PARLIAMENTARY.

FRIDAY'S SITTING OS1 EHE HQUS&

<BY TELEdEArH*-SPECIAL REPORTER.)

Wellington, this day. The sitting of the House, last night was a very short one. Notice was given of an im" niense number of questions and motions, and very many petitions were answered and, at the request of the Government, re plies to the questions set down yesterday were deferred till Tuesday. The Financial Statement. The Premier said that the hope he had * entertained of submitting tho Financial Statement that night hadproved delusive, bub it would be brought down 6n Tuesday evening without fail. Sir Julius Vogel said if ib were, it would have been prepared with considerable celerity and the House should.be satisfied. He thought the request for additional time reasonable, and would assist to consult the convenience of the Government in the order of business. After some further discussion the House adjourned soon after eight o'clock. It may fairly be assumed that inasmuch as the Cabinet are anxious to place the finances of the colony on something like an assured basis, the Statement on Tuesday will travefso the question of public works, Tho usual Public Works Statement will, how ever, be made at ft later stage of the session. Ministerial Resldenoea. The Minister for Lands has removed into the Ministerial residence in Tinakori Road, while the Premier occupies that in Bowen stroet. Sir Julius Vogel and the Hon. E. m .Richardson still occupy tho other residences, W pending the decision of tho Hquso as to their disposal. Corporation Borrowing. A new departure in the matter of borrow ing has been taken by the Dunedin Cor poration. They have submitted to the House a bill enabling them to receive de posits from private persons at a rate of interest not exceeding 7 per cent. The money received on deposit is not to exceed •£30,000, and the sum of the deposits and ' overdraft are not to exceed the lawful over draft. Opposition will fee offered to the principle of the bill. New Zealand Institute. The following are the numbers of ordinary members belonging to the New Zealand Institute : Auckland, 277 ; Hawke's Bay, 139; Wellington, 248; Canterbury, 116; Nelson, 50; Westland, 69; Otago, 156; Southland, 72; total, 1,156. Tho Beer Trade. It appears that during the last year 35 hotel licenses wero refused on the ground that the houses were not required. The • total number of publicans' licenses issued was 1,476, and the total number refused 56.. There are 115 brewers in the colony, and the amount of beer duty paid was £53,000. Political Jottings. The Financial Statement will be delivered ab the evening sitting on Tuesday. Mr Taylor indignantly wants to know if ihe Minister of Works has promised to have the railway material required for Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin manufactured in those places instead of at Addington. Colonel Fraser's bill reducing the num ber of members to 50 has been read a first time. Defence is suffering very_ severely in the scheme of retrenchment which ia now being prepared, hy the Government. notice* has been given for the appoint ment of » Select Committee to deal with the question of the rabbit pest. Sir Julius Vogel considers that if the , financial Statement is brought down cm Tuesday it; will have been prepared with an ;* , amount of celerity that should t>e satisfactory to the House.

1 ' Both the local papers eulogise the Bank of New Zealand directors for facing the position, and speak hopefully of the future Mr Walter Leslie has published the first of a series of Parliamentary portraits, with letterpress biography, the subject being Mr Vincent Pyke. Scarcely more than half the members iiave returned to Wellington yet, and the attendance was not very large last night. The Government will take a firm stand against the whole of the further concessions appliedfcr by the Midland Railway Company being granted. 1 Messrs Hamlin and Jackson have been urging the Government to reduce rates for carrying milk on railways, but without suc cess. Mr Harry W. Favnall, who retired from Auckland North contest at the last moment, is petitioning the House, through Mr Moss, for the return of his £10 deposit. It is said now that the Government never seriously contemplated the abolition of the Boards of Education. The Government Printing Office. Mr Didsbury in his annual i-eport on the above mentions that nearly all the brown paper now used in the department has been obtained from the local mills, and they find the quality has greatly improved. A trial of New Zealand made ink has also been made, but the result lias not been satisfactory, as its corrosive quality has rendered the pens useless. All the brass work in connection with the department is now being done at the Printing Office. t Proposed Abolition of Crown and Native Lands Bating Aot. - : The Opposition party are confident that Government; will place themselves jn an awkward, if not an absolutely dangerous porition by repealing the Crown and Native Lands Ratine* Act. This course is. Strongly urged by Southerners, but .Jhe effect would be that £40,000 now ;Sr paid from the consolidated revenue as rates on Crown lands and £30,000 from same source paid on native land would be lost to the local bodies. This would, however, mean, a saying to consoli dated revenue of £?0,000 .per annum in the North Island alone, while there would also 5° ai a TB, e aavini S 3ll toe west coast of the South Idand, where come of the counties, notably BuUer, exist, on :the revenue from .. Crown landa- rates.: It is thought that if SfJPW* of rating native lands is aboushed a small tax might be Imposed, . PTOIQ by Jihe.natives themselves, but this ' ' ™Z?f *»?*n & **** of native members' yotes to the Government.' ,The local .bodies cwj'i^y b * the repeal-of the, Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, and' by .the of Bubßidieß which will ■ probably be made.' ■ .; ■- v : A -.New Capitol. • ;-.,;■] :,f*;, . The present session i* not to be aliowied , to pass without another atteMpb to h&ye toe seat of Government removed to Canter bury. Air Taylt^r intends td tab^e a motion v having that object in view, and in doing so ,\ he will revive the;Bathgate rplan of select- \ Jng a tract of country iii the Northern part %»f that provincial district, and founding an wnd Empire City there. JEhe amount itived from the .sale or. lease of lands, it is \ would be more than sufficient to cover >c outlay and erect palatM Govfrn ■*uildings.;) ' '.'r'^.j/, • l ( Charitable Aid. :''' '■' ;^|e had bee^ going; ve"ry eic % the question, p|.fjfpenaifcure '•» Aidtin the pasl, and has. %conolusion Mat' > Gaxtot-' 1 an unfair advantage' parts of the' colqny. shoeing thd chari l|g districts for three Wee :—1883: Auck- Canterbury,

13,409; 0tagp,5,039. 1884: Auckland, 6,230; Wellington, '3,318; Canterbury, 14,282; O^ago, 3,619. X 885: Auckland, 2,931; Wel lington, 139 j Canterbury, 9,664; Otago, 276.

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

THE COMPANY DEMAND A CASH GUARANTEE OF A MILLION AND A QUARTER.

POSITION OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.

(BY TELEGRAPH —OWN REPOKTEE.)

Wellington, this day. There was quite a flutter of excitement on ita becoming known that papers relative to the Midland railway had been laid on the table last evening, and directly the House rose membera rushed to secure advanoe copies of the correspondence, but none were forthcoming. I was, however, fortunate enough to secure the official copy laid en the table. The correspondence is not all published, some confidential communications having been withheld, but they were carefully selected by the Government under the im pression that they contained everything necessary to convey an idea of tho position of the question. The first paper consists of an agreement entered into on 17th of January, 1885, between the Railway Board and the Agent-General, whereby tho con tractors contracted to make East and West Coast Railway within ten years. The next paper is an assignment of contract by Chrystall and others with the consent of the Agent-General to the Midland Railway Company. On August 6th, 1887, the Secretary to the Mid land Company informed the Agent-General that the London directors had settled the torm of tho new contract, which they had been compelled to frame in such a manner as to suit the views of the financial friends, who had practically undertaken to supply the balance of tho authorised share capital of the Company, viz., £250,000, and such an amount of debentures as may be necessary. " The necessity of seizing this opportunity without delay, after the protracted and difficult negotia tions, will be sufficiently obvious, a? time is really very pressing." On August 10th last, the Agent - General wrote to the Colonial Treasurer that he had received from the Company the new draft, and would take the earliest opportunity of examining it, and reporting in respect to alterations to which the Company wished Government to agree. Accordingly on August 23rd, he wrote : " The most impor tant alterations proposed are, a recital in serted in the preamble to the August draft declares that the land to be granted to the Company is to be 2,304,000 acres, the condition in the December draft for dividing tho cost of survey is struck out, and that the cost is to be borne entirely by the colony. The time for allowing interest on construction is to bo extonded to 1897. Tho condition in the December draft that £150,000 should be spent on the Brunrterton-Teremakau sec tion is struck out, and the construction of it at all is made contingent on the neces sary capital being obtained. The restric tion in the December draft against deviat ing from the surveyed line is struck out, and while the lino is still to go by Arthur's Pass, tho existing surveys aro not to be binding. It is assumed that a contract containing the May amendments and the new alterations can be entered into without fresh legislation, but if any bo necessary, then it is^ to be obtained before the end of 1890> It-is*obviouß, therefore, that the whole character of the original contract of 1885, as well as the arrangement between the Company and myself last year, is fundamentally changed, and of course such a contract as is now proposed by the Com pany is impossible without an entirely new Act. J carefully considered whether I should telegraph to you the nature of the new provisions in the August draft, but it seemed to me that the central point in the whole matter was the same as in the May amendments, namely, a demand for^ a guarantee of the value of the land, which was a condition I did not believe the Go vernment would agree to, and, on hearing from you that such a guarantee was de clined, informed the Company to that effect."

Further correspondence ensued, and on September 7fch the Agent-General wrote to the Colonial Treasurer aa follows : —" The tone of the Company's letter of 26th of August is open to serious objections on many grounds, especially as it seema to indicate an intention to impugn the good faith of the colony. They take up, in fact, altogether new ground that the clause granting the value of the land does nothing more than express in simple and intelli gible language tho terms of the original contract and the understanding on which all the. negotiations had been carried on from the nrst. They complain that the rejection of the clause is a refusal to accept the expression of this understanding m definite language, and in order that there should be no mistake about their mean ing they contend that if tho land, on applying the test of actual sale, turns out to bo worth only 6s an acre, tho only possible solution is to give them more. Nevertheless, they deny that the clause is • a guarantee or that any legislation as to value will ever be required at all. ■ It did not eeem to me necessary to interpret this line of argument aa conveying an imputa tion such as would require immediate ex posure. I preferred to recall the Company in very dttieb language to their true posi tion* and to point out the inexpediency of asking Parliament to do what the Com pany themselves say will never be wanted. To this they have now replied that their argument la nofc rightly appreciated, but they replied that the clause is not a guaran tee, and end by throwing upon me the res ponsibility by initiating any fresh proposals. As to Mr Avigdor's scheme, I need not refer to it any more, as it has been rejected by the Company. I am bound to say that I look upon the new phase into which the business has so unexpectedly entered as being very grave. The Com pany's position is certainly a serious one, and they may noo be able to help them selves. My letters to you for a long time past have only been a chronicle of one failure after another in their financial nego tiations, and I am very doubtful whether, after such a series of failures, they will now $o;':able to get money_ at all without the guarantee. I hardly think, indeed, that they would have sent in such letters as they have now done if they had seen any prospect of getting money on other terms, and they may even find they cannot go back on wie •plan of creating a land trust. To the financiers with whom they have been deal ing the demand for a guarantee seems a very simple matter. 'The colony,' they say, 1 has promised to give land, worth a million and a quarter. What objection can there be to an engagement to make that promise good to us if. the land will not sell for the money?' and having apparently made up their minds not to find the money without the guarantee, their interest will Jbe= to throw, such difficulties in the way of any dealings with new people that the Company, may be brought; to a deadlock. At 'any rate, .let tn,e assure you that the time has come whe,n the Government and Parliament should make up their .minds'as to "thii Hndit they will go to in the way of concession".' I do not think lean usefully attempt any fresh negotiations myself until I know exactly which of the many amond mentsareacceptedand which of them, besides the guarantee, are rejected; But at all events lam quite sure that nothing whatever is now

possible to the Company if the land is not allowed to be made immediately available as a security. I have therefore felt obliged to send you in the last i&rr days two tele grams in which I have endeavoured to' make the position clear within reasonable telegraphic limits, and I shall await your reply with all the more anxiety on acCotittt of tho extreme reluctance I have long had (as both the Company and the Government are aware) to be Charged with any new responsibility in the negotiation. Yet I fear there is no escaping from it) now. The Government have drafted a contract which the Company will not execute, the Company have dratted one which the Go vernment cannot adopt, and we might go on for ever bandying amendments to and fro, were it not that the Company are in imminent danger of breaking down alto gether unless there is some power to settle here in London the concessions that may turn out to be absolutely necessary for get ting any more money to go on with the line*"

The correspondence closes with a mem 6 by Sir Julius Vogel that his Government had left the matter in the hands of their successors, the Augu&t agreement not having oome to hand till alter the recent general elections. When the papers were introduced by the Premier Sir J. Vogel said he wished to make a few remarks upon the subject, not in the way of objection, but rather in ex planation, as without some explanation hon. members on reading the papers would be liable to misunderstand the position, After the passing of the Act of 1886, which empowered the Government to enter into a mpditied contract with the Midland Railway Company, the Minister for Public Works (Mr Richardson) and himself were charged by the Cabinet to take charge of tho nego tiations which necessarily followed. After somo time a contract was arranged with tho local Board of the Company, which was to bo subject to the approval of the Home Board. As regarded that contract, he need only say at present that a material point which" the Government insisted upon was that tho railway should bo commenced not only from the West Coast, but also from the Nelson and Springfield ond, at the same time, having in mind that if tho two ends were not commenced simultaneously the railway might be confined to only one part of the island. The contract went Home to England, and the Home Board were un able to agree to it as it stood, and long negotiations ensued and continued up to tho time of the late Parliament meeting and the session expiring, The point most at stake was understood to be that the company de sired that somo provision should be made by which the land should be ante-vested before the various sections were completed, in ordor to enable tho Company with greater facility to conduct its financial arrangements ; but after the end of last session it was intimated to the Government that the Company Baw a difficulty in the way of obtaining sufficient capital unless some assurance was given as to the value of the land. About the end of Juneorthebeginningof July thocontract was sent out with the alterations proposed by the Company, and subsequently in August a fresh copy, with further alterations, which reached the Government just before the elections took place at the end of Septem ber. It was impossible for the Govern ment to deal with the matter then, and it was decided to leave a memo, for the new Government which might succeed, to the effeot that Mr Richardson and him self. (Sir Julius Vogel) wero of opinion that the proposals then made were of a naturo which could be moulded or modi fied into a shape satisfactory to the colony and the Company. Ho might say that the contract had nob been fairly considered by the Government, as it had not been brought) before them till after tho elections had taken place.

The "Evening Press" says:—"lf the Mid land, Railway question is a trump card in anybody's hands it in in the hands of the Go vernment, but tho simple truth is,ifc is hot a party question at all; it ia wholly a question of administration, which any Government which i 3 office must dispose of. The only difierenco between the new Govern ment and the late .Government with re gard to it is that, whereas the late Govern ment made two attempts to pub it on a practicable basis, and totally failed, the present Government can be depended on to do what has to be done in a bueiness-like manner. There is not really, however, any very seriouß difficulty at all. That is to say, the Government and the Company are equally anxious to arrange a basis upon which the Midland Eailway may be constructed in accordance with1, the spirit of the Act of 1884. The chief or the only obstacle to that is the Goldfield Acts. It- is recognised .on all hands that the mining rights must not be restricted. Not only have the Company no desire to ex clude the miners from any locality where gold may ba found, but it is of fche very essence of the success of their scheme that mining should be encouraged as much as possible. What they ask in effect, then, is that if any of their land is required for mining purposes they shall receive land elsewhere equivalent, not merely equal in area to that taken, and tho problom which the Government have to solve is where to find land which can be definitely set apart for that object. There are other points to be settled, especially for enabling the Company to acquire an actual property in their land grant, block by blockj aB they become entitled to it, so that financing may be facilitated and settle ment may progress. But they ask for noth ing, as far as we can see, which should be objected to on public grounds, and we have every hope that the Government will be able to submit proposals to Parliament at an early date which will be entirely satis factory to all concerned. This will be done in the ordinary way of departmental busi ness, and without the introduction of any party feeling or any political element what soever.

MEETING OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN.

In accordance with the circular issued, a meeting of the Chairmen of the various School Committees was held lasfc evening in the Mayor's private room. There were pre sent : His Worship the Mayor (presiding), and Messrs W. Gome (City), J. Jenkins (Newton), C. La Roche (Grafton), J. M. Shera«(Eemuera), W. Cole (Mount Eden), and J. Gordon (Otaraj. Mr Samuel Brooking was present in the capacity of Honorary Secretary. He read apologies from Messrs A. K. Taylor (Mount Albert) and J. Greenwood (Mount Roskill). Both gentlemen intimated that they favoured a reduction in the length of the holidays at Christmas. The business under consideration was the question of taking united action re shortening school holi days, and any other business that might be brought forward. — Mr La Roche explained the reasons why the meet ing had been called. He said that for his part he was in-favour of shortening the length of the Christmas holidays. At Grafton they had already tried to do so, and failed. He then thought it advis able to stake united action in the matter. He proposed, " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desir able that the Christmas school holidays be shortened, and that the school duties should commence on Monday, the 23rd of January, 1888, and that the Board of Edu cation be requested to issue instructions to the Committees to that effect, and that in future the holidays at Christ mas bo shortened to four weeks." Mr J. Jenkins seconded the motion. He also thought that it would be advisable to arrange for other holidays, such as, Bay, St.

Patrick's Day. It caused remark if holidays than other persons. It would be Hefight tho number of teachers to mas holidays to remain rithey J™- H* own experience ™'/X; ot™ ff January was an amount of strain on »"" { and scholars at the hot setogn, Wtato holding those views personally, yoi>«» Chairman of the Committee he must, >ata in favour of the motion in deference to thfl Wi hW the majority of his Commjte*: Ho feared that during the week cut oft Sere would be fully 1,500 eh ldren absent. Mr Shera said that as the matter had never been discussed by his Committee, ho could not speak for them. Personal yhe favomed reducing the number of holidays. Jme weeks at Christma. was altogether too ton* If children were attending boarding schools it, was perhaps advisable to give longer holidays, because the hours of rtndy *ero morelengthy. Personally ho was of opinion that the Christmas holidays should not ex ceed three weeks. Ho entirety'dtagmd with Mr Gorrie upon that point. He thought that the teachers would not be much Ag grieved, as, although the strain was con siderable, so wero the advantages, such for instance as the Saturday holiday. Ho would favour adjourning the meeting until each of them had laid the question before their respective Committees and let the matter be fully discussed. They would then most probably get a much larger at tendance. Mr Devore said that he, too, was unable to speak for the Ponsonby Com mittee, but he felt sure that tho Commit tee would favour the adoption of the motion. There was also the question as to whether the children would attend the schools in the month of January, and if they did nob the chances wero that the income of the Board would suffer in the matter of capitation. Ho would favour letting the holidays com mence on the 20th December in order to meet the difficulty raised by Mr Cole. He expressed surprise that there should bo much strain upon the children, as they woro constantly wandering about the streets at night. As he would like to lay tho matter boforo his Committee, he would propose '•That the conwidoration of the motion be postponed until Monday, the 7th of No vember, at 7.30 o'clock."—This was seconded by Mr -Gome, and carried un animously. Change ov School Books.—Mr Jenkins brought forward the question of the ad visability of petitioning the Board nob to change the school roading-books in the face of the present depressed state of the times. He wished it to be distinctly understood that it waa not out of lovo for tho Globe Readers that he brought the matter forward.— Mr Gorrie pointed out) that the previous resolution of the Board of Education had a« a natural consequence resulted in letting the stock of Globe Readers die out.

Periodical Meetings.—Mr La Roohe suggested the advisability of making these meetiriga periodical.—lt was decided to consider that matter at tho next meetiHg of the Chairmen of Committees.

Teachers Supplying Stationery.—Mr Jenkins said that some of his Commit tee were of opinion that it was inadvisable for head-teacbera to supply books and stationery to the children. They thought that this might be left to the shops—-at any rate in the city and suburbs. ConrOKAL Punishment.—-Mr Shera Baid that a good deal of discussion had arisen regarding punishing children. He saw that Dr. Lewis had been kind enough to lay down rules. Mr Gorrie said that some medical gentlemen differed with Dr. Lewis upon that point. Mr Shera observed that apparently in applying tho system Dr. Lewis had forgotten that there were two sexes attending the public schools. It was also decided to deal with tho question of making the truant; clauses of the Act compulsory in the suburbs. A vote of thanks to the Chairman termi nated the proceedings.

CORRESPONDENCE.

HOBSON-STREET WORKS,

(To the Editor.)

Sib,—ln your leading article laßfc night re the above, you say the whole of the credit is due to Mr Pond for having brought the matter to a satisfactory conclusion; the City Council also last night passed a vote of thanks to that gentleman for his exertions in connection with the same. Doubtless Mr Pond is entitled to very great praise for the manner in which he has worked in the matter, but there are others who are entitled to no little credit for what they have done. It will, no doubt, be remembered by many of your readers that some two yeax's ago the Council were about to spend a sum of £9,000 in cutting Hobson-street to a grade of 1 in 12, which would have made the street little or no better than it is at present for traffic. Mr Holdship was the only member of the Council at that time who opposed the scheme, and he was ably supported by Mr T. Constable, who called a meeting of the property-owners in the street, and paid for St. James's Hall, advertising, etc., out of his own pocket (and which is only now being refunded to him by a small sub scription got up by property-owners in the street). At that meeting a committee was appointed to try and devise some better scheme, and from them came tho preserit plan giving a grade of 1 in 19, which the City Engineer and Council at once saw was feasible, and adopted it. Mr Constable, as one of that Committee, was most inde fatigable in his exertions, giving a very great amount of time interviewing pro perty-owners, and obtaining signatures to the deeds, and which he succeeded in doing to a large extent. Now, we, the under signed, consider that had it not been for the action taken by Mr Constable at that time, in all probability the Council would have been allowed to perpetrate another of their many blunders, and Hobson-street would have been spoilt for all time. There fore we, as property owners, foel deeply indebted to Mr Constable, and take this opportunity of thanking him for the pluck and energy he has displayed in this matter. N. McCulsky F. D., Dawson Robert Duffy Philip Cbowe H. J. RIORDAN T. W. DOONIN P. Gleeson J. Corley Maurice Foley C. Hawkeswood J. B. BiiAuciE James Howdek Alex. McGregor.

OUR NORTH ISLAND CENTRAL LINE.

(To the Editor.)

Siß>—l quifie agree with the remarks of the " Otago Daily Times" that carrying the railway to Mar ton by what is called the cen tral route, will prove tho greatest white elephant our Government have ever yet be come possessed of, as well as add grievously to the burthen of debt and taxation we now eufler from, and none of our members

should be lukewarm on the "natter-" more especially any of our Auckland ones, and should there bo found one amongst them, as stated, that wishes to carry this line any further at present, he should never have a seat as our representative again. Let us by all means stop the railway a 0 Waititi for tho present, more especially as the "Times" says it will be the means of enormously curtailing the public works expenditure all over the colony by tho good example wo shall BO t ; and I would suggest that no more valueless lands be purchased beyond Waititi, and that the men now em ployed on the present contracts, when finished, shall be employed in m^ing road communication with Waitara, with the opportunities afforded them •of becoming settlers on the Crown lands we now possess at Awakino, Mokau, and tiie North of Wai tara, as well as on other good lands that may hereafter be acquired.—l am, etc., T. B. HiLJJ.

THE AUCKLAND ™™Kft STAR. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 29. 1887.

2



Drapery, Clothing. &c * TaJToMASTER, QHALDERS, & £JO. $ Have just oponed oub ££ o 2. New Dresses g* New Mantles CC tf ■ New Visites M £j New Hats P New Bonnets £2 <t| New Feathers and Flowkm •> 53 New Hosiery and Gloves New Ribbons S £j}' New Laces JPO U &0< *«• &c' 3 ~ 9 g PER AOBANGI. P -ft/jTcMASTER, CjHALDERS, & QO. pmcE | pmp | piUCE BEAUTIFUL LONG OSTRICH FEATHERS In Croam, Tuscan, Grey, Tan, and Pink. -i /» Just Received, a parcel -I /> Is nr) ofthoabove, to bo sold |g I)d X°-V.ii—at, tho very low price Qtmummmm W. P. OGILVIE, Victoria Sthket West. EVERY LADY HER OWN DRESSMAKER. To secure a Perfect; Fit and Nowost Stylo, try OUTTERICK'S fIUT BAPBE "OATTERNS. Metropolitan Fashions, Illustrating Patterns, monthly, Id each ; 2s per annum, post free, ' AGENT WM. P. OUIL VI E, _DRAPER. VICTORIA-STREET WEST. 7T ~R EAT "DARGAINB! AT THE BABYLINEN & LADIEB' UNDERLiNEN WAREHOUSE. 700 Pairs Ladles' Flowered and Plain Silk Gloves, in Tan, Browns, Navys, aod Greys, at Is; worth 1b 6d lo 23 Od. 1,000 Dozen Metal Buttons, all sizes and colours, at 3d per Dozen; worth Is Cd to 3s lid per Dozen. 600 Black Jet Buttons, 2d per Dozen; worth Is. 200 Dozen Assorted Frilhngs, at Id to Cd per nock length; worth iidto Is per neck length; beautiful and now goods. ..■ M 60 Ladles' Crinolines, at 2b lid worth 73 6d 200 Pairs Ladles' and Children's Beaded Cuffs, at 3d and Cd; worth Is to la 6d per pair. 150 Children's Coloured Dresses, lined, from 2a tfd to 7s 6d; worth 5s 6d to 12s 6d. 55 Ladies' Reversible Waterproof Cloaks, 5s lid; worth 16s 6d. . , ~, „ , 10 Children's Wool PellissoS and Walking Drosses, at 3s lid to 6s lid; worth 8a 6dto 12s Cd; bought a groat job. SO Girls' Wool Jackets, 3s Bd to 5s 6d worth 5s 6d to 9s fid. , ■„■_.-! 36 Dozen Children's Drawers, size, 1, 2, 3,4, 5, very cheap, per Pair, lid, Is, Is Id, Is 2d, and Is 3d. < linen and Ladies' Underlinen in Auckland. Men's Blue and White, Black and Whito Ties, from 9d and Is. P. DAVISON, No. 9. JUNCTION QUEEN & GREY STS. Booksellers, &c rNHAMFTALOUP AND COOPER'S \j LIST OF BOOKS ON YACHT and BOAT BUILDING and SAILING. s.d. Adams—From Stem to Stern 6 6 Boats of the World Depicted and Described H 0 Blddle's Model Yacht-building and Sailing 5 0 Biddle's Amateur Sailing in Open and Half decked Boats 4 0 Frazer, D.—Practical Boat-sailing .. ..50 Folkard, H. C—The Sailing Boat and its Management .. 16 0 Kemp. D.—Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing, new edition 27 6 Kunhardt s Yachts, their Design and Con struction 40 0 Neison and Kemp—Practicalßoat-building and Sailing 8 6 Nelson's Practical Boat-builder, Amateurs 3 0 Prescott'sSailmjyßoatanditsManngement 3 0 Eosser, W. H.—Yaehtman's Handy Book 4 0 Vaux, C. B.—Canoe Handling, American 6 0 Walton's Model Yachte—How to Build, Rig, and Sail .. .. 3 0 Woodgate's Oars and Sculls, and How to Use Them ..4 0 TO ARRIVE- Biddle's Hints on Yachting .. ....5 0 Davis, G. C, Practical Boat Sailing for Amateurs .. .. 6 0 Coyzen's Yachts and Yachting .. ..7 0 Hints to Beginners and Amateurs in Yacht Designing: 3 0 Kemp, 8., Yacht Designing and Archi tecture 45 0 Stansfl.eld-Hiok'sYachtß,Boats,and Canoes 12 0 76, QUEEN-STREET, AUCKLAND. ¥> E MO V A L. W. E. MEAES, BOOKSELLER, STATIONER, AND MUSIC SELLER, 198, Queen-street, Auckland, Wishes to inform his customers and the public that he has REMOVED TO NEW & MORE COMMODIOUS PREMISES, Mvo doors below Wellesloy-street, and Opposite W. MoArthur & Co.'a Warehouse, Whore he will be glad to see all his old cus tomers and as many new ones as will favour him with a call. ACHOICE STOCE OF BOOKS. MUSIC, AND STATIONERY KEPT, BOOKS, MUSICTSTATIONERY. Please Remember Now Address 216, QUEEN-STREET, Five doors below Wellesley-stroet. w. e,"mears, BOOKSELLER, STATIONER, AND MUSIC SELLER.



Public Notices- LITERARY COMPETITIONS THE STAB CHRISTMAS NUMBER. PRIZE STORIES, ETC. With a view to encourage the cultivation lof Literature in New Zealand, and at the same time provide additional attractions for the SPECIAL CHRISTMAS NUMBER the Proprietor of the Stab has this year resolved upon offering the following Prizes for competition : — No. 1. Christmas Tales. For Tales not exceeding in length three columns of the Stab, having special refer ence to Christmas time, and having the scene wholly or partly laid in New Zealand, the following prizes will be given :— Ist Prize - - - - £3 0 0 2nd Prize, handsome Volume on Now Zealand, value -£200 No, 2. Ladies' Competition. For Tales not exceeding two columns of the Stab, written by ladies only, and having for subject the love, devotion, eelf-eacrifice, or heroism of woman, prizes will be given as under:— Ist Prize - • - - £2 0 0 2nd Prize, Handsome Illustrated Book. No. 3. Juvenile Competition. Open to Boys or Girls under 16 years of age, for the best DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH Of New Zealand Travel or Scenery j and for the best NARRATIVE OF NEW ZEALAND LIFE AND ADVEN TURE ' (True or Fictitious), Each in length about one column of the Star, the following prizes are offered :—• Descriptive Sketch. Ist Prize, Handsome Book on Maori War (illustrated) - - £2 0 0 2nd Prize, Handsome Book 0 10 0 Narrative. Ist Prize, Handsome Book on Maori War (illuetrated) - • £2 0 0 2nd Prize, Handsome Book 010 0 NoA Conundrum Competition FOR THE BEST CHRISTMAS CONUNDRUM A Prize of a Handsome Volume will be given. No. 5. Humorous-Competition, TOR THE BEST ORIGINAL HUMOROUS ANECDOTE i Of New Zeakndl Experience and Character, not exceeding in length 60 lines of Star News type, a Prize of a Handsome Book will be given. GENERAL CONDITIONS. 1. Each competition is open to all New Zealand. • 2. All contributions must be original, not previously published, and written legibly on one side of the paper. 3. Communications must leach the Star Office not later than 15fch November, and must, in every case, be accompanied by the name and address of the sender, which may if desired be enclosed in separate sealed envelope, marked outside with a motto corresponding with the noni de plume attached to the competition article. 4. Competitors are requested to address their contributions, "Christmas Competition (No 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, as the case may be), Star Office, Auckland." 5. The Proprietor of the Star shall have the right of publishing any of the contri butions sent in. 6. Rejected MSS. will not be returned unless the author makes written application for same, enclosing amount of postage. ■ 7. The prize stories, etc., with the name and .address of the writers attached, will be published in the Star Christmas Number for 1887. 8. Competitors are invited to send pen or pencil illustrations with their papers; but this is not obligatory, and compliance or non-compliance with the request will cot affect the judging. FIVE COMPETITIONS I OPEN TO NEW ZEALAND. HUMOROUSt SENTIMENTAL I DESCRIPTIVE! Ad m/ra I Jo vetoes I Ladies ! THE STAR CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS. N.8.-rTha Awuxda will be ma/fc find the Prises forwarded bo qg to meh the winners jt>y OHRISTMAB P'A«>



Educational. TTNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND. DECEMBER EXAMINATION FOR MATRIC ULATION JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND MEDICAL PRELIMINARY. This Examination is to commence on MON DAY, December 5. Candidates must send in to the Registrar of the Univeraity, Wellington, oa or before SATURDAY, November bth (after which date no application will be accepted), a list; of the subjects in which they deßire to be examined, Bigned with all their names in full, accompanied by a statement of their age last birthday, and the fee of TWO GUINEAS. One Guinea of the above fee will serve for their first degree examination subsequent to matriculation. Candidates for Junior Scholarships must state the school or schools at which they have re ceived tuition during the last five years. Candidates who desire to pass the Medical Preliminary must state the fact in their notices. The places of examination will be Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, .Wellington, Nelson, Grey mouth, Christchurch,- Timaru, Oarnaru, i)un edin, Invercargill. W. M. MASKELL, ' Regiatrar, BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL FOR YOUNG LADIES AND LITTLE BOYS, Onehunoa, Conducted by General and Mrs STODDARD. Education thorough and high class. Religious and Moral Training. Cleanliness, Manners, and Good Food well attended to. Terms on application. ' Half Term begins November Ist. R (T~ 0 S W A L D Gives Lesson 3in Elocution, 12 to 2, at Mears's. Entertainments given' and attended. Terms in advance. Address—Champtaloup and Cooper, Queen street. ■ rpECHNICAL EDUCATION.—Inetrua- H t'*n in Geometry and Mechanical Draw ing.—\V. F. Burrows, Hill's Chambers, Queen street. H PICTURE-FRAME MANUFAC- M . JL TORY AND MUSICAL JNSTRU £.| MENT WAREHOUSE, _ g 88. Victoria-street, Auck.;«»l,iv O^ T. E. CARTBRi . ■ftiS TEACHER' OP MUSIC, " w| : VIOLIN, /j PIANO, CORNET, GUITAR, &G, &<f P=t Musical Instruments Timed and • & Repaired. Business Notices. JUST T ANDED, JU • :' ROLL BACON AND HAMS,' CHOICEST FEED AND CURE. ; : Fredk. "Whitehead, tea importer, VICTORIA STREET AND PONSONBY ROAD. _ j Friends who declined other brands can be supplied now. . I'.O.iJ. 284J [HIOH-STREET &, CDSTOMSiST. \V. 1 A RTH U R Ty" A S V,! MANUFACTURERS' AGENT AND WHOLESALE GLASS MERCHANT.. I ORDERS INDENTED. GOODS IMPORTED DIRECT.! QUALITY GUARANTEED. j j "Window Glass Plate Glass Wire Nails Portland Cement Chinaware Havanna Cigars, eto. FOR SALE, r i 1.000 CASES WINDOW GLASS (assorted size.)! /^The American i CORN BEOOM CO. EXMOUTH STREET. i"o"h bond, h'oTsb'. PONSONBY ROAD. AUCKLANU I ' W. COCHRAN* Sbira FAMILY BUTCHER. pAJfBB'JI.AS G I N GS. W. PHILLLWS k SON HAVEREOEIVifiD.iCX LATifi ARRIVALS 185—±*ACKAGES-185 CONTAINING 55,000 ROLLS OF fATERHANGINGS, CONSISTING^ NEW PATTERNS , :■ Tor Drawinpr, Dining, Bed- liooms, Hall ana Staircase, suitable forth Manaioß ! or Cottager BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS. AND BEST VaLUK. KV^Jfcl OFFERKO IN . PAPERHANGINGS. V 916 —Packages—9l6, , SCRIM SA N D HESSI ANS PLATE AND SHKKT GLASS, y WHITB : LEAD, OILS, TURPS. VARNkSHES. AND ALL TIUDII SUNDBTEA W. PHIL Lit PS & SON, SS AND 97, QUKBN-STBKET, , : V USE \ QLOSE BEOS.' Wf\ BLINDS OB1 rVriAS / m \ / jPERLB. \^Si Pronounced the best y^lue\ in Auckland. V /TRASS MANURE.— Freezing Co.'i. £ 1 v3r 10fl, of all jnerchantflt



Blnk«E»iiiK; t< , Qi>W| • -ltjl rate or interest -.ipplj to — i : 85, QuaftUb^ S mQu Been C B fe nei O^g< QUEENSLAND MOftWAGft W DISCOUNT BANKINa COMPASf, ■. Darbv«trbbt (off Quewti, ... "..■.;. AUCKLAND. Head Office: BBISBASg, Agencies: Auckland, Sydney, andUcHnm Monet advanced from £5 sadttpmi^u any amount reguireu, to suit the tern, upon Fareooal, Freehold, LoasehoM, omj Tangible Security, repayable in injfljd I may be arranged, either Weekly, Modify,« fl Quarterly Instalments, at lowest cnrmlßta, Bj Advances nudo on; Enrnittits^jftqpt» ffi moval; also on all kinds cl SercttaH H including Bond Warrants, otic. E| Bills Discounted at current rates. II Intervie\yß and communication?irf&fcW strictly confidential. . Offi^e'HoaraiFromlOtillßcfdKi.., ARTHUR Q OHB> LAND AND MONETARY ACUDTf. 24, gHoimuub«nuxT (Three Ptjors^past Stab 6fi»!, lam prepared to value VvA to AwW thecbraitry, lor te"a^fn^^Sflf| reasoijubleterms, AUland«>ld?)f»w«'« il laad I charge 2J per cent canafiM'!l' I am prepared tcY nogottetO;^fc^iw*'»f* Advances made pn Colonial «a ajaglirk W» _•. . : . -pollctes.4''^' r.-r Knglfthtf. I>ifl»*»^iSgS, Wills in sanwWtt^ip^ -KTEW ZEALANuIToHTGAGE, LOiS Jj^ AND DISCOUNT BANS, HIGH-STBEST _ , w e xt to Atkb'B BriptißgOM. .GRANTS LOANS, £S.TW> PERSK)NAD^ECUBmi pTrI w FREEHOLD .AND .IEASIiHOLL- SECCi . FIRST AND SECOND JiORTGAf* ANT AVAILABLE HECUHffIT, Bills DlsoountedatC"^ 114^ This Bank will recoil Deposits atth«** ing ratea of interests- ,— "" jpefcent 12montb8 !•»; .■-«?. ■■" imtti®} ».-frroontha •■-.'! f £§«#.* Repoymonts p er Wcek. jtjuj^ extending over., 2 years,. •• K^" ■ IB? 3 years.. •• \ fl 2 4years- •• qlO 0 l??i} 6 year?.. « gfi ]»» 6 yearn., •• 71 i lg.] a I 7 yean,.. •• \7 i gj I 8 years .. ■• gt 3 J»2** I The Board ha^erln^g^e^ ife«gs! j I^NE,Auck^^B^gßO^^ I Y^A^3i^| TTreellOld^.^SflrtaiiiinWl^offniJClifll^ I 1^77 II 1? 11l I 3yoar9— 'oil § j*s, I ■ 4yearß .. •■ \8 » itfgj J B.years- •• 0 6__*_—-rrjjefflf ■ 10jcor8^_^-^3^for«ir I