrawals for tho principal towpp **» ■ -Auckland : Deposit. £199,69fj _^ ] drawals, £195,745. Christchucch.:, JW> sits, £269,014; withdrawals, -£^?? Dunedin : Deposits, £208,737; . drawals, £212,456. WoMngtop; WW" 8!-, £189,761; withdrawals, «7W

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 18S5.

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