RANDOM SHOTS.

[BY ZAMIEL.]

Some write, a neighbour's name to lash, ,Some wrile—vain thought—tor needful cash. Some write to please tho country clash. And raise a din. For me an aim I never fash— I writo for fun.

Once more there ia a prospect of tho colony ■ being stirred to its core, or thereabouts, by tho old, old question of tho efficacy of prayer and faith a? curative agenta. Mr Milnor Stephen, with hia red flannel and magnetised wator, haa left us, but Victoria has sont ua a fitting substitute in tho person of the Rev. Mr Dowie, who, with his wife, has started a faith-healing mission in Otago. My opinion of the respective merits of tho two healers may bo illustratod by the story of tho Hibernian lady who had changed hor doctor and in a moment of gushing confidence said to physician No. _—" Och, docther doar, I like you a grate dale better than tho other owld humbug I" I think Mr Dowio in many ways preferable to tho other old—well, cay "healer," and that chieily because he is moro Scriptural, orthodox and consistent in his methods. Mr Milner Stephen pro fessed to take his stand upon that Scripttiro which says that the" tff-dctualforvcntprayar of a righteous man availeth much ;" but it surely argued a lack of fervency or righteousness or somothing whon ho had to supplement the praying with magnetic passes, red flannel, magnetised water, and o-ier hocus-pocus. Mr Dowio, on tho ecn tary, appears to accept tho literal assur ance of tho apostlo James that "tho prayer of faith shall savo tho sick," and to discard all extraneous aids to tho imagination. In tho course of on address at his farowell mseting at Dunedin, Mr Dowie said : — "There are*threec'asacs of rli*eas:s-organic. functional, and nervous ; antl organic diseases h -.rl bctn healed throueh tzi:h in tho Lord Jesus Caritt. Instantly, pcfectly, and permanently It support; of thi-* Bt.-itcment he cited the ense ef a lady residing iti Najier-slrt-et Filzroy, vrho hii bern b'iud and whoso si£ht tad been i _.tantaneonsly and perfectly i-catorcci through filth. II»-'soman! tuned Ilia; Vonevcrn.etdv.il ft iy monry from persona who professed to litivc b :cn healed through hia instrumentality." Now, all this, as I have said, is a decided ndvanc.on Mr Milner Stephen. Tho lat tir gentleman's curea wero professed to bo aocomplishod by a mixture of miracle and magnetism, and the exercise of hia gifts was nit altogether unconnected with a trans fer of filthy lucre to his pockets from thoso o' his patients. If Mr Stephen might with oit blasphemy claim to baa disciple of tho Groat Physician, surely Mr Dowie is much moro entitled to ba named in tho same b oath with Him who went about contin ually doing good.

According to numerous testimonies, many people in Dunedin have bean cured of coronic diseases simply by "attending Mr Diwie's meetings." Thus, a Mrs Coopor, who had suffered from rheumatic gout for IS years, got well after v rhort course of Dowio, although formerly "physicians were i i vain ;" Mic-s Allan, whoso leg had not b .en on tbo ground for 25 years, is now a')le to walk without her crutches, albeit ''with a very pronounced limp; 1, a Mr Hammond has boen "cured of paralysis through attending Mr Dowie's meetings," nod many cases of lumbago, rheumatism, and sciatica vanquished wore attested by tho grateful patients. The most remark ablo case was the following, which is all the more noteworthy because it was not accom plished by Mr Dov.ie, though narrated at Lis mee-tini' • —

_ti-r. Shepherd ttUcd that seven months a?o s*:e visited Mir-a i-i<s. of tlio Tciiri, whohsd b cnilland ci-itch 1-il.ss for many years Sac s olcolo h. r a'lont faith hcn'iif.;, nnu lold her to road the fiiblo an! us<t Goo's direction with i'st ■.:: -enno to it. She oiled upo-i her nga: n 3Ub u ■ry.f.p.Vy. andanr.oin'cdl erin ihonnma cf th^ 1.-rd. Sooio of h:r Iriecdj were -'sa.po'ncrd th v hi did not-Ketup then, Iv: she (Mi-3 Shec hsrd) fc'.t pcr.'rctly i.ure sr.c Wtuld in time. Cn tho next Sabbath morning tbe (Miss.Shopherd) r caved v me-sago from the Lord. v.hich ebe wju d no-cr forger. She wna told to gfttup - she waa In bed at tho limo-and go to Miss Hosb a-.d t.r-11 be- in the nam* otJesos ihitsnowaa o got up. She promised the Lord that If He would IX ye her ihe ruee-ege -gain she would go. -he waited a few minut* s and heard tho Lord's vole* as dlatinctlj- as b, f v, in ccnacquenco o! wnlch she went and told -lis3 Eojs, in iho mmc Of J.-S-is. to a iio. and sho arose. Mißß Kcss t.tv-n ennio f.irward on tho platform nnd, in aiswcrto i|"estio:-s pu'. by Mr Dowio. stieted tiat she had te-on i'l for IS years. Slid quite helpless for l(_ rears. She had novo." hiten abl -11 sand on h-ir fee', nil that timo. but had b en healed by f-o low of iho I«rd. antl wss niw quite will After mok'mrtheic statements. Mils ±i'o3s walked uv and down tho platform in o-dir t) tho - fio nudicnc3 lli.t the had tho rrco tucof hr limbs.

Who will say, after tho abovo, that the a_a of miracles is over? And who will gainsay the teaching of Jarne", or the positive assertion-of hie Master that His disciples in after ages would do groaror wjrks than Ho had done ?

Strangely enough, tho sceptics appear to bo chiefly among professed defenders of tho faith and heirs to tbo promises. An Invercargill alorzyman — a hard - headed Srot (hailing from "tho dowio dens cf Yarrow," perhaps)-preached a sermon on faith-hoaling last Sunday night, and de nounced Mr Dowio as a blasphemous maguetisor. I wonder whore that "clergy man got hiß text, or if ho quoted from that magnificent " Epietla General of James." If ho had read that and other portions of tie New Testament, ha would have found tiat miracle - working was promised as a mirk of tbe Church, and that when ono was a'.ek ho was to send, not for Dr. Sawbones or Op, pjils, but for " the elders of the Church, tipray over him, anointing him with oil." That Invercargill clergyman is, I fear, vory far from tho right path, and this is made p tin fully apparent by contrasting his uttorancos with that simple yet eloquent recital of Miss Shepherd. Yet such is the psrverscness of human nature that our othodox clergymen, though they firmly be lieve that God spoke to Abraham and Mo*os ia Asia Minor some three or four thousand years Binje, will sat down as imagination or insanity the plain assertion of Miss Shep herd that she had a conversation with the Lord some seven months ago in Otago. That is the melancholy result of approach, iig the consideration of the subject with tha foregone conclusion that the age of miracles ia past—a fiction for which Ido not Jcnojv who is responsible, or I should have s imothing to Bay to him.

There are other than clerical sceptics in Invercargill, among them a gentleman who thinks that Mr Dowio's modo of procedure U "nil bounce," and another who trotted oit the hackneyed invitation to the healer ti viut tho hospital and undortako a whole a\lo euro. Mr Dowio, with -somo tlieht acerbity, put down tha first critic as "a lying scoundrel," while the second was pilitely ejected from tho building. Healers appear to have a weakness for *: getting out their rag " whonover thoir piwers nro called in question, for I have B3en Iho red flannel oi^cip'e indignant _b tho questionings of Auckland sceptics, a-ad did not the greatest Healer of all call His mother a "woman" when she interfered with the working of a miracle ? Mr Dowie, however, appears to be moro forcible in denunciation than any other healer that has loomed upon the horizon of Christendom. A bottnceable fellow, with considerable vii'our in tho way of " casting out devils," is°not to be despised, particularly if his malific powers are at all commensurate with hiß beneficent. Tho barren fig tree was cursed, and Invercargill, beeauso it is barren of faith, has not been privileged to witness any mighty works. Instead of being healed through attending Mr Dowie s meetings, one Southern sceptic ha^ been denounced as a "lying scoundrel." and another cast out as on uncleen thing. I boon that, should Mr Dowio visit Auckland, ho' will bo favourably received, lest ho slietild call down some cpmnrobeneivo cureo upon us all for our inlidoli-T-

The Sunday School fc'.cs i> 'he Domain rrji New Year's Day passed -IT Ihis year " with tho usual echd ;" bub ono or two. unrecorded incidents rather tako the gilt off tbe gingerbread. For imt-ance, that new feature which was added this year—the sinking of tho combined schools — was marked by features of deliberate atrocity that havo rarely been paralleled. It waa bad enough, in a'l conscience, to introduce "a skeleton at tho feast" in tho shape of an hour or moro devoted to tbe singing of hymns ; but it was piling Pelion upon Ossa to ropo in the youngsters while they sang in. an enclosure in an open paddock right under the broiling heat of our midsummer sun. It was wondrous pitiful f o observe the littlo lambs, growing irksome under the idiotic restraint, brooking out with tbo intention 'ot enjoying their legitimate day's sport and ibaing headrd up by the faithful collie dogs ■(snpsrintendents and teachers) and driven buck into l»e pent One lady teacher, ,wH'.e attending lo her youthful charges, was observed to be holding a parasol over her own head to ward off tbe fierce rayaof the snn; but a zealous _up_ri_t_ndent, with commendable (?) impartiality, insisted upon ber taking dowp ber sunshade, and the

lady with praiseworthy promptitude sub mitted to bo broiled with the rest, while they enjoyed a foretaste of future bliss ! Thero wereno cases of sunstroke recorded, which inclines me to the belief that a miracle was intorposed to protect the inno cent children from the consequonces'of'the oily of their elders.

" A Mothor " communicates to me the following further example of Sunday-school mismanagement. On Mew "Star's Day her boy attended a Wislejan fete in the Domain, and in ordor to competo in one of tho races took off his boots and stockings. After tho raco he went to resumo his foot gear, when ho found that Eomebudy had "annexed" thorn. The little fellow very proparly reported hi 3 loss to tho teachers and directors of tho feast, in tho hopo that thoy would take soma steps to havo tho boots recovered, but all tha com fort he got was a moral lecture, winding up with the injunction that ho ought to have looked better after his property. Tho up shot was that tha boy had to walk bare foofod to his home, a distance of four milos, and being in delicate health, he suffered considerably in consequence. I do not for a moment suppose that tho Sunday school teachors aro to blame for tho loss of the boots and stockings, but as thoy had taken the youngsters out as lambs among wolves they ought to have treated sympathetically any ono who came to grief. Ono of tho Sunday-schools, lam told, promised to rcplaco certain boots and hats which wero lost by young scholars ; but a better plan would havo been to find out tho perpetrators of the moan thefts, and force them to mako restitution or othorwise band thorn over to tho police.

Have my readors over beon struck by tho delightfully cartlesa way in which dynamito is used and handled in these colonies ? So far as my observation has led mo, it is as much an object of affectionate regartl as is " Rough on Rats "—being, in fact, as much in voguo for external application aa tho latter is for internal. Whether as a means of blowing tho heads oft'nn unhappy married couple or giving a gold-digger and hia shanty a heavenward hoist, tho agency of dynamite ia called into operation, and has been proved in its power of execution to ba " squalled by fow and excelled by none." Dynamito caps aro in great request as playthings by tho children in mining districts, and are much bettor liked than squibs and tho commoner sort of cheap fireworks, for whereas tbe latter will only "go oft" aftor deliberate applica tion of fire, tho dynamito caps havo a moat attractive fashion of exploding unexpectedly and thus creating amusemont of tho highest order. True, there is occasionally a happy Hokitika child suddenly snatchedfrom its playmates in bits ; and at stated intervals we read of Thames youngsters having thoir fingorß or thumbs taken off by the delight ful agency of these dynamite caps • but tho popularity of tho plaything seems to bo rather onbnnc.d than otherwiso by those curious freaks. As to the etoring of dyna mito, I road the other day that tho capital of South Australia pet" an example of how it ought to bo dono. There thay have large quantities of the powerful oxplosivo stored in such a way that thore is a proba bility of it being exploded by the heat] when the result would be the destruc tion of the greater portion of the city. Happy South Australians I They are pre paring to open their big Jubilee Exhibition, to which all the colonial world and his wifo are invited, and at the samo timo thoy havo set in train a splendid pyrotechuic dis play, compared with which the Tarawera eruption would be but a side show I I shall await with seme impatience the news of the great Jtrb'lee " blow-up."

But, taken for all in all, the way in which dynamito is treated by the peoplo of Tara naki has a peculiar charm which stamps thorn as. facile princeps the highest artists in dynamite At New Plymouth, somo time ago, a canister of dynamito disappeared suddenly andmysteriously, and wassupposed to havo boen dropped from the bnakwater into the harbour. For some two years tho dynamito lay there, or waa believed to be lying thore, ready to blow to everlasting smash the first ship whose keol might happen to touch it; but the expected sport did not como 00, and then tha disgusted Taronakiana began to aek the reason why. Last week a newspaper re porter was put upon tbe track of the miss ing package of " tinned Tarawora," when ho made tho astounding discovery that through some unaccountable carolessness it had never been dropped into the harbour. On that paint the reporter is quite definite. Ha cays:—"The landing of one canister of dynamito is distinctly remembered, but it is known to have beon sent to the stores, for the receiver has a vory clear recollection of putting it in a truck and sitting two littlo pirls on it for a ride up the break water."

That eottle3 the question. Tho story has tbe ring of truth about it, especially in tho conjunction of the " two little girls " with tho dynamite. Dynamite, like Artem us Ward's kangaroo, is "an amoosin' cuss," and as I havo pointed out is a pet plaything of littlo children. That missing canister of tho oxplosivo is now satisfactorily accounted for. It did not go down from the breakwater, but "went up" with two littlo innocent girls seated astrido of it—wont up in one of thoso primitive I rucks in use on primitive wharves like that at New Plymouth ; and as the little " missea " appear to be missing as well as the dynamite, it ia to be presumed that they " went up " with the canister and truck and all, as in a chariot of fire. Oh, yes I the folks of Taranaki are not fools. Little children are plentiful, and it is much better policy to " hoist" them than one of the few ships that make their way to that wonderfal breakwater I

Suppose, dear reader, we try another brief excursion into the region of rejected poetical effusions. I have before me a very fairly written copy of verses on the Tara wera eruption, the author of which modestly signs himself "Amateur." The 'prentice hand is sufficiently apparent in the follow - ing stanza: — Along tho road tho sweetbrlar eheds its fra grance, Far down below the tranquil waters gleam. While leaping lrom its height, the dashing ciscadc Winds slowly to the lake, a crystal stream. Leaving the dashing cascade to pursue its slow and tortuou3 course, let us turn to a gem of a love-song signed "MrB.W." This piece opens thus :— Last night whilo in a slumber I setn within my dream. I seen once more my loved one- How beautiful she did B3em. There she arood on tho lovo'y groon Outside my co'tago door : She looked just like a fairy queen, I thoughc she was mine once more. Of course "Mr B. W." proceeds to em brace his sweetheart, and awakes to find that ho has been hugging a delusion. I trust that ho has long since givon npdream ing of literary emiuonco, or hugging the delusion that lie can write poetry. Another local bard thus apostrophieea tho old follow with the ecytho :— O mighty conquerar, what dosrt thou _a!rx Whin tbou lay'st r.hy viotimß beneath the tomb. And descend wlttt wings on the lovoly and yonng. To shorten their days in their youthtul bloom ? Not only tho lovolv and yonng thou hast alaio, Bat ihe pare and tha noble, tho grandest if men. And thosa that liko stars in the world havo ehone. With thy sword of destruction thou hast cut tbem down. Thcu heed'Bt not the prayers, entreaties or cries. Nor tha tearj of love from tho fond mohor's eye?. Rut like a wolt devouring its harxless prey Thou hurl them into eternity. After reading those muddled metaphors about Doath, liko a wolf, cutting down stars with a sword of destruction, and jamming thorn down "banoath tho tomb''—(by tho way, I can't make out whether it is tears, or prayers, or mother's eyes that ho " hurls into eternity ") I fancy it must be jolly fun to be tbe poetical editor of a newspaper, and I hope the editor of tho Stak will favour mo with a faw more filterings from his waste-paper basket.

To get back to tho subject of miranle working in response to prayer, 1 am sur prised to learn that no one has thought of getting up a united prayer meeting for rain. On-,the contrary.nothing is heard of but the digging of wells, making of reservoir?, and laying of water pipes. We are living in a practical, sceptical and utilitarian age, dear reader, and tha peoplo, like the weather, are nearly past praying for. Yet when Mr Dowie can heal the sick by prayer and faith, it stands to reason that he or some other parson should have the ability to fetch rain by the same process, for the epistle of James from which I have quoted distinctly teaches that rain can be got for the asking, providod tho person askiDg for it is sufficiently devout. Now is the time to put the queßtion to the test, for the people ore clamouring for moisture and j a_e ready to exclaim with Byron—" Oh, for a forty parson power I" '

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES.

January 22 nnd 21-lel__d Bay Park Racing Club's Summer. February 3 and 5-Welllngton Racing Club s February 23 21 and 2G-Dunedin Jockey Club's Summer.

To Correspondents.

A.H.—(PcnsoDbyl. — Trenton and Matchlock never met in - race. G S, IShelly Beach).—Tho totalisator dividend pold on Liballcr when ho b -at Tim VVhlmer and othora in tho A.X.C Handicap was -1.

TURF GOSSIP.

[Br HirroNA.]

Tin; non-success again this year of the Canterbury Jockey Club Midsummer Meot-

ing is tho cause of much discussion amorg tho Canterbury Bporting scribes, nnd there aeema to be a decidod opinion that in future tho Club will eithor have to alter tho date of the gathering or abandon it altogether. It ia no use denying tho fact : wo Aucklandera havo always lookod upon tho C.J.C. Meeting from tho very timo of its inauguration as an attempt to injure our Summer carnival, so it oan scarcely bo expectod that thoro will bo much sympathy expressed hero at its failure. However, it can be said that the clashing of the meoting with that of Auckland is not favoured by a-1 of tho powors that bo of tho C.J.C, and whon tho mattor comes up for discuaeion at the end of tho season I hopo that thoso who rule the roost will en deavour to look upon the clashing of tho two fixtures in a broader light than thoy havo hitherto dono. By no means do away with the gathoring, but lot it bo fixed for Buchadato that horeo owners nnd tuilitoa in general can havo n cut ia and holp to mako

it a succosß. Payments for the two big handicaps to bo run in tho Empire city during tho next fortnight fell due this week. Tho follow ing aro the names of tho lioiscb who remain in : — Island Bay Cur, 11 r_ile, run 22 <\ January, stlh -»t H> Administrator .. 812 Tit Bit .. .. 7)2 Waltlrl .. .. Sll Rumour.. .. ilO pearl .. .. 810 Soudan .. .. il" Xlgredla .. ..8 0 FardlDgala .. Ii 12 Spade Guinea .. 8 2 llevoko .. ..6 10 Silonca 7 12 My impression ia that this ovont will bo carried off by oithor Wattiri or Pearl.

Wullington Cor, 2 miloH, run 3rd February. Bt lb Bt lb Pasha .. ..8 4 Artillery .. .. 7 II Administrator ..8 3 Rumour .. .. 7i_ Totford .. ..8 0 Armouror.. .. i a Tl*redla .. ..8 0 Salisbury.. .. 013 SDadoUutnca .. 713 Lady Norah .. t> 0 Silenco .. 7 10 F-raingalo .. I> 0

At the present timo I think that Ad ministrator and Lady Norah aro tho most worthy of support for tho race. I don't think that thoro is another town in New Zealand where tho " mushroom bookmaker " flourishes so woll ns in Auck land. Every year, ns the Melbourno Cup and Auckland Cup period comes round, we soo them spring up from all sides, antl tho only qualification theso goutry possess is an unlimited amount of brazen cheek. Ovor the Auckland Meeting I hoar that threo or four of these gentlemon of mushroom growth have failed to como up to time, and the only satisfaction the backer can got is being " whispered." People who wager with theso mon of straw have only them selves to blame if they don't get paid, and goodness knows the number that havo failed to meet their engagements in Auckland from timo to time should have long ago made backers be on the alert. I had a peep at Brigadier ono day this week, and found him looking healthy and well. Since I saw tho son of Musket last he haa changed a great doal, and ho now appears in the gatb oi a stallion. His ownora toll mo that they havo served fifteen mares with him this season, but ex cepting one or two, thoy are not tho class that I should like to see mated with such a splendid specimen of tho thoroughbred. Mr Sydnoy James has sent mo a handy card giving the official woights for tho Dunedin Cup and other useful iufoimatioti regarding tho closing of entries. _ Tho Cup acceptances aro due on tho lfhh inst. So infatuated are local backora with Nolson for the Dunedin Cup that this week they hsve been accepting s's to 1 that Major George's crack aga;n pulls off tho big Forbury event. The promising two-year-old filly Lady Florin haF|been purchased by MrG. Ellis, of Napier. It ia eaid tho prico paid was SOO guineas. , "Warrior" eaya tho Hon. J. Whitos colt Aberdeen is worth watching for tha next V.R.C. Derby. This promising youngster was brod by his ownor, and was got by Chester, from Cinnamon, a mare of Mr John Tait'a breoding.by Golds brough out of Brown Duchess by Whale bone (son of Speculation) from Clovo (imp.) by Sweatmoat. Messrs Duder Bros, havo found it necessary to blistor Bella on ono of hor foro and hind legs. Duriiw the race for tho Bagot Handicap, at the Victoria Racing Club Summer Meot ing, Commotion, when running well, was seen to stumble and stop, and his rider, Woods, dismounted. Something is said to have collided with the old horse and brought him down. On examination Commotion's shoulder was found to be injured, and ho was carried off the course and subsequently placed in slinge, but latest advices stato that the horso was progressing favourably, and that the slings had beon removed. It is improbable, however, that this popular favourite will over race again; he will in all probability be shortly relegated to tho stud. Inoticetbattheerßtwhile Auckland-owned colt Revolver haa found his way to the Otago province, where he recently showed a bit of form. On the second day of tho Cromwoll Meeting ho annexed the chief item of tho eecond day's programme, and rewarded hia supporters in the totalisator with the nica dividend of £22. A new development in Bport haa attracted notice in Napier—that ot boycotting. Cer tain owners boycotted the Napier Park New Year's Day Meeting, which was one cause of the poor fields. The other caso of boycotting was against the Waipawa County Club. The two older Napier papers, and these having the largest circulation, tendered at tho same price as two other newspapers for the advertising, but the two younger and poorly circulated journals had their tender accepted and the two older papers boycotted the meet ing. It is etated that never has there been a moro complete boycott—not eyeD when the late Mr Bagot, of tho V.R.C-, roduced the issue of reporters' tickets to the Mel bourne scribes, and when next day—a Derby day—the Melbourne papers came out, with only results, and not a word of com ment or introduction ; for the two leading Napier papers did not evon publish the re sults.

I learn from a Wanganui paper that through Administrator's fractiousness at the post in tho Rangitikei Handicap, the Papakura-bred celt, Torpedo, got badly kicked in tho hoad, and, on coming up the straight for the first time, blood was seen to be pouring from his nostrils, as if he had broken a blood vessel. He then, as if in a fit, commenced to roll about, and with diffi culty was brought into the saddling paddock. Torpedo was thought to have a big say iv the Handicap. The Onga Onga (Napier) races held re cently were somewhat peculiar. A sport backing every horse in evory race would havo come out £25 7s to the good, as hs would have invested £45 and won £70 7s. The strongest part of all has yet to como. There were sovon races, and tho all-round backer won on every occasion except iv the District Hurdles, where for backing tho four horseß he only received £2 17s. In tho other six events he would have been ahead each lime.

The Hon. J. White's filly Tamarisk was recently kicked in the throat by a stable companion, and it is stated that it is un likely that she will be able to race again. The first of Tbe Assyrians ran at Carrick, and without doubt (says "Merlin" in the " Tasmanian") Mr Agnew's horse is tho Bire of a grand colt in the winner of the Two Year Old Race at Carrick. He is one of the finest coltß of his age I have seen for many a day, and ii the Assyrian gets one or two more of his stamp—and I think he will—Tasmanians will forgive him the sore blow he dealt them when he defeated Stockwell for tbe Melbourne Cud of ISS2. He is an excellently finished horse, and fett'es doun to his work like a trades man.

Tho Christchureh "Press" ptatoa that investors at tbe Awahuri races had a good time. The man in charge of the totalisator paidoutthe dividends on one raco in £5 notes instead of £1 notes. As he did not know who received them, he, or the totalisator, had to submit to the loss,

Tho legitimate racing season in England ia now at tin end, and tho statistic* of I winning jockeys show that poor departed I Archer heads tho list again, and for the last 1 timo. For thirteen j ears ho has figured in i that proud position that ho can lill no moro. Last season out of 513 races ho was success- : ful on 170 occasions In this ho falls decidedly short of his 188.3 record, when, it may bo remembered, hooutehono any horse man who had ever lived by scoring 'JIG wins during a season. Wo id was liltecu behind tho Falmouth Houso horseman, whon tho latter, on that terrible Monday, mot with such a tragic end ; and but for tho fact that ho has remained out of tho saddlo at ono or two meetings since, ho would no doubt havo headed tho departed horseman. The appended table shows tho rolntivo positions of tho first eight on tho lists: — Mounts. Win". V. Archer SKI 1.0 C Wood fill \.i G. Barrett (Mi '?■} K.Barrott 577 : -11 J. VV'ltta .7- ';•> J. Frlgall '.'H7 7- T. Cannon 210 11l A. White IS.'i 10 Tho London •' Daily Telegraph " in a re cent issuo mado the following remarks nnent tho two famous racehorses of iho old aud tho now worlds, Ormondo and Trident:

" Mr James White, who visitetl this country two years sinco, carried back with him to tho Antipodes an impression that Australia had nothing to fear as. regards competition botweon her thoroughbreds and thoso of tho mother country. On Sopiomber IS the A.J.C. Dorby was won by Mr Whito's Tri dent in '-miii' _Ssecs. The distnnco is the same as for tho Derby at Epsom ; and when wo mention that tho quickest Derby over run in England was that won by Colonel Townloy's Kettledrum iv -miii 43soc, it will bo seen that anothor "best on record" has been registered at tho Antipodes. It is to bo regretted that Trident, who has outstripped Iho best English Derby timo hy livo seconds, should bo tinablo to try conclusion* with tho Duke of Westminster's invincible Ormondo. That thero would bo Australian sportsmen ad venturous enough to take cdJs between thorn, wero it possiblo for thorn to meot, cannot ba doubted. Whet hor tho victory rested with tho old country or tho new, wo question whether such good timo would bo mado in England aa wan chronicled to tho credit of Australia by Trident. As Trident passed the judge's box, three clear lengths ahead of tho soeond horso. Halo", tho v inning jockoy, nevor moved upon his mount, and appeared to bo taking no exorciso cantor. Kvorythillg was in favour of fast timo. It was ono of tho lovoliest days over soon during (hat most dolightful ot months, an Australian Septem ber. Tho ground was in porfect condition, nnd tho ntmosphoro clonr and sparkling. Would Tiident ho capable of covering a mile and a half in our foggy and moist climato at tho rato of speed which ho dis played in his native land '.' Wo believe that lie is lineally descended from tho famous Royal Plato winner Fisherman, whom tho lato Thomas I'arr was accustomed to uso aa a hack and to rido out hunting', when Iho iron-liinhod horso was not winning raeos at many a provincial meoting. Ono tost to which that great authority, Sir Francis Doyle, attaches no slight impor tance might bo applied in order to estimate tho comparative merits of Ormondo and Trident. Nothing would bo easier than to ascertain the exact length of strido taken by each whon galloping at his vory highest speed. It is said that, during tho last hun dred yards of tho Doncneter St. Logcr, Ormondo strode over tx distnnco oi twenty ono toot. It must bo remembered, how ever, that ho. won so easily as to need no pressing, and if driven along at his ut most paco, Ormonde would probably cover as much ground as any of his prcdeoossors or contemporaries. Tho lato Joseph Dawson believed that I'iinco Charlie, who was ono ot tlio tallest racohorsos that ovor ran, and a match in height, for Wild Dayrell, could stride _3ft at full gallop. It ia on record that in tho final tussle between tho tho Flying Dutchman and Voltigeur, at the closo of their historical match at York, tho former covered -llt lin, and tho latter 24ft :tin, in each stride It would bo a matter of universal interest could Ormonde's roach bo ascertained. Again, a meoting between him and Tiident would indeed bo 'a sight for satr eon.' Can it. not bo effected ?"

"Asmodeus," in tho Melbourno "Load.'r," thus rotors to n peculiar coincidence which is said to havo taken place nt a race meoting within o0 milo< of Melbourno :—" In ono of. tho ovonts decided, throo of the loading horses finished so elmo together that tho

spectators woro undecided ai to which h id won, and, to the dismay ol those who immediately oust their oyoa in tho direction ol the judge's box, tho ollieiil roeordor «us found to bo iioii .<!. Thoro was nothing for it but to hold a consultation of stewards nod others interested, and, totally disregarding tho V.R.C rulo bear ing on tho point at issue, it was, by mutual consent, decided to aunrd tho raco to ono of tho three horse.-. Whether tho animal in question camo in fust does not appear at all clear,seeing that thero was a wide dillcronco ot opinion ou tho subject, amongst the spectators in tlio vicinity of tho judge's box. llowovor, tho parties most interested apponred perfectly satisfied by tho arrangement agreed to ; and what at firr-t sight threatened to bo a serious cmbrcglio resulted in a most amicablo arrangement, and this in dclianco of raciog law."

STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By EUTEKI'K )

Miss Laura Roukkts, of tho Federal Varioty Company, row performing at tho Opera Ilouso was originally brought cut in Auckland by Mr Horace Loan, of local minstrel famo.

Tha Thames Cnoral Socioty boasts an orchestra of six violins, ono viola, ono 'cello, ono doublo baes, two flutes anel ono euphonium.

Gounod has asked Jules Batbior to meta morphose for him " La Bataillo dcs Dames," a comedy, by Scribe and Logouvr;, into an opera libretto. Tho poet has accepted tho commission. It is superfluous to add that tho work is destined for the OpiSra-Comiquo.

I hoar that Miss Mariebel Greenwood (aged lti) has given fresh proof of hor versa sility by writing a novel, which is to be published shortly, and that her sister, Miss Kuby Greenwood (a still younger maiden), has penned a story for children, which is also to bo offered to tho punlic. Mrs Greenwood nnd her daughters meditate a musical tour of tho colony.

Thia is tho night fixed for tho first public porformanco of Verdi's " Otello," viz, January 15th, 18S7. Tha placo is tho Seala of Milan, and tho cast is as follows : —Doa- demona, Signora Pantaleoni ; Otello, Signor Tamagno ; Koderigo, M. Maurel ; and J ago, Signor Navarini. Faecio will be tho con ductor. Instead of an ovorturo, Verdi has written a prelude, entitled " Storm " Boi'to has in hia libretto followed Shakespeare faithfully,

New operas about to be performed :— "Edgardo," by Puccini (Teatro Oommun alo of Bologna); "Carlutta Corcfay," by Attilio Belucci {Teatro Bellini of Naples); "La Bella Galliana," by Modori; "Una Notte di Caruevalo," by Canopa ; " Latn berto Malatosta," by Bemondi (Toatro Ca rignan of Turin); "Diana d'Altouo," an opera serin, and "I Coscritti," a comic opera, by Mugnono ; " Eva," by Bella (Catania).

A good reception has bcon given both by the public and tho critics to tlio three-act comic opera "La Cigalo et la Fourmi" (Grasshopper and Ant) the premiere, of which took placo at Ihe G.ilo on tho 30'h of October, M. 11. Moreno remarks of this work in tho " Moineslrol," "that ii Iho composer (M. Edmond Audran) played tho part of tho grasshopper, (holibrottisls(M M. Dtu'u and Chivot) played that of tho ant. For tho couaposoi*ha4 been better inspired tban the librottisls, whoso parsimonioinnesr, in the matter of invontion and ideas mikes itself painfully fell." Tho pieoo is now being adapted for tho Lonelon stago.

"Liddy," tho gonial and much-travelled, writes to mo from Dunedin to announco his anival with Messrs Williamson, Garner and Musgrovo's Royal Comedy Company, which comprises all the leading artists from their several theatres. Tho repertoire consists of "The Magistrate," "Jim tho Penman," " Hazel Kirke," " Betsy," and other pieces, while tho Company consists of Messrs G. S. Titheradge, G. W. Anson, E. C. Calvert, Maltby, Misses Agnes Thomas, Annie Taylor, Emma. Fieher, Beatrica Lyster and others. They openat Abbott's Opera llouso en Monday, 2Sth March, am! intend playing one month. Mr William Hughes i 3 tho advance agent, .and will nri'ivo about two weeks ahead ol (lie Company, bringing with him tbe scenic artie-t and mechanist. All scenery iv each town is specially painted for each production. '

It haa beon suggostcd tollcrrCarlSchmitt that aa Auckland ia tho musical centre of tho colony, steps should bo taken to colo brato tho Queen's Jubileo by holding hero a grand musical festival extending ovor a week, and similar in kind, though neces sarily very much inferior in dogrco, to thoso of Deeds and othor English cities. Tbe idea ia a good one, and ought to bo i turned to account in timo Tho Choral I Society, Philharmonic Society, Orchestral Society, and Ponsonby Society might ar rnnge to give distinct concerts on separate nights, and then wind up tho series with a grand combined concert, while room might also be found for a band competition. "The Magazine of Music" is very_com plimentary towards tho Anckland Choral Society. In its issue of Novembor it says : — "Many of our provincial towns might take example from Auckland, New Zealand.

Though less than 00.000 in population, it boasts nf live musical societies, tsvo of whioh —tho Choral and iho Philharmonic—says our correspondent (Mr A. A. Whitchorno), aro capable of undertaking tha mo.-,t tliill eult compositions of the groat masters in a thoroughly efficient manner. Tho Choral Society numbers neatly 400 voices {sic), and their orchestra contains somo 100 per formers (!). Tho concerts lately given by tho Society include such works aa N. Gado's ' Psycho ' and ' Orusadora, ' Tho Redemption.' ' Judas Maecaba'.us,' ' Elijah,' and Sullivan's ' Martyr _of Antioch.' This speaks woll for the musical culture of our friends in tho Southor lloinispbcre. if tho other musical sociotics in Auckland aro anything near tho strength of the Choral, ono out of ovory twonty of tho population will bo ongaged in tho publicoxpositionofthcdiviiioai-t " Somuch and such high praise is roally vory grateful, but truth constrains me to detract from its valuo by pointing out that tho data upon which it. is based is very inexact. So lar from tho Choral Sociuty numbering nearly -100 voices and somo KiO of an or chestra (a singularly still'proposition by tho way), the official report just issued shows that it only possesses 2-0 voices all told, and .15 of an orchestra. Besides, "Tho Redemption" has nover been given in Auckland, audi do not think "Tho Martyr of Antioch " has either—at any rato not re cently.

Tho many friends of our young follow citi/V.'n, Mr D. 11. Kusse.U (whoso stage name is Uod-lph doßru-o), will bo pleased to hear that ho has embarked as un operatic im presario, and is doing remarkably well. Upon his arrival in Australia from Auck land, he cast in his fortunes wiih Mr VV. Wal-hc, and formed an English Opera Co., comprising amongst others iho following artists: Miss Edith Ponder, prima donna : Mifs Maud Laurent, seeonda donna: Mus Lilly Boloyn, contralto; Mr W. Wiilsho, primo tcnoi-o ; Mr Bodolph de Bruzo, primo b.aritono ; Mr C. T. Kobson, basso bullo ; Mr A. F. Magnay, comedian. Master Stevonson, from Auckland (a scion of tho llalstead family), is a mc-mbor of tho orches tra. Thoy arc now " touting " Now South Walin with a icperloiru consisting of " Car men," "Maritana," "Grand Duchess. "Bohemian Girl," "Faust," "Girolle Girotln," " I'crichole,' etc. During Christ t.iasti.io tho Company were at Goulbum, mid of thor porformanco of "Maritana," tho local "Argus" says :-" Tho singing was really magnificent, and tho acting graceful and spirited." Again, "Tho rich tones of tho voice of Mr Kcdolph do Bruzo, who rook tho character of Bon .lo?o, woro heard to great, advantage, and ha was vociforously applauded." On Christmas night a sacred concert waa given, and tho samo paper is pleased to remark that " Muster I). Stevenson's violin 5..10 'La Lovo' so captivated his hearers that tho youthful performer had to ronpond to an encore, his boing the only instance in which this demand, undo in overy caso, was com plied with." I cordially wish Mr tlo Bruzo iho full measure of success ho anticipates and desires.

A now variety company to.mod "Tho Acromala" havo been introduced to Mel bourne by Signora Agrati and Tessoro, and appear to bo doing remarkably well at St. Goorgo'.- II ill. Tho " Acromata " consist of Miss Lillioand Mr William Boath, who appear in a grotesque entertainment, con cluding with a very clover exhibition of marching and dancing on tall stilts by Mr Hoath ; Mi-- Ada Yinettii, n singer; the Ryans, " American song and dance, parody singing, nnd rnpi'l-chango arti.-ts," (tho liulv assumes male atliro, and tho pair sing a variety of duet.- with an oneo ana grace ot of bearing and uctini nover previously equalled on the Melbourno stage); Signor S>li, iin athlete of splendid physiquo and extraordinarily powerful npponrniico, wno handlo-i weights ranging from 3-tlb up to 2GOlb, lifts with his teeth cannon bills weighing iv all llOlbs, throwing them over his shoulder to somo distance behind him. al*o by his teeth ; raises ISOlbs by his It I c arm and holds the weight abovo his head and piecing on his shoulders a bar of iron weighing ST'.bs, supports ihreo young inon on this, holds HOlbs in his teeth, and eirrios othor weights, making an aggregato of SOOlbs, and with theso walks about tho

stage; Wainratta, tho Wire King, who appears upon tho tight wire as a " dandy " in evening dress, and, without any pole or aids, to equilibrium, pays innumerable little attentions to his toilet, makes a cigirotto nnd (mokes it, protends to lose his balance, and docs n varioty of other antics; and linally Miss Alico Conway, principal vocal ist nnd dancer of tho Company ; Mr B. Clarke, banjoiat and singer of topical songs ; Miss Ida Iloath, a girl of I_, who gees through "lightning changes," and Mr F. \V. Hayward, stago conjuror, whoso chiof feat is that known ;:s "Tho Vanishing Lady."

AUSTRALIAN DRAMATIC NOTES.

Sviini'.v, Decombor 2/th

Alfred Eampicr's I'oya! Standard Theatre has boon c'osod during tin past week, to permit of prop nations boing mado for tho production of " Dick Whittington and His Cat." J R. Grevillo, George Leopold, Fred. Daiko, Ella For tesquo, Amy llorton, l'attiu Brown, Partn Moore, Gorty Pouys, besides tho Kaynors. Faust Family, nnd Yon del' Mohdon, all appear at tho Christmas Pantomime of "Tho Sloeping Beauty" at tha Tiicitro R,oyal finny St. Maur, who is resting hero during his vacation, is open to recoivo pupils for English and French elocution or voico production. Ci.ii'to.n'.

M_„Boun.N_, December 21. Ca'rio Swain still holds tho boards of tho Theatre Royal in this city, and notwith standing ono or two ad verso notices in the press, sho is drawing full houses every night. Minnie Palmer's successful season was brought to a closo last Friday ovening. Contrary to expectation, Martin Simonson's Italian opera season, so far, has turned out a very big sticco?s The only two pieces placed on tho hoards as yet havo boon "Trovatoro" and "Lucia di Larainer moor," three nights each, and every timo thero has beon a packed house in all parts (and remomber that tho now Alexandra Thoatro hoids 3,000 people). Tho Govornor and a party of five worn present la*t Thurs day evening. On Saturday nort (Christ mas Day!, v grand sacred concert will bo given by'tho members of tho Italian Opera Company, also Rossini's oratorio of " Stabat Mater." December 281h. As is usual at this period of the year, matters theatrical havo not been over brisk in this city. Mnjaroni and Wilson's Bijou haa been closed since last Tuesday, iv order to complete the very extensive preparations for tho production of Goorgo Danoll's "Now Rush," which said preparations hnvo boon under tho porsonal supervision of W. J. Wilson and Goorgo Darroll, and lust evening the abovo play was produced beforo an overflowing holiday audience. Tho piece is full of startling incidents, and is a perfect picture of real lifo in tho diggings. Carrie Swain concluded her season at tho Royal last Thursday night. Friday was sot apart for a full-dress rehearsal of tho gorgeous Christmas pantomime of " Robin son "Crusoa," which, to judge by tho grand array of talent in all branches that tho Triumvirate havo secured, promises to be tho most successful pantomime yet pro duced by the big nrrn_. "Bubbles," and tho burlesque of " Fra Dlavolo," havo been fairly well patronised during tho week at Hot-Majesty's Opera Houso. This theatre was nlso closed last Friday evening, when thoro was a dross rehearsal of tho Gaiety burlesquo of " Lit'do Jack Sheppard," which is tho Christmas attraction at tho above placo of amusement, W.A.R.

Climbing Mont Blanc.

Although Mont Blanc has for n quarter of a century bsen French toil, its climbers have no* usually shown an annual majority of Frenchmon : yet this hai been tho c.iso this vcar. Tho accent wa-i made by thirty - ono French, three of them ladies ; twonty livo English, ono lady; ten Americans; seven Swiss, two ladies ; six Germans, two Russians, Iwo Swedes, ono Italian and one Belgian, Total, 85.

THE GARDEN.

[13r Hojerus.]

Calendar of Operations, January 15.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Gt..M)ior.,\s Deteriorating ("Amateur ).— . lilailiolas often produce inferior flowers the second or third yenr with some growers. In a urcat measure the cause is ths want ot ni-uper eullui-o. For instance, if you next year obtain a first class bulb of a Riven variety, that bulb already possesses all the materials within itself to produce a good spike, it, only wains developing Now plant such a bulb in unsultoblo soil, ami the (lowers will come true the llrst season ; but. tho soil boing unsuitable tho bulb or bulbs mado that season will not be able to produce n llrst class flower the following season. For lour years I have been growing a fow varloti-j, and not one of them has yet shown signs of deteriorating. My system of culture has been every season to save tip some wood ashes and occasionally apply a little urine to them. Some lime during August 1 like and plant outthobulbs, tnakingaholcin Iho hordi'i- and pulling aboulushovolfulotthe ash in the bottom of each hole, covering up with n little good soil anil placing the bulb on this. The bulb I generally plant lrom i ton inches deep. On this system they grow vigorously. After they arc past flowering, if they show signs of making seed pods, I cut them oil, Ju'iting Iho foliage get nearly all dried «P before lifting. After lifting 1 dry m tho sun for a few days, then store past in a dry shed. Cvtl-ams 1-ito.M Sked (" G. G.").-You, should h-ivosowii Ihes.ed as soon as it was ripe, bur. It will still do to sow now. Sow in a seed pan with a light compost of leaf-mould saint and light loamy soil; place in a shady spot anil keep moist. 11 should take about six weeks for the seed to germinate unless you can obtain a little boltorn heat, and then they might como away in about four weeks \o\\ should let them grow in a seed pan till tlicj havo made two leaves, when they can he pricked oil' into boxes, it is quite possible for you to llow.r them within twelve months, but to do so you would need to keep them grow in- on from seed up to tho time of flowering. I think coin- best plan would he to grow them lill late' next spring. Then place in it cool place for the summer, and in the fallowing autumn plant out in the opon borders, where l hoy become permanent plants. 1 have already , ~;, .-ucillings conic up in hundreds out in the open around an old plant here, but to grow from seed in the open entirely would take a long time to make good plants. Tukxciii.no ("Spado").—Tho usualdoplh lobe obtained is from fourteen lo sixteen niches, ac cording to tliesnil trenched. Your bottom soil being too hard, you will probably only attain about, fourteen inches. It would also be belli;" to use a fork for breaking up Iho bottom, as it is easier to get the prongs ot tho fork down into Ihe hard soil. It should cost a littlo more I huu double to I reach than to di* Ihe ordinary ono spit. deep. In trenching the operator has lo turn each spit n greater distance than ill ordinary digg ng, then ho has to lift all broken soil i f t'lie fiY.it spit from the bottom before lie breaks up tho bottom. The bottom spit, its a rule is much harder to do (ban the top, and takes more time. 1 have never done any trenching hy contract, so could notgivc you un average price, hill, it would in a gi-cnl measure depend on the soil itself—whether it is hard or easy to labour.

Budding.

As tho budding soason ia now approathing, a fow linos on tho subject may bo of uso to somo of our settlers who may havo a fow stocks in hand, Applos, pears, and plume succeed just as woll budded as treos which aro grafted, and s'anyono who may havo a fow stocks of tho abovo in hand should bud them during tho noxt month, aa tho opora tion i-i ju.-t as easily performed as that of grafting, and aa at this soason of tho year thore is generally moro timo to dovoto to tho garden than in the spring, when ovory thing lin" to bo hurried over so as to get work dono boforo tho hot summer weathor sats

in. Another consideration is that if stocks nro budded now and a fow fail, you have still another chanco by grafting during tho noxt apt ing- AU etono fruits such as ponchos, plums, etc., suoceod better budded than grafted. Hy inserting buds on tho silos of biro limbs of trees tho^o buds in timo will produce shoots and branches, thus tilling up blanks. It is also possible by budding to producoany niimbor of varietios on ono treo. I havo soon twenty-four dif foront kinds of poars growing on tho samo tree. If it is young stock that is to bo budded sco that they aro all hoalthy and of vigorous growth. Tho best stocks aro those that havo boon raised from soed cuttings or luyora. Suckors should nevor ion any account bo usod, ub thoy aro sura in tho luturo to produce suckor growth al=o, which is a constant drain on the treo proper and a considerable nuisance at the same timo. Trees from which tho bud ia taken should also bo hoalthy, us any buds liken from unhealthy trees aro sure to ro produco any defects which tho parent treo possosscd. Another great feature in gotting buds is only to take thorn from such troes as havo borno iruit, as thoy will to a certainty icprodtico fruit oxactly tho vuriety which you want. Tho shouts from which tho buds uro taken should bo nico well formed shoots of thia year's growth, choosing only Iho best of tho buds on each shoot; thoso wit lin lino hoalthy leaf and woll iomiud are the best. Puds of tho abovo class will ill timo produce a good hoilthy tree, and in a fow years lino crops of fruit if woll looked aftor. When a shoot line been selected chooso a bud, mako an incision abovo ucd below, cutting out tho bud with a portion of tho wood nnd bark attached, about an inch to an inch and n half in length, tho bud being ono third of the length distant from the top : then separate the bulk of tho wood from tho bark, leaving a little speck under tho bud which is called its oyo, and without which it will not grow. Tho bud boing now prepared, mako an ineUion in tho stock liko tho letter T, taking caro to cut com pletely through tho bark without injuring tho wood. Tho bark IB raised on each sido nnd tho prepared bud inserted. A bandngo is then applied so as toexcludo the air from tho wound—and tho oporation is completed. Romcdics for Fests.

Orchard inspector Bascoua has obtninod from a number of loading growers and nursorymen roeipes which ho has found effective, a few of which aro herewith sub mitted. All that aro quoted are for spring and summer uso, and nro applied cold :

A. Block, Santa Clara—One pound of American concentrated lyo to one gallon of water: or ono half pound of lye, caustic soda or concentrated potash to one and ono quartor gallons of wntor. John Hook—One pound of concontratod lyo to each gallon of wator. This will not only kill tho scnlo, but if appliod annually duriii"- tho soason whon treoa are dormant will bo found n provontivo. li. 1). Fox—Ono and one-half pounds of salsoda to ono gallon of water, adding one half gallon of whalo oil to twonty-fivo gal lons of tho mixtuio For poars he has used with great auccees coal oil 110 degrees test pure, but would not recommend pure coal oil for any other tree. Nowhall, Sottlo, Hannay— Whalo oil buttor compo;od of on. gallon of water, three nuarts of milk, three quarts of whalo oil ; mix through foreo pump and then add twenty gallons of wator, mix well aud apply cold ; or ono gallon of whale oil soap to six gallons of wator, add one gallon of cold oil, mix woll and thon add nino gallons of wator, keep weiretiried.

Mr Proctor, spring wash, especially for red spider—Four pounds of whalo oil soap uud ouo pound of btthach to ten gallons of : water. For scale, for spring or summer— Ono pound of concentrated lyo to eight gal lons.—f?an Francisco "Bulletin." Growing Plants from Cuttings. Tho old way of rootinsr cuttings in n small glass bottle tilled with water is a good method when a hot-bed cannot bo uaed ; but tho bottle should not stand so closo to Iho window aa to become hot, and thus Bcaid tho rootlets. A little cotton or wool within tho rim of the battle will prevent ovaporation. In two or three weeks tho roots will bo plentiful, and then the cuttings may bo transferred to thumbspots, or if the season suits, into tho beds. As each cut ting is taken from the bottlo dip tho roots into a little warm sand until each fibre is coated ; this will keep them apart and pro vent wilting. If pots are used, nearly till them with a rich sandy compost and presi it to the sides so as to leave room in tho centre. Put the roots in gently and |give the plants n liltfo twist to spread tho roots, or soparato thorn with n hairpin. Then put in more soil nnd pro's it about the roots. Tight pressing ia ono of tho secrets of suc cess in raising plants from cuttings, Water the young plants well and shade thorn at first from the sun.

Cuttings can also.be started in po'B of candy compost, with a glasa tumblor ovar thorn to confine Iho moisture and keep them from tho sun two or three days; then place the pots in the warmest windw, exposed to tho scutheas'. West s-nd is also good for growing cuttings, and thoy will start quicker than in compost. A shallow pan is preferable; fill it with sand (not soa sand) sop ping wet, then press in the cuttings tightly ant' keep them wet. When new leaves show themselves, in two or three daj's transplant into pots filled with light sandy loam. After shading a day or two they must have ample sunshine and sufficient wator to keep them moist. Cuttings taken from tbe fresh growth of soft wooded plants strike best. Cuttings of roses, heliotrope, and all hard-wooded plants grow better if taken off at the junction of tho old and new wood, and should bo cut oil'just below a point or bud, as tho roots sturt-from that point; and if a bud ia not loft near or closo to the base, the cutting is liablo to decay in the soil.

THE INTERNATIONAL YACHT RACES.

Reminiscences of British and American

Skippers.

Notwithstanding the recent successes ot American yachts ovor English competitors, the superiority of the mon who manage tho vessels which compose our British pleasure fleets is well recognised oven by the owners of American boats thomselvos, who havo „cd at high terms our most noted raciV' skippers to manage their craft. In this Tact ono finds somo consolation after witnessing tho success of foreigners during the mst Few days on tho Thames, and tho gre-tdecli-o among British rowing men since the timo whon forty years ago the I CUuptn male their debut on Southern wafers, and sinco tho more recent feats of Kolley, Chambers and l>en forth One is inclined to wonder, howe\ei, at our superior yachtsmanship when one thinks of tho smart handling of tho old American packets in tho days before steam boats thronged tho Atlantic highway- and the smartest seamen in tho world wore to bo found reefing and furling, taking out and getting in and utilising every pub of wind fntha fastest sailing vessels that were ever known. Still it ia tho caso, and it is possiblo that it may have arisen from our brethren on the othor side ot the wator having always shown a preference for run nimr to leeward, whilo the great British test and tho most reliable ono for both boat and steersman, is turning to wind ward. . Two Classes of Commanders In Britain. Thoro nro two classea of yachting com manders in Great Britain. First, thoro is tho ordinary cruising skipper, who is a good steady all round man for coasting worn, and can raco his vessel woll in their local matches whore his knowledge of tiuos and offshore breezes which draw out of parti cular glens is of much value. Then there is tho racing skipper, who is supposed to bo a master of tho art of yacht sailing, and as much suporior in his way to the cruising skipper as tho professional jockey is to the lad who rides tho thoroughbred re gularly at work at Nowmarkot. lo de scribe fully tho development of the British racing skipper would bo to give in detail tho history of British yacht racinc "Old White," who was tho captain of Sir Robert Gore Booth's big cutter tho Adelaide, waa possibly tho lust of the genus, and a first rato man ho was either in stooring big or littlo boats. 1 hat waa thirty-fivo yoars ago, or shortly alter tho Amoricn, schooner, camo over and shattered all our notions aa to tho advantage of bellying mainsails with flowing " after leaches." The advent of tho _ iona brought to tho front John Houston, of Largs, who at tho tiller of the "Old Fawn," as sho was familiarly termed in her best days, proved invincible. Captain Houston had a weak ness for tight-lacing bia craft possibly, and his " wco bit puVat tock, halliards, or pur chase proved vory soro on tho spars, hence his craft waa sometimes known as tho " timhor breaker." Tim Walker was a contemporary skipper who had also a great reputation, and in tho Mosquito, and latter ly in tbo Cythcra, ho proved himsolf a very iiblo steersman, but he never liked to bo a! tho tillor when the winds blow so "worry paltry." Lemon . Cray. field in tho Neva, and latterly in tho Prince of Wales's yacht tho Formosa, did much to develop tho fine art of racing a British cutter, antl could hold his own with all men at a schooner race, as evidenced by tbo succeeds of the Miranda ; but schooner racing has goue'out of fashion, unfortunately for tho be.-t in forests of tho sport. The raco of yachting jockeys which succeeded thoso mentioned is headed by O'Neil, of the Irex, who is un doubtedly at present tho Fred Archer of the fleet. He mado hia reputation in the 40 ---tonnor Myosotis, added to it in the Cuckoo, in his matches against tho Vanduara and tho Samoena, and thon in tho flying Annas ona raced to windward of all engaged in his particular calling. Tom Diapor, his op ponent in the matches against tho latter, sailed Iho Marquis of Ailea'fl Sloutbhound to perfection, but he had always under hit chargo the worst boat of tho two, whict wero twins from the stock of Fife of Fair lie. Diaper mado his reputation in Majoi Ewing's famous 40 ton cutter Norman, the "green with gold ball" racing flag ol which will long bo remembered. As le Ben Harris, his opponent in many a tougli match when tho latter had chargo of the Bloodhound, ho has long been uudei hatchos. Ho was liko White, one of the voiy old school, and had won many matches in tho Solent. Tho Governor's Breeches. Bather a good forecastle yarn is still told of Harris at the timo ho was in command oi a yacht belonging loan eccentric nobleman, now deceased, who, whether in dressing himself, his hunt servants (for ho was an M.F.H.), or hia sailors, was rather parsi monious. Ono day tho members of the Koyal Yacht Squadron at tho Club windows at tho Castle, observing Ben hoist a strange signal—a vory Btrange signal-in the rig sing, which they in vain iriod to make out by telescope and binocular, hailed tho olel skipper, asking what, it was "Signal be blowed I" shouted Ben across tho water j " it's tho governor's No. -3 pair of brooches, which I havo been a-washing of." Barry Thoincon of the Vanguard. Harry Thomson, of Vanguard fame, could toko all out, of a " flying sixty " that a man cauld ; but sinco ho sailed the Samoena in her first season ill-health had not allowed him to play a leading part in tho pastime. IVackio, who steered tho cele brated stool cutter Vanduara during hor first season, waa as good a man at the tiller as ono could havo when thero was enough of movement in the atmosphere to kee-p all day drawing a balloon topsail, but has no patience in light airs. He was tho first English yachting skipper who sailed his vossel with all cabin fittings in their proper placo?, refusing, unlcsi hard pressed, to allow of their removal to suit tho trim of tho boat. Ho has now resigned tho tiller altogether, and is engaged in the wintering and putting into com mission of yachts at Rothesay, in tho island of Bute, where it ia needless to gay his vast experience nnd his knowlodgo of tho ehip-wright trado, to wh eh ho was trained, servos him woll. Woods, of the Egeria, was famous in his day, and was most suc cessful with Mr Mulholland's old County Down (Jill, as his charge was termed, moro especially in channel matches. Duncan, of the Marjorio, won his spurs on the Clyde ton-tonnor Lancer; but it was not till Air Coats's ten-tonner Madgo waa delivered from Watson's hands that ho attained to tho front rank nmong yachting jockeys. Tho way ho handled this littlo vessel, first in British wators and thon in Ameri can waters, won for him tha ad miration of all true judge? of boat sailing. In the contests between his yacht the Marjorie nnd the Irex this Benson he has divided fairly tho spoil; and if he lacks tho dash of O'Neil at starts and mark boats ho makes up for it with shrewd Scotch " canni uess." or caution, anr4 sails hia own boat— that is. minds not the misleading manoeuvres of yachts ahead or astern. John Barr, who is ono of tho skippers paid to go out anel raco a yacht in America, is simply invincible in teuton yachts, aa has boon well proved iv tho cutter Neptune. He was tho first yachting jockey who ever received a special retaining fee to give up the comforts of larger craft and raca a smaller boat. Lesser Lights In Yachting History. The above are tho most successful of British yachting skippers past and present, though no doubt old names «uch as these of Archie Blair, and "Bab " McKirdy of Largs, and "Baukly" Weight nnd Jameson of modern days, will crop up in conversations over bygone dnys, aB woll as will those of possibly greater fame at Cowob and Kings town- In regard to tho ordinary seamen, no yacht was thought a few years ago to have a chinee unless she had a crow com posed of Colchester oyster fishers' ; but Itchon Ferry and Southampt; n now give tx< good material as is wanted fot Southern boats, and Mackio and Duncan have drilled Clyda crows to a state of perfection, and Scottish-built boats no longer requfro Eng lish crows to sail them, as they did ten years ago.— "Pall Mall Gazette."

She Secured a Seat.

Ah amusing incident occurred a few days ago in a White lino car. Two ladies entered, and ono of them succeeded in finding a seat. Tho other, a large, healthy-looking lady, looked around for a whilo, during which she caßt some withering glancas on several gentlemen who were in the car, as much aB to say : " You have my seat; why don't you get up ?" Finding that she failed in this, she remarked loud enough for all in the car to hear : " I cannot stand up," and immediately " flopped " down on tho floor, just in front of tho lady she had accompanied in the car. This had tha desired effect, for a gentleman who sat on tho opprsito side of Ihe car at once aroFo, and tho lady was seated. Tho affair caused so much merriment, howevor, on tho part of tho othor passengers, that tho lady, though having gained her point, seemed very ill at ease, and her face becamo near the colour of Ecarlet.

ESSAY ON GLASS.

(Aw.uu)ed inn Pbboc W Mr Woo„ a oKF_'s ■ COMPETITION ) | Piio.issOE Woobbo.fb's Glass-blowing Ex hibition is now in Auckland, and is hold in Queen-street, where it attracts groat num' bars of people. Ho says that almost any kind of sand will do for making common bottle glass, but for making (li.it or colour less glass tho sand must bo freo from iron and lime, which would make .IB* The sand is also burnt so as to got all vege table matter out of it. Th. :£f °d,onts f° ~!.,•„,r 01, t rrlrt'fl are as follow : - OUUiDS. oi rand^O b ."of red Oxide of lead, -SOlbs of C ear ash (which is made from wood ashes), wd 2o__ of black oxide of manpnese. Flint I'la'a derives its namo from the lacs I _J.. wo- formerly made from Wnt stone ground up and used instead of sand. I'lint Sum is the basis of all tho coloured glasses Tho following are tho ingredients used for colouring:— »_,,- r-.-irln Kubv Bed is produced f rem -.ado of cold! white, flucspar, oxide of tin and arsenic; blue, oxide of cobalt; _rcon?oxido of iron ; yellow, oxide of uranicum ; emerald green, vrot and oxido of copper black, black oxido of manganese. Who- tho colours are vitrified they change. Tin. if a person woro making something of coloured Wees (to represent a picture) ho wool Ihave to make the colours different _m what he intended thoy should finally bo, because when tho glass is b-rut a second timo tho colours become true When glass was first mado it used to bo opaque, but during the reign of Nero it was discovered how to mako glass Sparer,,, and great sums of money were given for drinking cups mado of this colour less trlass, which wore sometimes carved. It requires from 1,800 to 2,000 degrees of heat to melt g!a-s sufficiently to work with it To procure this heat, Professor V\ ood roffeha-an air-chamber under the table at which ho works. This atr-ohamber con si»'s of a cistern half full of water, and a pair of bellows that are worked by the feet. This produces a current of air to supply the burners that are placed behind the gas jots, and tho air blowing on tho flame concen trates it; and ho aho has two b.ocks of wood, one of which ho holds ovor the top or tho -as to reflect back the heat. Too glass used for blowing is always in tubes Tho first thing Professor Woodroffo did waa to hold ono of these tubes in the flame of tho gaa till it became rod, then ho blew it slightly, which pro duced a globo, this was thon turned I into a cylinder, in which ho .us -1 ponded a swan made of class by a chain, by making an opening in the top, into which he dropped tho chain with the swan on the end and then ho fastened tho chain to tho top Whon it was cool ho filled it with ' wator, which magnified tho ewan, as every thing of a globular or cylindrical fcrinwhen filled magniiLa whatever may be m.-ido it. The next thing made was a wine-glass. Tho iir-t part done was tho stem, which was ornamental. ' Next ho mado tho cup part, by blowing a globe on to the end of tho stem. 110 said that half of the globe was gone-rally cut (.flatter it hud been turned round rapidly to mako tho cod b ilf heated and ready to he taken off; but in this caso it was left on, aud pushed down inside tho other half, thus making tho cap double-. Tho next part made was the foot, wh'Cii was dono by blowing a small bulb on tho othor cod oi the stom ; thin was heated and then flattened. When Iho _la?s was cooled, he blew somo wine through tho stem, and corked it up. Tho wine could not come out on account of tho glass being double at the cup. He said that in glass factories. whon common table ware was being made, the glass was heated and put en iron moulds tho shape of the outside ; then a thing called a follower, which is tho shape of the ir.sido, was forced in ; and when it waa cool tho gla-s was taken out of tbo mould. A seam is always left on, and to do away vith this, an instrument called a punching iron is put on tho top, and the vessel ia put into an oven called a glory hole, whore it heats slowly. It is then taken out ot ibis and put into a ioar, where it U gradually cooled. It requires 14 hours to cool a tu'i-bicr, and if done in less, it will not be so durable ; and if a picco of ico, or water, slightly abovo tho tompsrature ol the air, were put in, tho glass would con tract and expand so rapidly as to cause tho outside to crack. Hundreds of years ago tho Venetian glass blowers claimed to havo discovered how to m_ko drinking vessels that would contain no poison, that is, that if any poison were put in thoy would shatter. Professor VVoodroflo saya that there glasses are just made the samo as others, but that they aro cooled very rapidly, so that when any solid is dropped in tiioy will shatter. Tho strangest part of this ia that you can knock a brick to piecoa or drive in a nail without injuring tho glas?. A small piece of glass cm bo blown to a great s:;;?, and it will bo very fine, and if taken into a dark room, a ray of sunlight falling on it will show beautiful colours. [The essay goes on to describe very intel i gently other articles mado by Mr Woodrc ffo, and concludes with a very interesting do sciiption of tho glass Etcam engine This essay, which was written by Miss Lilian Armstrong, aged 11 years 5 months, a pupil at Nelson-street School, is highly crcditablo to its author, and shows that tho Glass blowing Exhibition has been a source of in struction as woll us amusement to tho young of Auckland.]

A Remarkable Maniac.

Married to Twenty-Six Wives.

Zalamazoo (Mich ), November 23.— Wil liam Jones Sargent died atthcState Asylum here this afternoon, whero ho wa3 incar cerated several weeks ago for a poculiar mania. He was ono of tho most notod biga mists this coun'ry ever saw, but was not much heard about until his arrest at Jack son, in this State, whore he had married a young woman for his twenty sixth wife. Sargent was a man of fine address and was well educated. His vocation, that of com mercial traveller, gavo him peculiar advan tages to gratify his remarkablo mania. He had beon in troublei twice previous to his final arrest, but ho managed to e'eav him self. At tho time of his last arrest his con duct led to the bolief that ho was insane,and ho was sent to tho asylum.

After his woarccration the full Etory about him came out. It was learned that ho had wives and children by the score in this and other States, and that no less than olevon unsuspecting girls had married him in Canada. During tho many years he lived with so many wives he never by word, act, or in writing botrayod to one wife tho fact that ho had others, and ho was nover suspected of infidelity. When examined by the physicians it was discovered that Sargent when with one wifo was oblivious to the existence of the others until they were brought to his mind by some circum stance. On all other subjects he was sane. Tho Superintendent of the asylum soys it was tho meat remarkable case of mania ever known.

Exploration of Greenland.

Lt_-T_SAS. Peakcv, who has been on an expedition to Greenlanel for the purpose of satisfyirg himself ub to tho possibility of travelling across that country and thus • recovering a now routo for Arctic expl rors, arrived at Halifax on November 23 on his way homo to tho United States. Landing, at a Danish settlement on the west coast of Greenland, he journeyed eastward for a hundred miles over unbroken fields of snow. He then re turned lo tho starting placo. Thia was his principal journey, and bo was accompanied by Danish officials. His observation and experience satisfied him that Greenland could be crossed from west to cast by future expeditions to tho north polo. On a hundred-mile trip Percy and his com panions had to travel on snow shoes and haul sleds containing thoir provisions them solves, the enow being too eoft for the dogs. They experienced no hardships and returned to tho coast in good condition. On reaching a point a hundred miles inland the elevation above the sea was found to be 7500 feot.

A Novel Life-Preserver.

A KATH-K novel device for life-presorving at sea is described in the patent specification of J. S. Badia, of Philadelphia. It is a method of "automatically inflating canvas rafts, etc., by means of gas, which is carried in a capsule under pressure. The liquefied g is, such as ammonia, carbonic acid or nitrous oxido, is carried in ono compartment, whilo in tho othor ia a powder adapted to burn in a closed vessel. Mechanism adapted to au tomatic illy ignite the powder is held under control by a disk of blotting paper, which, becoming wet, is ruptured, and tho powder is then ignited, and in turn liberates tho gas. The chief object of tho powder is ap parently to generate heat, to that the ex panding of gas will not freeze the liquid.

A TYPICAL IRISH LANDLORD.

I o Direct Cause of tho Death or " Two Old Women';

New York, November 2L—T. P. GUI cables to tho " Tribune" from Dublin : One caj^ which crystallises tho whole meaning 0 ; _,i»h landlordism-a story which deserves ~ to become aa famous in its way, if one maY - say it without irreverence, as that of A__j > and Naboth's vineyard-was brought to li<rht yostorday at a Coroner's inquest at Titllamoro. David Sherlock, a woll-known Dublin barrister, ia landlord of property in £_,„>„ county, which he lately inherited froro hia undo. Five years ago this' uncle evicted two women, Margaret and Annie Byrne, mother and daughter, aged ,85 and 45 respectively, from a wretclied " littlo holding for which £. a year was racked out. Aftor eviction they were readmitted to their cabin as cate- ' takers, tho wages being a ponny a week. The cabin had boon '■ crowbarred," but the women patched up tho roof as well as they could. They wero not allowed to farm their scrap of land, which lay idlo, or cut : turf from the bog. But with the aid otthe little haggard in front of the cabin'they managed to raise some fowla and produce, These, with tbe charity of thoir priest, en abled them to keop alive. Towards tho end of September Sherlock " was shooting ovor his prop3rty when _U eye was caught by a number of geese aod turkeys in the haggard of tho old woman. He mado the widow a proposition, which ; was that he would reinstate her :in tho holding if she would give him 1 nineteen turkeys in satisfaction for '■•■ the two years' rent owed when she had been evicted fivo yoars before, The poor old creature didn't know that Sherlock's pro posal was atrocious and illegal. She tlid I not understand that since tbe rent was owing, an Arrears Act had been passed ; whioh should have wiped off her liability/ | Sho only thought sho was about to get. leave onco moro to till her littlo farmland : was overjoyed. .'" ";■-,;■ Sherleck sent his steward tor the tur keys, and in a fow days sent him back with word that tho two geese would also be necessary to make tho full account of : tho rent. Sho waa then made to sign an \. a.reemont that tho fowls were to go in eat-. '. ialaetion of ono year's rent of the two due at the timo of tho eviction. She was also to mako horself liable for tho rent for. the.'1 Iv.-e years during which she acted as care taker, although she waa not allowed to me tho farm during those years at all, and she was to forfeit all claims to the penny aweek caretaker's wages, none of which she had ;i ever been paid. On theee terms she was established in the position of tonant once again. -' Weeks passed, and tho two women had nothing to live upon. They pawned tlnir bedclo'hos and covered themselves ,vith a strip of cotton as they lay at night in their cabin, through tho dismantled roof cf which tho rain poured in. They pawned their gowns, and the doe- ;> tor deposed at the inquest that | neither of them woro c!otho3 enough to keep their bodies warm. Ten days ago the I dau_htoi died. Thero was no fuel in the • cabin, for they wero forbidden to touch the turf, and tho mother walkctl a mile across..; tho bog to borrow somo from a neighbour. She was too weak to carry it back, andithe | neighbour helped her. -; H Tho Coroner, having his suspicions, ids-• termined to bold an inquest into the cir cumstances of tha daughter's death. The inquest was postponed in order to obtaini meiical evidence, and during the post ponement the mother died. Yesterday -the = jury returned tho following verdict: "That:, the deceased died of heart disease, acceler ated by povery and want, caused by being: deprived of the valuo of nineteen turkeys and two goeso, their sole means of sup-; port." '■

AS ENORMOUS FROG.

A Strange Discovery Made by Quarry men. .■ -_\\

A STUAN-f,-E object may bo Eesn at tho house of Roger Burns, of Elmira, U.S. The men who were woiking in tbo Ea3t Hill quarry cirno upon a soft, shaly place in the rock, y which is something new in that quarry, ' One of Iho mon sti/.sd a pick and began to $ work out tho decomposed rock, ; for .. :q : such it seemed to be, when he uncovered B something which caused him to make aa . exclamation that brought his fellow-work men to his side io an inetant, .In'r..., tho opening mado by him they *iir.'^g: what seemed to them to be the head 'j of an immt iho frog. They worked more I carefully after that, and soon had'the* roptilo entirely uncovered. It proved ;; ; . to bo a petntiod frog, or somethiogSthat V; looked very much liko one, of prodigious V, ti/.0. It was carefully pried from its abode, y and it was not until it was placed in fall $ view that tbo workmen realised that thoy y; had found what must bo the remains of obe -_i of tbe largest frogs over.in existence. iUn- y. liko fogs, the petrified roptilo was cove.red J with fine scales, and tho head is narrower B and tho cyea larger in proportion than" Yjjf thoso of tho common frog. Its position .;£ wli6n potrilied was that which is coinmop to frog?, savo that'its head and body were flat upon tbe ground. Indeed, it has a general V llattcned appearanco, as though it was sub- Si joctcd to a pressure botwoen flat surfaces. M In colour it is groy, while tha scales sparklo in the sun. One of "'-,; tho creature's front foot is upon its _|. head, hiding ono of its eyes from view. It jH was carofully measured and found to beitwo ■ feot oight and a half inches in length, (and is surprisingly heavy, weighing over.loo . pounds. Mr Burns, who found tho can- -l osity, refuses to allow tho frog to re placed tffe on exhibition ia a store window, some.one tB having told him that the Smithsonian Insti- ;: tuto would probably pay him 500dol. for. it, ' ■ this being a small fortune to him. He thinks it safer where it is, as it mig-t be broken if moved. . ..'<

REPORTORIAL ENTERPRISE.

Two Journalists Witness a Duel Uninvited. J -3

On the afternoon before the duel between General Bonlanger and Baron de Dareinty I ;.. was secretly informod that the fight was to ■ take place in the forest of Mendon,--'few miles from Paris ; that the parties woro to take the train from Mendon and then drive .; from thero to tho forest. I determined to bo at the station and follow them, and fee the affair if possible. Isatupallnightforfear of not waking in time in the morning, and at 5 o'clock took a carriage and drovo to the station at Mendon. But one man descended from thetrain—the editor of a Paris journal. Ho bad como fortheßttmo purpose. I invited - him to join me in the chase, and after taking a cap of coffoe we scoured tho forest for two hours in search of them Suddenly we , camo upon a carriage in Ihe road which contained tho priest and tbe surgeon. «S hid our carriage away in the woods and watched the priest and the surgeon. In » fow moments two carriages arrived, vMcli S' contained the principals and eeconds. They drove into the Park due Chalis, where they make the Government balloons, and the gates closed behind thorn. We scaled the wall, which was about ton feet high, and entered the park. We v.OIO soon stopped by the soldiers. My friend, for tunately had General BoulaDger's • card in big pocket, which we presented, anihvowere allowed to pass. Concealing ouraolvM I bohind a small clump of trees about. 200 yards away, wo saw tho whole affair un- - observed, tho account of which you have already^ read. 1 made a Email sketoh 1 to indicate tho position of tho men. i We then drove to tho nearest station and sent a I despatch giving a full account of the affair to the Paris press, then drove totheßoisdfl Boulougne and had a delightful breakfast after an exciting chaso. Beforo wo had ;< finished our breakfast all Paris was reading 1 extras containing our account of the affair. We then drovo to the office of tho Minister of War, and I got a written permission ttl enter tho park and paint a picture of the 1 scene. On tho following Monday morning I was at work'upon tho picturo. It is now jj finished aud will be exhibited in the next : salon,

No Danger.

Doctor (to beautiful belle who possesses -; elegant teeth)—"l don't want to give you calomel, because it might salivate you, and -, all your fine teeth might fall out." J Belle—'' Don't havo any foar, doctor, the .? denti-t told me. several years ago that my ■■..: gums had shrunk all they were going to. ; %

rrosecuto tne Swindlers M It when you call for American Hop^Bltterl tsec preen twig of Hops on the white label antl Dr. Soulc's name blown in, the bottle), the ven dor hauds out anything but American hw ■:•■;_ Hitters, refuse it and shun that vendor as yon would a viper: nnd if he h_s taken your money for anything else, Inaict bim for the fraud ana sue him for damafteß for *he swindle, ana w» g;| will pay you liberally for *\% oonvlo_0)_

THE AUCKLAND GVKMNG STAR, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 18S7.

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