RANDOM SHOTS.

[BY ZAMIRU]

Home write, a neighbour's name to lnsh, Some writc-vuin llioutrht-for ncciifni cash, Borne write to pleasu-tl.e country cluah, And raiso a din.

Kor me an aim I never fasiJ^ yrit(J , or f|ln

Tfißltini.K 03 U the record of suffering and doath caused by tko recent enrtcq'a'-.ea in Italy and France, it eeoms a mere nothing by the- side of former disasters of a like nature that havo oecurrod within the his toiic pariod. To go no further back than 1822, thero wns a tr<.mondou? canvulsion it> that year lit Aleppo which caused the loss of 22,000 lives. Then tharo was the moraorablo " shake" at Lisbon in 1755, when it is computed that 35,000 live 3 wore sacri tieed to tlio euisdon outburst of theßiuoth ered rage of Mother Earth. Going further back, thero is a record of an earthquake at I'ektn in 17-11, when °.r>,ooo pig-tailed Celes tials wore overwhelmed in Eiiddon destruc lion ; and souio 2S years prior to that date an earthquako at Veddo, the capital of Japan, cut off 100,000 residents of that populous city. Uy the side of such fearful slaughter as tbls, haw ludicrous appears'the fn-ia which men make over tlio fatal full nf n brick on. .1 solitary podostrian, n il how absurd teems the popular o.itrry a«:ji')*t the violent xheddor of man's blood 1 'Why, Naturo is Ilia Supremo Murdered ami is well dopicted by Tenny hjii a3 Bavin;:—" 1 bring to life ; I bring to death !" It is adopting a uiodorato Oitimate to pay lint during the past 200 yeara over haif-amillion of human beings hive-met with .violent deatha by tho forces nf Mature, oporating with capiicious and wanton violence, in the form of oarthqnnkes n!one. Thi» figure wouli ba doubled were wo to include deatha from storm. Hood, fire and famine—all causes beyond human con trol and in most cases not tho result of any neglect of natural law by mankind. It is very hard, in view of these facte, to reach the conclusion " That not a worm is cloven in vaiu; That nut a moth, with vain desire, la snrivellei in afruitless fire, Or liucsnb3orveß another's K^ia !"

Men talk affectionately of Mother Earth ; fair Nature is tho delight of the poet; and a beneficent Providence is tho principal object of faith with the religions devotee; but tho late fearful experiences in the towns and villages of Northern Italy would lead to tho conclusion that the powers of ovil hive for a timo usurped tho government of tho earth. In tho popular mind, Nature is not associated with such nets of wanton ami deliberate massacre When a man die- in his bed of diseato or old age, ho is said to havo (lied a natural doath ; but when he ia struct: by lightning, swallowed up by an oarthquako or overwhelmed by a volcanic eruption, the verdict is that ho "died by the visitation of God." If that formula means anything it means that God ia less merciful than Nature. But again the old question will arise—" Are God and Nature then at strife V— a self-evident contradic tion ; and we aro perforce obliged with tho post to couelude thnt " wo know not any thing," and that in the presenco of such problom?, wo can only "faintly trust the larger hope!"

Our littlo New Zealand catastrophe - tiio Torawtraeruption- fiili? into utter in3igni ficnuee before the news from Europe, and 1 should think that one result will bo to re store- the confidence oi tourists in the com parative safely of our Wonderland. The reported discovery of new terraces in the Waiotapu Valley,, near Kotorua, should also do pometbing to attract visitors oneo more from all partß of the globe. In this c-.nnection, I mast give due honour to n prophet in his own country—l allude to Mr Goldor, the King of Prophets, whose prediction of discttrous earthquakes about the 11th February I formerly lnado light of. I spoke in haste, like King David of old, and I uwko haste to retroct ! Mr Golder did not suy at which part of the earth's surface the earthquake would happen, and he did not dsfioitely fiv adate, so that rhc-European earthquakes, happening within nine days from the time mentioned by h:m, mny reasonably be ac cspted asthefe which he fore?aw'aa following closely upon the crackling of rotten ojrgs. Some" European .'er, I obetstve, hrCd aleo predicted t'lo earthquake, and connected the rerjt.nt eclipse or the tun witll tiio occurrence. "There aro more things in Heaven aid Eur'li than are dienrnt of in our phi!o?nphy," and it is within tlia laogo of possibility thnt tho eupsrstitioua terror with which savige people view eclipses arises from traditions'}- tatea of disastrous earthquakes occurring in conjunction with those astroDOinical phenomena! At any rate I shall pay more regard to eclipses than hitherto, mid 1 shall no more sit in the ecorner'a chair when the King of Propho!? says "Rotten E?g3 !"

Tlioro ia water in the air—and, a* extremes - meet, tho antagonistic element, Fire, is aleo making its presence felt. There aru thoso bungled reservoirs at Wellington and Auckland, there id a poll on the water question taking place to-day at Mount Eden, there is the diecuseion about the purity of the city water supply, and there 16 that tiery discussion at Noith Shoro as to whether tha rising borough shall got its. water from a pump well or from Lake Takapnna. Leaving outsiders to look after themselves, let us contemplate for a few moments our city supply of the precious liquid. The Ponsonby Reservoir was cleaned out the other day, when, according to the official records, nothing more offensive than o lot of " fresh water lobsters " was discovered. It appears that a number of frogs had been put in the reservoir, but tho water was too pure for them.and they all died. After tho public have swallowed all the dead frogs, there remain the lobotors to fall back upon for solid diet,' in addition to the eo!s oc casionally disgorged from the water pipos. Ab I have formerly remarked, it is ex tremely {considerate of the Corporation to feed the people in this fashion during these dull times ; it relieves the distress without any danger of pauperising the population, and if there ehould be a dozen or two deaths from typhoid fever, why it's all the better for the -survivors !

The myriads of water-fleas found in the city supply are Btill unaccounted for, how ever, unless one should fall back upon the theory that they are introduced by a kind Providence, in some miraculous fashion^ for the benefit of tba distressed populace. Apparently there were no signs of those active creatures in the " residuum '' found at the bottom of the_ reservoir. But the source of supply ia still to be inspected, and it is just possible that it may be found . that the abbatoirs placed in close proximity to the Springe, and the hundreds of tons of night soil spread on the fields around, have been the breeding ground of "the lively flea." Such evidences of design in the manage ment of the city water supply betray the workings of great and beneficent and super human genius ! Have we not hundreds of builders and carpenters ready to erect additional fever wardß?

Here tea cold water episode that lately came under roy notice. About 9 o'clock ono night a drunken man was circuitously wending Ma way along one of the city streets. Hiß amusing gyra tions- were observed by a blue ribbon storekeeper, who, with more promDtneß3 than good sense, dronched tho inebriate with bis shop hoee. A gentleman who was passing remonstrated. with the store-keeper, but the only satisfaction ho received was . tho reply that the man deserved locking ffp. Granting that such was tho case, surely it was an excess of teetotal zeal on the part of tha storekeeper to drench a man outside because he had already got too much liquor within.

The next is a salt-water incident, and occurred on the-occasion of the regatta at Judge's Bay. It is chiefly of value as illus trating the touchy nature of some of our local yachtsmen when their craft are con cerned. It happened that a couple cf landsmen, intent on'eiijoying the afternoon in question,' were out in a rowing boat; and were iriddlgingin a fitj of langhter at somo emall-.joke that the timeandplace rendered doubly-enjoyable. It so happened, however, that by some ervil chance one of them glanced at the topsail of a passing yacht just as ar loud guffaw burst from him. The owner and steerer of the yacht In ques tion beard the laughter, »w the'glance, and construed'the double action to mean any thing bu'li a compliment to his trim built

craft. Rising to his feet he let forth the vialfl of his wrath upon tho surprised lands men. " What's the matter with my top pail?" he inquired, "d'you ccc anything to laugh at in it, you d &c, .Vn ':' As may bo supposed, the laughter doubled, and as the breeze carried the graceful cutter away beforo it, the yachtt-man could be seen trying to poo where the fault lay in his upper gear. The idea of his toppail being wrong seemed te havo quite spoilt his after noon, and it was not till he had a^ked several brother yachtsmen "if lih topsiil set all right," and had lowed oft"from his vessel in his dingy to look at hor from a dis tance, that he settled down into that calm from which the unfnrlunate laughter of tho two " landlubbers " had aroused him.

••♦ * i Yet another little story-thh timo a hot I water ono I In a curtain bi<r workshop in j town there was a frugal aitirtin who was; wont to makr his midday cup of chocolate by drawing a little water from v steam pipo near tho engine. In an evil hour tho pro prietor ciught him in the act of filching tho water and indignantly ordered him to discontinue tho nefarious practice. Such unhcar.l of audacity ! Ho would bo dis missed on the ppot if ho wai again caught taking water in that way ; but if he i-dally required it to mike his dinner (said the morciful man softening a lit.lt), there was a drip from tho ptoam pipo tint want through the urinal, and ho could li'l liin cup thero ' Mora tyf h >id ! ♦*. *.* . *»* On Shakespoare's dictum wa have it that "thero bo walor-sharl:.- llt-.l land-rlmrka s" in like manner there be wulor (leas and land- Heas. Of tho latter Miy one must bo pain fully conseioiH who attends any church or d!,ico of amusement at this' tcaron of the yoar, but after all thoy are more tolerablo than tha water flea-. Apro pos of land vermin, I havo just heard a good story ot a certain New Zealand warrior who may be accepted as " tho very model of a modern Major-Gonoral I" On one occasion liia force had baou out in pursuit of Te Kooti for a month, and all hands were re duced to a condition that caused thorn to resemble Falstafl'f ragged army. An A.O. man went up to the Commandor and faid, " Colonel, I can't go on any further." " Why, my man ?" asked tho Colonel. "Because, sor, I'm lousy, and wid the hunger atin'me inside, and thim omadhounsmo outside, there'll be none of me left for Jack Maori." "Lousy, man !" said tho Colonel, sharply, " ia that all? Why, I'm lousy myself; and, look here, my man, it's honourable to got lousy in pursuit of the enemy. Bosidee, my man, it shows if we didn't catch Te Kooti wo got near bim !" So with Aucklanders just now. —a vigorous scratching might aim'at bo accepted as presumption of regular church attendance. Tho proverb used to run — "As hungiy as a church mouse" ; it should now read—"Ad voracious a3 a church (tea !"

One of tho junior "Zumiola" who has something of a Joteetive's instinct brought in to mo tho other day an old crumpled letter picked up in Upper Queen-street, not far from the foot of Alexandra-street, and this 1 found to bo n moßt entortaining epist'o. It was a communication from a gentleman at Honolulu, addressed to the greatest match-maker of modern times — not Bryant or May or any of that lot, but the only original Hannaford. The writer begins by plainly asking :— " Will you be so kind os to procure for me a good, steady, young woman, 30 to 40 years of ago, as a housekeeper, cr perhaps sho might prefer it much battor as h wife I" There's an accom modating man, and ouo not difficult to pleaso, and there s,eoms reason to justify his further remarks—" I guees we shall be able to li>; tho business all right and squaro I" But ho goes on to state other conditions. Tho yonng lady must be of medium size, a bit good-lookiug, and Kng lish preferred; "but if sho is a widow n doesn't much matter, or oven a grass ono, so to speak !" Thoro's a bold man for you ; The worst I can wish him, as a punishment for hU temerity, is tint ono of Auckland's grass-widows shall take him at his word ! In another part of his gushing love-lotter hs says: — "This h a most beautiful climate;; in fact tho summer never leaves tho tky ; and whoever the parson may be I am certain she will not regret the change." I also learn that he iq not a bit particular what religion his "intended" may belong to; which is not surprising in a man who ia willing to take an Auckland, grass-widow into his house as housokeopor or wife — doeen't matter which! i don't know whothor the matrimony man has filled this ordor yet ; I fancy ho will have somo difii culty in doing so ; but the eccentric woosr has promised to send raforencea as to his character and position, and it will not sur prise mo to learn that the veteran hymeneal agent has despatched the " parcel " in good order acd condition] by mail steamer, to her destination at tho Sandwich Islands.

My fricDd, th=) editor of tha "Leader," has returned to the attack. He is not satUfi&d with me being a tce'otaller, for he ia shocked to feo mo " inebriated with tho exuberance of my own verbosity." But that is not my worst fault; I have spoken deepitefuily of tha blue ribbon, and I am therefore " a type of teetotaller who doL'S moro harm to the causo of temperance than dooi opposition f^otn any other quarter." I am sorry that this should be his opinion of me and my rasthoda, for I claim to have as warm a desire ns any one for the salva tion of my fellows from all sin and folly, and I lurthermore believe that tho ex ample of an unpledged teetotaller ia a thousand lime"! more valuable to tho can. ;o of true temperance than that of one whose resolution requires tho constant stimulus of a " bit of blue," a written document, or idiotic regalia. But while lam ia earnest, I claim the privilege of seeing the funny and ludicrous aspect of things as well as their serious side. To laugh at the bluo ribbon is not to condemn it; to ridicule the " fads " of temperanoe men ia not to decry their labours and thsir motives. Will the lugubrious " Leader " assert that it is not legitimate to joko with euch a theme a-j temperance, or that there is no humorous side to the movemobt? There are lights and shades in every phase of human oxperienco ; but while the pessimist and bigot see only tho gloomy side, " The man of lndeDemlcat mini], Ila looks and laufh: at a' thfit!"

To get away from the personal aspect of the discussion, and* back to the point at which it started- the proposal to get Queon Victoria to don the bluo ribbon—l havejuafe come across an extract from a London paper which I would commend to the editor of tho "Leader":—"lt is not generally known (says the paper referred to) that our Queen distils and sello whisky in her Highland home ; not quite literally, but so nearly so ac to amount to the same thing. The Lochnagar Distillery is Her Majesty's private property, and though it is managed for her t>y agents, a goodly portion of the profits find their way into the privy puree. The Queen is one of her own best customers, and gives away as much ' mountain dew 'in the neighbourhood of Balmoral every autumn os to make the pur chase of the article by her favourites quite unnecessary during the winter." That does not quite tally with tho enthusiastic declar ation of the " Leader " that Queen Victoiia ia a strong advocate of temperance. If she is, it must be on tho same Hoes aa those upon which Te Kooti proceeds, who advisos his followers to shun whisky, and not to bo deluded by his bad example.

Citizen Hannaford's idoa of a lighthouse tower,with a windmill arrangement for day time and a loud-c!aDging bell for timoa of foil, is not such a cranky ono after all. Talking tho other day with the chief officer of tho barque Algoa Bay, that gentleman casually remarked to me that when aailin." into Auckland the first sign of human prr sence that he observed was the SymonoV street windmill, and it was some time aft . before ho could make out a church steepu This proves MrHannaford to be right i' his assertion that a moving object like & windmill can bo seen at a greater distance than any stationary object of the same ditnotsione; and a windmill lighthouse, the sails covered with luminous paint, would be certain to attract tho attention of tho most ancient mariner afloat.

An amusing tale comes from one of our city schools. A family had removed into town' from the country, and shortly after wards one of the boys attended school. Some days subsequeutlvhe appeared with a lad a little less than himself, and said, "Please, teacher, will you let my uncle at tend this school." This caused a laugh, and then the uncle began to blubber, where upon his nephew patted him upon the shoulder and said, " Don't cry, uncle, don't cry." It is needless to Btate that this was too much even for the gravity of the teacher. I must draw my budget to a clo3o, for I have dropped into the story-telling habit to Buch an extent this week that I fear my readers will, think that I have got into my anec dotago <

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES.

Marnh IV—Henderson's Mill Turf Club Anmial

Meeting. March 17.—Northern Jockey Club (Whangaroi)

Autumn Meßtinß. Marchß and 9 -Wanganui Jocki y Club'a Aut nmi

Meeting. March 0 and !o—Vflptor Park Raeii X Cluli'j Autumn Me-tirj;. llarch 15. IG. 17—fi«Avke'j lluy Jockey Cluli'd

Aulnmn Jfc-tiop. Man-li l!)a«il 21—Northorn \S'.-.ii-oa Tu-f O:ub

Huced. March 31 tin.] April 1 -Tftuuakl Jo.kc-y C lub'a

Anniversary Meetins,-. April 11 and 12 — O.nturbury Jockey CUlli'd

Autumn Meeting. April 11 and 12 - Auckland Kacirig Club's

Autumn Meeting. April 111. T^kopuni .Trckoy Oluh Autumn Me t:ng.

TURF GOSSIP.

[By Hiitona.]

DußiN'ri tho forthcoming wuek tutfifcs will have Ilia YVangaaui Cup and Napier Park Cup to engage their attention, and aa sevoriil Auckland ownod horses aro engaged in tho two events, thero i<3 cortain to bo

some interest taken in tho rosulla. Tho vV rar.pranui Cup is run on Tuesday, while the Nnpier Cup coma* up for derision on (lie following day. Tho nnma* of tlio.-o horres who havia p-.il up tiro uh follows : — Wanoanim (!up, 2inllee.

For tho Witnganul Cup I think \S ruttiri nnd Silouco are tho boat goodil, and for the Napier Cup, Pearl thould bo tho hardest to beat.

Ritaplan (Nelson's yearling half brother) andTartar.thocoUby Musket-Steppe lately purchased by Chaate'a patrons, are already being handled by the veteran trainer. Tho first-named was very poor in condition when ne was submittod at tho Stud Company eale, and looking over the colt the other day I was greatly struck with tho improvomoni effected in him sinco ho bus beon under Chaafu's caro. He ha* a splendid eot of legs under him, acd equally good hocks, while hi* quurtors are almost an exact counterpart of Nolsou'd. Tho lop cars that tho colt possesses somewhat detract from his otherwise good appearance, but this i* a trilling nutter, and 1 shall look forward to his growth with some interest. Taitar is too small for my fancy, standing only 14 1, but nevortholoie I»o ii a bhapoly littlo follow, and ono of tho very boat-legged Muikuts that I havo ecdii.

I think when tho Australian papers como to hand it will ba found that Lochiol only managed to secure tho judge's verdict in the Newmarket Handicap by Clifford's clever riding, and had anyone else but tho crack New Zoaland honemau been in tho saddle, ie is more than likely that tliß result would have been reversed in favour of Abner. Speaking of the last namid it s"omB from all accounts that ho wan a wd in pickle for Hie race, and tho Now South Wales division swore by him. Almost ftom tho timo the weights appoarod Abner had been most poraatently sup ported, nnd bis not boing awarded the. racd mtut havo been a bitter blow to thoso behind the Eceno>.>. Ac a two-yoar old Abner was a downright good colt, nirl it will be remembered that nt the A J C Autumn Meeting in that year.with Sit 10!b, he ran Ma'chlock (Sit . r>lb) to a head in tho Nursery Handicap, tho six fin longs being lun in Imin. 17sec.

Tho Wrt Summer Mooting of tho Auck land Racing Club resulted in a prolil to tiio Club of over i'2ooo. This is a bib batter than tho Wellington Hieing Club, for their balance sheet for lust month'*mooting which has been made up, ehoivs a los 3of upwards of £"300.

Tho following aro tho n.unesof those who have made tho final paymont for tho Napier Handicap, Ij! mile, run at ll:i!tingi on the 15th March: — st lb at In Pathi .. .. 9 I Somaii .. .. i! 11 Mosiio Qu'uidn .. !! 0 l*dy Xm-uli ..0 10 Tlgrldla .. .. S 0 ThaLiirJ .. I! 1» Pearl .. .. S f! Salisbury .. [I '.I Si coca .. .. 7 VI MTStory .. .. (i 7 Cinderella.. .. 7 10 BlvuluC .. .. ti 7 Britiali Liou ..7 0

Tho mail steamer Alamoda, which paesoii through hero thi« week from Sydney vii route to San Francisco, hid ou board a two jear-old CDlt, Trus Briton, by John Bu 1— Huby, and a yearling colt by Uoldsbiouyli frcm Rosemary, the latter bting purchased from Mr Andrew Town. They .ire both tho proporty of Mr J. K. Newton, a, gen'-lctnan who U making this tha first step towards opsning up a trado in thoroughbred horsts between tho colouies and America It U said that True Briton and his companion, should all go well with them on tho voyage, will be entered for ths principal races on the Amoiican turf for which thsy are el gible.

With reference to tho raco for the Poncho Stakes at Wellington, in which Nelson was penalised 14!b for his handicap victories, the "Australasian" has the folloiving in its "Answers to Correspondents " :—"F.N*. G." (Auckland) -Tho condition?, " weight forage race," and "any race or race?," as gathered from ths amounts of 300jovj, 500sova, and 1,000<0v3 with the weights, 71b, 101b, and 14tb, ore undoubtedly con nected, and therefore do not apply to the winner of a handicap. The lust day of the Dun din Jockey Club

Autumn Meeting witnesacd ths Auteros — Sylvia colt, Silver Prince, in great form, for he annexed two of the leading races on ths programme. When Silver Prince w« purchased by the Hon. W. Robinson during the time of our big Summer Meeting, ho was just getting well, and from what I have seen him do in private I feel co ivincod thit he will further add to hie recent victories.

It is not often I (" Asmodeous " in tha Melbourne Leader) indulge in the provincial praotico of peering into shop windows, but when receptly passing n jeweller's shop in the heart of the city a boauti'ul object il'art arrested my attention. Even then I don't know that I would have tarried but for the plain word " Mata," in bold letters, catching my eye. The inscription pulled me up with a round turn, and further ex amination revealed the fact that the trophy was commemorative of Mata's victory in tho Adoluido Birthday Cup Originally valued at £100, it was labelled " £70." " Vurth the money to boil down," ra marked a vetoran Hebrew practitioner, who had boen intontly quizzing the prze, though ovidently unable to porceivo 11 sufficient margin for profit to induce him to enter into a deal.

I notice by late Australian papers to hand th.it tho Dunodin Cup winner Adamant, by Traducar—Ada, was awarded tho blue riband a-i the best imported blood stallion at tho Bhow of tho Eroughtou Creek (N S.W.) Agricultural Sociaty. At the annual meeting of the Clnrenco (N.S.VV.) River Jockey Club, the report said that the totalisator question had nob been pushed on ai far as deeired : but the committed had not lost sight of the matter, and hopsd ore long that the Legislature would be inducad to take somo notice of the queition. Several membors expressed their opinion that the matter should be pushed on as speedily a3 pofsiblo, all agreoing that tho legislating of the totalizator under pro per control would give a great impetus to bonafide horse-racing.

Scot Free and Magnesia were shipped to Napier on Thursday to fulfil their engage ments thero, and M. Carmoo'y took tho two year-old filly Queenie to Wanganui on tho same day.

The Eclipiie Stakes at Sandown Park has eclipsed the English Darby in point of value; the Dorby still holds its own among the time-honoured races or the old country, as the following list will show :— Eclipse Stakos £10,000, Darby £4700, St. Lc-ger £4420, Two Thousand Guineas £10C0, Oaks £3250, One Thousand Guineas £2950, Epsom Grand Prize £2637, Prince of Wales Stakes (Goodwood) £2600, Corona tion Stakes (Ascot) £2450, Barwicko Stakes (Ascot) ;£2435, Prince of Wales Stakes (Ascot) £2425, Middle Park Plate £2385. The value of tho principal handi caps last year was—Manchester Cup £2201, Leicestershire Spring Handicap £1575, Lincolnshire Handicap 1624, City and Suburban £1374, Cambridgeshire £1105. Chester Cup, [£1137, tnd the Ceearesitch £94.

The Victorian millionaire, Sir William Clarke, has at last won a couple of racoa, his representatives, Fish o' Silver, a eon of Angler and Nevada, having pulled off the Visitors' Gift at Launceston ; and Mohotti, by Darriwell from Romulo, the T.R.C. Handicap.

An English sporting writer makes the following comment on tha American r.orsf Foxhall:—"lt seoms but yesterday i-inrc. I'oxhill ncMinpli-thod hia unpronodonftd double event, and short as is tho timo, calamity neomp to havo fnllon on everyone connected with tho horse The owner has como tv grief in lii^ own country, tho piincipal winner ia n heavy dofaulter, tho KOiltor of tho comtntfsiondiod in an asylum, one of his two 'jockeys broke his neck and tho other committed oiiicido ; nor could any substantial benefit bo .--aid to havo accrued to tho trainer."

I notice by a Frecmantlo (Woiiorn Aus tralia) paper that an Aucklander named Mr F. T. Chath'old, lately in tho omploy of Messrs Garlick and Co , Imf manufacturod over thoro a toralii-ator machine on tho pamo principle as v. c:l by Messrs Hill and Poole, of Kapin-. 'i'hp. machlno ha? Iwson purchased by Messrs llatdy and Filg.ito, of Freemantlo.

An Englihh piper, speaking with au thority, says tiiat tho Duka of West minster hai! refused tho splondid offer of £20,000 for iii-i champion Ormonde Another print, " Truth," in ita remarks on thn entries fnr Iho A«mt (Tup, thus dolivcra ii^eii : -"Onuoiide ia HOC O(i|<tt(:ed, and 1 hear that the IlarJwicko Stnkca and tho Champion Stakoa ai'o to bo hia only racaa ihis year, if, indeed, ho runs again : for t.hero is reuHOii to boliuvo that, tho best hits boon teen of him, and it will probably ba found in Ihn ppring thnt ho has ' goua off,1 as hiij baon the late of so many 'crack' Ihree-yoarold?, In that ease Ormondo will not again bo seen on a racecourse, an the Uulto of Westminster would not run the ri-k of liAving him beaten to.- any non sltlerniion." CONDENSED ITEMS. Tho Oliarapion Stakes is run this aftor noon at Flemington.

Itopo'a fcratehing for all ongngemoutH at tlio Dunediti ..meeting was inuxplicablo to people lliaro. Both My Idea (dam of Nelson) and llonli- Ration (dam of Wapiti) woro served by King (' ilo tliis ynar.

Mr (!. Boyd, a prominoiit Now South Waloa panoillor, passed through liero this week in Hie miil eteamor en roiilr to Eng land.

It ia stated that Commotion is now al most out of danger, and there is every like lihood of hia boing ablo to jjin the lUt of stallions.

Mr G. Hunter, a Napiar pport, has pur chn»od from the Christchuroh Middlopark Stud C.impany the two-yoar-old filly Whispor, by Albany—Toll-Talo. R. Elli?, who was co lonp connoclod with tlio Hon. .1. White's stablo, and who aovorcd his connection with that party, will lieneo forth bo closely identiliod with Mr T. La mond's atablo.

Ever sinco lih withdrawal from tho Australian Cup.Tronton Ims bjun restricted to walking exercise, but it is considered likoly by his trainer that lie will bj a bio to undorga anolhor preparation. A fiindon linn of photographers pays i( could havo snlil ten thousand pifitnrua (if Archer, lho jockey, on the announcement of his death. It id atill struggling to supply tli(idomaiul. Mr R Miteholsoi.'a colt Tivntnn, by Musket—l'ungowororero, wa" amonj; those who Rtarted for tho Ascot Vale Stakes at tho V .1! C. Autumn Mooting on Saturday last, but ho failod to gum a place.

Turf statistic-i in England {jive Gooiyb Fordhanvs list of winning mounts i-inee the commencement of his career as 2.47.), and ono writer eaya of him tlut for judgment of paoo and " kid " ho was never equalled. 110 is now in hid 50th yoar.

Two or three day-, previous to tho Now marltot Handicap boing run, Mr.!. Thoinp Ban, tho owner of Ma?lor John, undo tho announcement' publicly -rntlior nil iiiiasn.il thing— that the roll would bn ridden by (Sorry, tho crack light weight.

On txc< mornings previous l.i (ho do ciaion of thu Nowmarket Handicap Loehiol misbehaved himself by bulling with his rider (a diiT;ror.i, on-i each time), and traversed about tliroo milo! bororo ho could bo pulled up.

The rooontly imported English lnaro Georgia, by (Joorgo Fro Jerir.k — Young Ite-dciiona, by Thorimnby, who wns pur chased by Mr Uobertsap, of Fernv.i'o, Ticauaraba, Queonslanrl, iVih dropped h fine colt fonl to Sfcruau. win in by Blair Athol, out of Terrific, by Touchstone

The English " Racing Calendar " Rives a return of the English foaling* for ISSii. Kir Bevyp, tho luc'iioa' ol Derby winners, is re prtvcntcd by 37, which is I ho laraest return. Tho total number of foaU U '207'J, mado up of 1047 colta and 102.J lillicn. In 1885 the colts nmnbored 054 rind tho tillies lO^li.

According; to Uto Enelish tilel,a propsil will shortly b.i nude to uo av.uy with ilid ■it 71b limit in handicaps and tho matter left to the discretion of tho hondicapoeri", as a'.--o tho miximnm impost. Many scnsiblo reaHons huva besn advanced why such should bo tho case.

Silverton, a colt by Tho Assyrian from SiU-erthroad, by St. Albans from Silver hair, who won the Two-year-.iM St.iko." at Lnuncoston, is dofcribed a? boinc ono of the ba;t of hH Bgo iv tho colonies, nnd i;o^d judges predict a fjreat future for him Bothwoll i^ :k\'O highly spoken of

It may bo intore«tin(» tn know that tho much rea.l-of English trainer \V, I'.Anson traina for no le=3 ih.in 13 owners »s well aj for !.i:E9olf, find when tho la=t mail left England ho had SSboraes in work, of which 2") wero two year-olds, and I" a year older His winnings la3t year amounted to up wards of £17,000.

RUSSIA'S PETROLIUM KINGS

SonietMns About the Firm That Con trols the Oil Trade.

The cablo despatch reporting that the Standard Oil Company intended to buy the oilinteroate of Ncbel Brothore of Rus sia did nob !osk plausible, and iva? promptly denied If it were true it would indeed bo noteworthy, for Nobel Brothois iiro tho kinpfl of tha Kus.-ion patrtfloum industry. It was thoy who revolutionised tlio oil business at Baku and tiindo tho Caspian petroleum si formidable rival of the American producf. The Nobel family ava Swedes, and tboy havo n remarkable reoord. Tho father in vented a torpedo, which ho pold to llnssii for a largo sum of money. His son Alfred, an experienced chemist, is famous as tho in ventor of dynamite. Two other sons, Lud wig and Albert, created tho petroleum in dustry of Baku in its present enlarged form. Eievan years ago, when they wont toßiku, the town and its oil refiaerioa woro scarcely known. This is what tno Nobols did to miilco Baku and its petroleum famous. Oil at that time was delivered to the ilif foront refinorios from the vrell.-", taolvo miles diatant, in ox carls. The Nobols startled old fogiea by building a pipo lino, and to day there are i>ixty miles of pipe and an average daily discharge of 2,000,000 gallons of crude oil at Baku. Their second reform was an improve 1 method of borit:;;, which doubled tho yiold of oil, Their third innovation was to build cistern Pteamcra on the Caspian, which carried tlio refined pro duct ii bulk up tho great Volga river, thus euporEoding tho clum.-y and oxponsive system of transport in barrels. Now oi! is coDatantly being pumped on board Nobel Brothers' steamers at Baku, and (ha entire load of 200,000 gallons is shipped in four and a half hours.

Then tho Kobel.s organised a systom for the cheap transportation of their oil far and wido in Europe. The product ih pumped from (ho eistorn steamers into t-»nk cars, each carryiiu; ten tons of oil. This ono firm is now constautly running sixty oii trains, with twenty (ivo c.srs in each [rain. Their fifth innovation waa also a startling novelty.

During tho winter inoDtha no oil can bo carried into Ku^sia over tho frozen Volga. This is tha very time, of course, when the greatest quantity nf oil U needed. The A'obels therefore built ia various parts of the einjjiro twenty-six great atorngo depot?, whicu are so l^rga that ;hoy wil. bold Ilus eia's entire oil supply f.r a yo.-ir. In the summer Iho.-o depots sve (iUecl with oil, which is distributed by cartloads during tho winter months all over tho ctupiro. Tho Nobela' oil is Bold largely in Germany, and in Russia the firm is now selling 54,000,000 gallons a year. Here is an illustration of tho perfect system to which these men have reduced their great business. In ;ho olline at St. Petersburg hangs a large eoalo map of tho Kuadau empire. It is tha business of ouo of tho clerks to mark on these maps with little fljgs tha position of fall tho oil traiiis in accordancs with the teiegraphio infor mation ho ia constantly reoeiving, Tho members of tho firm aro therefore nbla nfc any moment to tell tho exact position of each of their sixty oil trains.

ATHLETIC NOTES.

(i.V AOT.TON.)

FIXTURES.

CRICKET. March -t and 7- English Team v. Vic.t--.rla. Bi.irch U and 10-WeilinK on v. Napier. March 11. 12 und 11-ttrgluh Team v. Kaat Molbaumo O.C. SENIOR CUP. March 12 und 10 -Gordon V. Auckland, Ilolli'.ni'd v. Ui itod. , , March 2ii und April 2-riollaud'd V. Aueklarid, Gordon v. United. JUNIOR CUP. March 18 ani 28-Parnell v. HollandV; Nntionil v. Honlon ; Onclmuga V. Unitid ; Auck land V. OnehuaKu United. SECOND JUNIOH. CUP. March 12 and 19-Domain Q. H V. Albany; Wiii-eimiUL'ml v. lJurdun ."nl ; Jtiohmoud v. Kli!.i; * uokland :) dv. Aljilm.

AQUATICS.

Much 1-2-A.8.A.. ltcftflttii. him ixsf ltiulanv. liiiiidiuir. United Statoa. July. ISSr-ll.viilan v. Teenier, Unitod Staiw.

Till? Auckland C Q. and tho Unitod started

their ictiirn match la-t Saturday, and it promUo-i an exoUinp; finish from how scores stand now. Auckland winning tho toss, wont in on a la aman'a wiclcot, tho Key. I. Richards and Hawkins starting. Tho

latter was Boon run out, and Stomaon clean

bowled Dowosi, who filled tho empty creaso, aftor ho had tuado throo. lUrton was noxt mnn, anil ho :tt occo started hitting, am.'

jjavo tlio United a tasto of hia old etylo. HiH cutting and driving was splendid, novel1 :i clnuinj being given until lio failed to got fairly mulor mio from MacCormick and MePhor.-on hold it in tlio long tijld, Ilia share of tho total was SI, all obtainod by frea aggressive oriokot. O'Brien and Arneil woro both <jot rid of cheaply, but C. F. Raid proved an üblo partner to Barton, and whilo tho pair were at tho wickots tlio score was lirought from 45 to 13* Roid was ro- Hpunsible foe 42, not out. \V. W. Robinson wns ilia only othor batsman to do anything, and when A. MacCormiek boat him ho hint 10 to his credit. Gardner rotiiod fiwt ball from tho b:\uic bowler, and Stowurt did not stay long, whilo Boalo only managed to eo euro a ainglo whon ho was slumped oil Stamaon by llarvio, and tho Innings closed for 159. Ba ton and Reid woro responsible for l'2t> of tho^e, extras 4, and tho cthor nino players only put up 29 between them. With but a short tiino to play, 0. Mac- Cormick and llarvio started Unitod'a ven ture, and tho former commoncod posting tho bowling at once, running out to Arneil and Boalo Tn Rno stylo, and whon tho stumps woro drawn had 10 to his credit; Harvle (not out) 3, extriw -I, ttitiH leaving tho United 14i! to got next BaturJay, wliou tho match will bj continued.

Tho mutch botwuen (lordon an 1 Holland will bj a closo ono. At proHent lho eeoroi stand, Holland 7H, Uordon -IS for S wickota, (Jordnn having t.ivo wickets Id full and 81 runs to got to win. Holland battud lir.»t, but Hoard was tho only ono to luuko anything liko a stand, and after aiviug a hot cliauco early in Ihu day he rapidly r.»n up SO. K. Mills (10). VVillstoad (IS), Wallace (II) woro tho oily othcr.-t to ma'co a scoro, Gordon atartod very wu!l, and Holland'd suiiporlors did not liko tho look of things when Kittling retired for i 1 with tho scoro at .">:! for ono wicket, but sovan wickotH could only put on anothor ];"ij L Moldrum mado 1!), and Morosby 5. C. Mills obtaincil 5 wioltols for 20 and 11. (iauld 5 for ITi, \V. Moldrum ". lor '2.'!. 1,. Moldruai 2 for Id.

WaUomati and AuckUnil 11. sturtod tholr much, and ac prcaont Uio (,''>"> L' stands:—Auckland, Ist inning, f'">; eooonrl innings, 11 for oao wieliol. Waltomatafil. Noill (JO) was tho only Auckland player to roach double figures, while Stitchbury auncio-Je.l in obtaining 10 as tho highoat sooro for Waltematn.

Onehungn UniloJ rolled up for tho firtt limu un Saturday, when thi y mot l'arnell. Thoy wore noon disposod of for l:1. run?, Miough both Brown and Angus, PjrnoU'a b.iu-lui?, were nway. I'arnell ronpondod with 117 for fivo wickets, thus winning thu match. Jordan was not out 85, «nd Crowo 31.

Auckland 111. beat Uos.borry by oi^lit wiekota, tho tcDres boing llosobeny 07, Auckland 43 for tsu wickets.

Alphi put Kichmond through by eevon wickota.

1!, WhitoaiiJo playing for I'arnall against Oneiiiin.'i, raado n coupla of beautiful strokaa for H and I Ho was out for 11

It iloo-i n it look o.ttru well when Uni'd'ti host bjt i^ mi-sing ovary Saturday tint tho United are in tho fiold lirst

It vv.w hir.l liurs n :! Ansnnno, Iho list man out for Gord.i:i in th-i m i":h -vith H-jllasd, than ho shouM bo btwlwl .-.i.i a half-vulloy ju-t as Iho boll rang. Gu». Hiil ma'io a splendid catch in tha slips in tho match uf^'risi: Or.ohunga. Thu Miowint,' tables fin* Iho bitiing and hnwline ovarascß of iho English toam '" Australia up to tho dato of tho last match, Fobruary 21 : —

Some bit; hitting was shown by Cox last Saturday wnolc in v match bntween Iho thir.l clcvfrw of tlio United and Midland Cuba at Chrlil-ohurnh. Hi wont to the wickota with tlio total at 10, and enrrc] his bit for 71 ontof ascoro oflOO. Wo made •2.1 oirono ovor, Iho hits baing (i, 4, (i, ■), and n •I Dunn, nn Irish nmn.tonr, who Ic-r.rnt his eriokot at Harrow School, and linn ra prosentod Surrey, scored no lees than four teen oont'.irio? while jjl.iying in the Eniora'.i] i.«lo during the jHiefc RO.'iooti. It liag been rumoured lately that. Chttrloy R.innorman won <.'"ins hoini t>) Kngland under onpjeoniont to Lord Harrii, but it ii doubtful if the onra brilliant butpmnn will too fho Kentish grounds agnin as a paid pvofenfir.nal.

H Musftrovo made 10S for t.ho Theapinns against Kasfc Melbourns )n-t Saturday weski Tho thoatrieala compiled tho larpo score of 350, and tno first wiokot did not f.ill until 100 appeared, nnd only tliroo wickofs wore down when tho third coitury was roaehed. \V. Ford rea !e 95, of which 80 wora made by fourors.

A few facts in connection with fhn recent victory of Iho Now South Wales cricketers over tho English professionals are worthy of noto. No* South Wales batted first for tho total of 111 on n. wer. wiekot Tho next day Shaw's team had ft bottor wicket to bat on, and splendid weather. Shrewsbury nnd Bates started. SovonmMdnna woro bowled, a bye run and nsingle, and Shrewsbury was eloflnly boaton by Tumor, ecoro 1 0-2. Bar low took his place, and continued play til! lunch, ivhon tho scorostood at 42, Bates 3-t, bye* S. Aftor lunch, tho scoro at 40, Bar low was bowled for 0, having bpon at tho wirltols over fin hour. Section came next, and ho wia bowled for dunk also ; 3 0 51— Bates, tha only man out of four to score, and then tho great bat Muurico Road camo, and hi retired in hia third ball for 0 Turner bowled tho wholfl four, tho scoro at 51 Tho Englishmen had fivo ducks in tho first innings, and both Shrewsbury and Shcrwin h.ida pair of fiporw In the eocond innings I.ohman obtained G wickuta for 41 runn, while Turner had S wickets for 32. and G for '27.

Socrotarieß of clubs wnuld obligo by landing in early notps on thoir matches.

CYCLING

Frad Wood, the champion cyclist, lias expressed hia willingness to rido Uolfe from ono to ton miloa for £100 asido within cix week's time. Stcvon'd tour round thg world on n bioyclo liia terminated successfully. Ha has travelled 11,700 mile? ninco ha started in April, 1884. Thoro has Inen a littlo trouble in Viotori* about Con Dwyor, tha Amateur Champion of Australia, compotiug in tho toft bicycle races with the English Drofosf-ional?. The Victorian Union refused to sanction his ridiner, evidently thinking that that would ba Fufficiont for Con.but ho resigned from his club in Molbonrne (H eFernside) and joined tho Surbiton in Sydney, and the Victoriana oro properly riled over being co cutely euchred. Dwyor intends to take up hia residence in Sydney now. '

I would suggest to the Waitemata Bicycle Club that; they should take steps tn bo represented at tlio meeting tn tie hold down South during this month and In April, at which tho ton miio and twonty five mile Championships will bo run. The expenses of a rider would not be heavy, and what is wanted i» that if a rider is eont ho should go a? the recognised repre pontativo nf Auckland. To day'a riding in the five-mile Champion Raca will bo a good lino to go by, and I commond tho suggestion to the Olub and all well-wishers of cyelinp hero.

Tiio following aro tho gro^a rocordsof tho world from a quarter up to 10 miles: — Quarter-milo, 4.j500, August 29, ISSS, F. 11. Shakelford, Sydney, N.S.W. ; half roilo, lmin 2G-ec, Anptnst 29, JBSS, F. H. Shakolford, Sydney, N.S.W. ; throo-quar terß of a mil-j 2min Gsoo, August 29, ISSS, F. M. Shakelford, Sydney, N.S.W.; one railo, 2min 51 4-Bth eec, March 14, 18S6, F. H. Shakolford, Melbourne, Vio ; two milea, smin Ri 1-flth sec, August 25, 18SG, J. H. Adams, Eastbourne, Eng. ; throo miles, ilosin 10 2-stti sec, August 20, ]SS(i, A. Blunt, Gloucester, Eng ; four milus, 12,nin 3S 4 fitli sec. Juno 4, ISS.'i, R. J. Maorady, Dublin, Ireland ; fivo miles, liimin :ilser, March 14, 18S0, F. 11. Shakelford, Molbourno, Vio, ; six miles, 10 mm 42aec, Außii't 22, ISSS, C, W. Bennett, Sydney ; fovon miles, 23min l(i-:ec, August 22, 18S5, C. \V. Kennott. Sydney ; oi;:ht miles, '2i3mm Glace, August 22, 1880, C. W. Bonnott and if. 11. SlTukolford (dead heat), Bydnoy; nino miloa .".0 mln Olaoc, August 22, 1885, 0. W Jionnott, Sydney ; ten mile.", Jilimin 29-:oc, Aii'ust22, ISS.'i, C. It. Wood.Sydnoy. Vlj-liik at'li-t : (J U a.ler-milo, :!:! -I Otli BOC, January 1, ISS7, Fred Wood, Aa.Hocialion (iround, Sydney.

AQUATICS.

Moat of tho Rowing Clubs have crows in training for tho Association Regatta, which is to taUo place next Saturday. Tho twenty-four hours' swim at tho London Aquarium was won by VV. Beck with, who covorcd a distanco of 24), miles : Collier, of Balford, was second with 2?< ; tho third man was J. Haggerty, o! Slay bridge, v, ho rotired aftor covering I!) mil.s Thoro will probably bo two ocoan yacht roces tliH season acroaa tho Atlantic. Thoro will tirat of all bo tho groat Inter national Yacht Race for £1,000. undor the auspices of tho Koyal Thames Yacht Club. Tho AY.v York Yacht Club, in order to IhSroughly test tho eea-going qualities of tho American yachts, intend to have a Bweopatako raco from Sandy Hook (New York) to Qaeonatown, This last race will be conlinod tj American built yachts

Theßailinrrrac:satt!ic.Judgo'tfß:iyKogatta last Saturday resulted very unsatisfactorily owing to thoro being little wi:sd during the afternoon. Tho Cloud, with tho Jessie Logan's lead ballast and topsail, rompad home ton minutos ahead of tlm others in tho yacht race, while tho Aid (Bailoy'a now 18 footer) would not havo boon Jiblu to linish in timo to secure tho lirst pri/.o if it had not been for the wind springing up at half-past six. I. hear there U a d.siro on thu part of all concerned in tho races laab Saturday to have a ewoopataka racs. 1 hopa it will como to something, and suvoiul other boat.B might The following ih un extract from tho Socre tary of thoOtagn llegatta Club, received by tho Secretary of tho Chris tchureh Kegatta Club: Now I think tho limo has arrived wlion atop-i Bhould be taken to form 'a Boating As-eolation for Now Zealand, with tho view oE deciding upon a class of boat for int:r provincial racoi, also to fix whero tame races nlial! bo hold from timo to timo, talc-

ing Auckland at tho ot,o end and Inver (.•ar^'ill at tho othur, and. altogetbur, to stimulate boating in Now Zealand, Would it not bo a very good timo to. got an ex pro9rio.ii of opinion upon tho abovo at; ono of your ni'jotings in connection with your [nestings in connection with your present regatta, and thus not tho ball a-going in the riyht direction '!

ITnnlan will not loave Americi for Aus tralia boforo July or Augaat. His visit is put o(V .-o long in order to give him a chanco to scull .Tako Oaudcur, tho champion cf Amorisa. Should tho latter win, thoro will bo no necessity for llanlan to como out, caitninly not na th'j reprepentativo of Ainorici, though ho miy make a private mutch wi h Jieach, From lato liles 1 fiid that a rswiog combination has b;on forraod in America of soaao of tho beit einglo seullors in tho cjuitry, nnd that no uro ucon likoly to bo swamped wilh watermen. .Tako (laudaur will surely go to Australia, and John Teomor intend.l! to hnve anothor trial with Beach. Albert Hamn and ,1. Ton Kyck will also go, and Hani:'.!) ij mflting preparations in tho namo .li.oction. Tiiis quintetto will row in siiml-!--, doubles, ftiiil poss-ibly make up a four oared crew, if Euch a raco c»n bo ar ■anged.

ATHLETICS.

A mate!) has boi'ti arranged between Myota and Onorgo for £'200 a fide. Die ianco' : 1,000, 1,2.10, and 1,500 yard-.

1 a a recent throo hoard' go-as you please nt London, tho winner, Tom Kit by, of Kentish Town, covered the extraordinary distance of '!1 miles. Thera appears, how ever, to be Bomo uncertainty a? to tho actual dimensions of tho track.

A. Jennings, of 11.1'tingf, England, who rccootly at Lillio Bridge won tho All Eng land Handicap, 130 yards, from ilia G.} mark, is reckoned to bo mother llutchonß. He is '21*. years of ago, standn Gft. high, weii_'h3 \'Ut (lib, and po.»aosso3 all tho attributes of a Sheffield hanOieap winnor if systowatically ov.H'uicorcd. Tho captain of tho Poticko F.C. has written to Hokitika respecting a proposed vi«it during tho coming season of a team of Wellington Wnudorera to tho West Coast. Ho mention? that Whiteside will probably bo in tho team, and if sufficient inducement 13 offered, a very Etrong fifteen will b3 ;;ot tot'oHior.

" Murphy has had nnothor fipht to a finish with Fuller at Foley'a gymnasium, Sydney. Croat interest waa takon iv tho match, which crime off Inat Thursday, and tho buil.l inp; waa crowded. It has long boon a moot point which was tha bettor of this pair, and although they had mot on sevoral occasions tin question had never boon sottlr-d MurpSy claimed tho titlo cf ohampion lightweight, ditto Fuller; but at length Ihay ngrcod tn BOtklo it in the ordinary way and throw a i"'2o stiko into tlu balance When ntripped each ono looked na if lie had undergone a ;."jod preparation, and tliß friends on either side wore equally continent Bath commenced cautiously, Murphy at times adopting tha questionable policy of running a.vay from h!s opponent, and with out any dami-^o tho lirst half-dozon round.-" woro got through. Work commoncd then in real earnest, and tho fighting on both sides win very heavy till tho eleventh round. At thia stago Fuller, who had been tho recipient of mosb of the hitting, grow weak, nnd hifi opponent poizing tho opportunity we;it in, and forcing tho fighting had him literally at his mercy in tho I3l]| round, when hia asennda i;»va in and Murphy was awarded the battlo. All through tho piece tho bost ordor wa* maintained, and the epectntir3 dnporsod thoroughly satisfied. Fuller i) tho vory oppjsito to Murphy in build, boing a uhort thick littlo fellow, with enorm >ns nim.es of niusclo on his logs and arm 4.

The High Tower for London.

Wn aro informed that it ia intended to con striicb a largo tovor in London in cim memoratioii of tho jubiloe yoar o! hur Majosty'a reign. Tho tower is toboliO feet high at tho extreme top and 420 foot at tho top platform, from which tmy bo Eoen eight or niuo counties. It will ovor look ovory other structure yet built in London. Tho ba?o of tho tower will be seventy fivo feet fquare, and thoro will be a founda'ion of so:nO twouty-flve feet It h proposed to oroet thia struoturo at tho top of Oxford'Utreot, where the ground lie? high, and ie is expected that tho work will bo commenced in January next. Tho iron v.ork (of whioh 1h:ro a'O soma hundred tons) ia placed, in fio Horsly Iron Compiny of Woßtminitor and Tipton, Staffordehire, whose tender is £10,0 0. The excavation and brickwork will bs carried out by Wil liam King & Sons, of Pimlici. John Horton ia (!»•? managing director. Wo understand that tho name of the structure haa not yet boon decided upon.—"londo i Tiuth "

" Dor Hofn-wr" ("Tho Court Fool,"), a

new opsretta in tln-eo acts, the liorotto of which is by Herron Hugo Wittrnann and Julius Bauer, and tho music by Hcrr Ado'f Muller, juo., has been produced in Vienna

wit'i c -li-i'.Gorablo success, and ne it con tains moat of tho essentials of pieces of its kind, it is not unlikely that it may h'n 1 its

way to America. Tho action takes pliico iv Navarre at tho timo of Philippe 11, that is to say, in the latter part of the sixteenth century, thus affording great ECTpo for picturesque ecenery and dresses, of which, it may bu said, tho fullest advantage has been taken. The plot is not too intricate, and the music is graceful and melodious,

if not strikingly original, and it has the advantage of containing a number of roolly striking airs that can hardly fail to suit the taato of lovers of light miiaio.

THE GARDEN.

|By HoßTns.]

Calendar for week ending March sth.

[HonTtmia witling to answer any queries. Oor reßpbndentfl must give their full namen and adclreflfie.i. tboufrh not for publication.!

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Wood Ashes, Vines, K-ro. ("J. 11. Pen- Bonby.)-(i) 1 have novel- tried the asucs from kaui i In quantity, to I will print tbut p-irt or your nuory. I'erhapn some on» will Rive u| theben-ntc.f Ills experience, il- buvo heard on Koorl ninhorlt7 Unit kauri athes are poison ous to vessetation. an-11 nelieve thii-j la somo truth in it. I have uai d it. freely in my vine border wir.h manure, bonedu-t. lime, and sand. 3 t>t the vinoa do not Krow ttronrf, they are backward in bearing, ml the Imnchoi ana berries ur.i email. 1 havd alrO tried to Brow onions on the border, and cash time ihoyhavo betn a lotitl failure. lam told that whon a kauri bush ia burnt, thu ash will not grow Krass na tlio ash of uthur woodi doea. A3 to th "latter part <f your muslion. it Is a well knowu fuot tbat all lani on which lcaim has crown is uoor Tho lciun exbauata tno soil. l>l You.- viais aro affected with the meuly lnur. Try t j keop Ihoru uodor r.a much a< poa sibia Mil the wintsr. when the following should bo don') imin.idiiue-y.f *r prur,ing:-lake oil nil he loose b u-R ot tlio viie-, dissolve Bom of aithunt'* rompoiind In a Sjlloa of warm wnt.r, adding a winoKlossful ot koroaeno. Take v puiQt l.riiah nad iliaroushly scrub uvory part of tv. exnes with it. gaitlng down rouii'.l thooollarof llitf vino. Keep continually itirrlna tno mixturo while applying it He mo v-e a'l the surfaco Boil in tue houee, and tluroir'ily »->tti :v;lt!ie woodwork witft the inixiii:" Whitowa-h ihe walls with hot lime. Theo tmottiurli r supply of iho mix ture (of the umu.i L-tiYiiiith), wake v Uncle piste l,y nd.Jli.« cloy, sulphur, lime an 1 soot in oonicllilnit like c< uul |.vopo.-iiu.,.s. and paint tho Vin.w 11-.O nn Jl , : . r ' , [ ) , !, , Vi' I V '. t V -"v. l ,,ry'p" , r ' la cuvef ui. iTvoii'iiftei- ih i above work a few lnccta may appear next npiinK- livury day tin- vlnna wfl! need to 1)0 loukfd over, an ao lo kill biifo-n th .v linvr, t.inu l<) ureeil. Kiour ci Biiliihur iHKcJ-r.illy used alone to chock or kill mil low. (■) Tho bojt lime to apply crushed lion's lo your border would bo just boforo the vines oomniunce ti tcrow in iiie siirint,'. (I) TlH'b.'Kt liniuto hpruy appl- Tor (Jjulin moth ia aftnr tnu fruit is sot. The moth la] a ltd titers in youui; fruu. Liu:e could bu apDlied t.i tho Krovind now, or as ih> grub is leaving iha fruit (o> (Joote ber.-iea aro better lifKd atd tiaiuiulunti-d ivery le.sjr.Voas to check Ujo growth olanJ rluoa < II" thu wood, (li) «t lulo, Nunuaiti li is not a haul tree to t;rnw. I hera inns', bo BDiietr.ir.c ihemiitir wil-'i the roots ot your li'iic. or it would imvc atai-ied to mow bsfOK-this. (7) -ilioinamuiOih fiiu;i«j U not nearly men a toot beareres the i'oitusal.

jAI'ANV.'ALNL-TS.KTC.'.-'TjCe") - (!) Sc iliOf Wdl nut tri-es, coiniug from the) No:tli ot Jupin, will Biioceed !i-rj well if p'antea In oulubbs sitaalionH. Two y-urs at;o this mo^th 1 re ceivoa some) nuts ot Jiit/lans cm'dlforma. 1 planted them w.tli nt ivcelt of arrival, aid onu of ilium ])rorlue-(l a trcj which !» now aeveu feot in height. The tree is plitit;d in <leoj ric-h, (Iti.'OUd loam. JTore of iliu North .1 ipani-ti! trues ouulit to b i Imporail ber^-. In liOOi Kituaiijr.s tin: American wnhiutb ul-:o Micr eil well here. (2) The beat way to knsp cutllowen fjr b >mv iline is t> pluce n pi'co or clmrooal in Bach va<o, wi li tbu watnr; tliis will koop iho water (|Ulte fro h. I).i not piano the vbkis near a. 1 imp or n.hur artltiilal ngM, as tha rays are very injurious.

Tumi's on LAuniRTiNUB (• Amateur ').— ■I'hcsaplnntsi lire subject t) tho auerks of Ihe thiip. anil for thu- I Olson ur.i not such favourite- ts ti^-y ou,dit to te. 'I hey u.-oonly uuiiiirt for n'.tn.l in;,' in ni'jijt ."itllal ioini In 111. ---b.-glnnlni,' of our dry aumincrs th.i ir.neols ■ ■'jininunco lo ravage tiiu plint.', uontlouh'R to do bo till the hcivy wint«r rains en! In. I'liu Lust way to :r. t rid of tiicm i. by fruiuantly HSriueine thu lilint.-; w.th water aurl kcopiug ilia i-jot" moi^^.. This wll saon <a«s! Ilia llirlp tooiadpii'a". A li'tlu Hoot inixud with tho wutor will aaslit /.;:.ilear. uris >uu< H troubled with the Jiin-i insujt, and tlm above ln;uliiK-nt will r.lso l:cfp tliom froo from ir.

Cucumber Pickles.

Takk small cacumbors ; after washing, p!ac3 in a jir ; havo ready two gallons of boHinj,' wafer, with ono quart of s-dt boilod In it; pour this ovor tho picklM ; let thorn Rtand Lwonty-four hours ; wauli them out of tho m\t water and lot thorn stand to drain ; sra-h out the jir, place tho pickloa in ir,

again ; tike mx quarts of vinegar, placo on tho ptovo with tlireo poun:ia nf brown sugar, ono ounce of color)', if you like, cloveH and allspice, and when this boils pour it on the pick lea and cover, while hot, with a rabbnjjo leaf Tio a cloth ovar the jar and put on tho cover. They will bo lit f>^r u*o in thioa day?, and will ltcop three years if the vinegar is good. Almost every ono likes a good sharp piculo occasionally, but Ktiil there aro comparatively few fami lies that put thorn down for themselves. Lot such remombei that it. eo>t-i about four times a? much to purchase them a? it docs to grow tho Cucumbers and make tho pickles for yonrsolvo*. It is merely a want of nltonding to thoso small matters in timo that leaves 90 many tabk-s dependent upon the grocer. Every farmer thould not fait to prow such things in hi? '.^rden as are needed for consumption, ami tiio prurient wife will not f ill to put up in saving fo:m •ill that siio needs to completo hor tible Pickles and pres;rvcs conn handy and cost comparatively little when grown and put up at homo Cauliflower.

No vegetable! will give more profit to the grower than the cauliflower. If well grown uud if planted in final! patcho? from tha beginning of March to the end of May, they will civo •"• good eucoosiion during t!io early and late spring. Tho cauliQowor likoa good, rich, freo toil, in which plenty of manure has boon u^od white preparing. If planted iv dry wcathor, lljo plants will need to be frequently watered so as to kcop them grow ing. In ruising cauliflower plants from seed the moat sueCGS.-ful gardeners sow the foods thinly in ecod beds, and water tho plants onoo a day, never allowing tho bed to git dry from the sowing till tho plants got big ODOugb to transplant. Tiiero v no danger in doing thlf of .-ealding tho plant-, us many would euppjao, bat justs the reverse ; t!io plants thrive well, and so treated will ba attacked lesj by the cabb'ga Ily, tho gre^Ost enemy "of tho cauliflower, and o-.o who-ie ravagoa it is vary hard to protect ilia young plant) from. When planted out, if dipped in water with which a tablespaonful of keroceno to tho gallon has ueon mixed, it will still further assist in keeping tho ily off tho plants. Thoio oro French, Gorimn, and Italian vaikties: tho la*t with mo litis proved t'io bo't for autumn planting. Tho soil for thco plants must bb vory lieh, and tho rootj always kept moiot and frequently hooJ round so a< to p.rciro first cl'iss licais Watering oc-asionaliy with liquid manure is advnntapeoui', as it will promote a quicker an 1 hoilthior growth. To grow fir*t-c!a<>s hoad3 they should bs l.opt grow ing from the planting without a single chock, as a chock in growth :oay e.in-e them to bo become buttony Strawuorry Growing. The above is one of tho bc*t of our spring fruit?, ar.d ovory garden Bhon!d possess a small patch To'grow pool cropi a certain amount of trouble mils', ba t.iken with tho preparation of tho fin uud and pluntinn. In Britain tho strnwborry plants aro usually planted out in tho sprinfr, and no crop i"i expoetcd from ihein tho firtt scaßrn. Tho plantation will la-fc for four or five years" In North Now Zqsl'ind thn practice with most croM-ora is to plant cut early in au'iimn, thu^ giving; Iho pUnta an oppor tunity of atar(im> on ! m lUincr good growth bofora the »!n'er rata in. The following jprinethojounf phuits, bciing well cetab lifhcd, fivo fir.-t.clas.-> crnp.«, i; !»o tho Raeonr] yoar. Whon fraitod for two ecaxona it U bottnr to have a fro-!i {il.intat:-in ni'irlis • r.s tl>o IliirJ yeir'd crop i< nof, as a vu!o, vorv prolific li-ircvor a v.ew p,it-:-h of straw berries i-! to bs put down thio aulumn, tho sooner tho giMun-1 is prepared tho beftor itehonW bo dv» n<i deeply as possible and well nuinured, as tho strawberry is a heavy feed. v. If possible, tho ground should bo prepared early in March, so na to bo able lo tako a-Ji-anlago of t!is limt suitablo woathor f.ir D'antiusj out—either tho end of March or bsginnlng of April. The now break of strawbe.rics should bo apart of thokitchon frarjan that has not been under strawberry calrurn for tho last, row years When plintlng out stloot tho beat runuora end dip their roots in a prepared pi-.ddio of cow-manure and water,only lifting sufficient plants to do ouo row at a time, and swine oaeh plant a thorough co king of water im mediately afterward*. Twenty inohe-! will be a pood average di (ance boSwesn tho rows of pUntß. This will always give B-.ifhcient room for keeping tho plants freo of weeds. If the weather keep very dry after planting give ono or two watorinffs to each plant so as to keep tna roots moist. During the winter the hoo will neod to be put through tho rows about twice co as to keep tho weeds ondar. Strnwborry plant? that have bosn ona ?oa-xMi undor crop will rrquiro to got a thoroujih overhaul sometimo during April All rnttußrs and dead leaves should bo cleared away, then spread over the sreuod bttweon the rows a coneidorablo quantity r-f well rotted manure-tha more tho better tor tho crop next season—and fo.k it in tho soil, taking care not to iojura the roots of the plants during iho incoming winter keop them free of weeds with the hoe. Old pants that have fruited for two seasons should ba trenches down into the ground and tha toil should be well manured for other crops.

REVIEW.

Antabiogrnpliical Note 3 nnrl ricntUTos

By thu Latf. SamCßT< Enf:i:R, V..A

In tliij volume, two of tho late Mr Edger's talented daughters give to the world a number of interesting personal and literary memoirs of a preacher who for twenty years filled a unique placo in relation to tho religious thought of our city. The lato Samuel Edger v;an a man of maikod individuality, and his lifo pre-

cents n study that conveys many valu ablo lessons. Although in his previously pnblis>hod work, "The Problem oF Life," we obtain a better ineig'ut into tlio p»cuiiur workings of bis mind and hia views of Christianity as a living power in the world, yet tin) proso.it volume gives us a more life-like rmtraitof Uio man,and by narrating hia e;uly mental struggles and experiences', enables us to traca tlio growth of thosa opinion? which di-tinwuishod tho. minis try of hid later life. While tho theo logical student f.nd controversialist will find in tho former volumo tho ripened thoughts of a scholar and student upon the most profound subject that can occupy the mind of man, it is in these autobiographi cal notes that Mr Edsier'a fi lands will revive his individuality, and obtain a permanent memorial of his life's work. That many of thi'fO notes—tho greater part, in fact - wero written wlion tho author was consciously nenring the end of hi.' opening before him, gives them a deeper interest. Tho eonolusioim reached by a man of Mr Edgar's intellectual oalibro aflor forty years of public service in the cause of Christianity and of study applied to tho problem of human existence and tho re pponsibilitioa of mankind to man and to God, must, under any circumstance*, have a real and enduring value. Bat it appears to us that v special racrodness belongs io that retrorpsot which a aian makes when ha foela earth slipping from beneath his fetfc and looks forward with steadfast guxQ out in!o tho raialy depths of tho trrcat unknown. Experiences written after a lapHO of yeara, when only tho deeper impressions made on tho tablets of memory remain, and Ihsse are blurred and dimmed by thought a of later yean that have burned themselves deep into tho brain, can scarcely be 8&U (o reproduce in fac simile the life of a man with all tho minor cireumstoncs that have assisted in moulding bia character and fixing his den tiny. Still, the retrospective view is one from which the trivialities of life are winnowed out, and only tho great pro minence?, (ho milo-pJSta, remain to mark the way which ha= been travelled. It was to be expected, thorefore, that those ovente in his lifo that Boomed to lead him away from tho beaten track of denominational Chrir.fcianity upon which lii^ feet Marl been (irmly flat by his parents ghon.d have stood out in bold relief from all tho other event* of a public career which for tho first twenty years of it* rjoureo seem?, with a taw devia tion.", to have travelled pretty well olonu tho track that U followed by mo3t luinicttra who find themselves riorc or less OJt of hurmony with the creel thoy havo bound themselves to t acli. If tho circumstances of birth and education had not placed Mr Edgor in Iho uairow grcovo of ultn-Calvlol>t!.a theology, and tho workings of hifl ran miad had enjoyed froo play, it in probable, wo think, that much that he ha? written, m»eh of iho mental sutFiirihe which ho endured, would have boon paved. Mr Edger's early religion' impressions wore gathered in a homo v.hero religious that an Independent Minister, r.thernteo a worthy man, was deemed ineligible for tho hand ol his Pinter amply bsoauso he main tained tho rloetrlno of infant baptUm. Thi.-i au.-tera Chn>t;a:>i<y, represented by a father who ruled fi:- household with an iron mc!, was ooftened by tlio gentler nature an . milder view? of hia moihor. But its exer cise in a manner which brought tho lad into conflict with tho pUtrnal authority, and produced a sensoot injustice, hid a plainly marked influence upon his after lifo. With a nature lets deeply leligioua and coatsmplativo, ear'y discipline) of co severe a kind, prr<Jentit><; the Christian life in its leist lovab'.o aspects, might hove had disastrous consequences; but there is a matchless power about intense* Fineerity and consistency, and those ciualitie.-, unmis tikoably, predominant in the character of tho parerit. commanded tho roppect of tho children, tvoa when tho mora feel ing of deep affection wag ab=ent. The religious ntmojphero which pervaded the homo nl?o tended to impress tliD children with tho thought that religion i.-i tho " ono thing needful" to humanity. We thus iind Iho lad not merely willing to conform to hU father's wish tint ho should cnt-sr th.i mini-try, but eager to do co from love of tho work. That ho possessed much apti tuda for i', ihofo who havo sat under his ministrations noed not bo told. And this faculty was very oarly developed-he preached hi? first fsrmon when only six teen years old, and after tint ccntinned preaching with few intervals up to the close of his life.

Tho dircrtfonceof his opiaiima from ths strictly orthodox views of the Baptist ricno-

mination appeil's to liavo manifested itsolf in tone minor matters evci before ho loft tho B.ipti?t College at Stepney, bat hU mini wns thai unconscious of anything that sopar.'.'el him from his follow-student.-*.

lie was willing !o entfr tho work of the ministry in connection with that church, and acooptod an appointment as assistant mirii.-j(er at Bond-street Chapsl, Birming ham. Hero, however, unfortanato pnty quarrel? into which the young inexperienced minister, very much against hia wish, bs camo involved, lod to a ecpiration of tho tie at tho expiration of aighteen months. How circumstances turned hi-! destinies at tbi* stitro of his life, tlie author hinfe : " All would," hs says,"have been diffsront had Mr

been a man in any single respect ndaptod to guidonyoun;? man, ardent and en thusiastic, qiiif.a folf-confUant onough, yet sincovi.ly glad of cr.unsol when it did not

trample on eon?r:ie:ieo. Tiie podiion was an important one an i might hava opened up paths (o (ho highost denominational iv fluenco.'''

It was soon after the tio which bound Mr Edger to the Bond-street; Church had beon

tovortd that his father diod, leaving him ni-.ina onough to render him comparatively independent nf denoiiiriational patronage. I<'or a short ticno ho preached in a small room in Birmingham, which had beoo taken by FOIH3 admirers, and during this poriod, ncrMnßt tho arlvice of Mr ITinton and Dr. Price, given on I ho grounds of expediency, ha officiated twico for Geor«o Dawson, who had then definitely separated himself from (he connexion. This act, he observes, "un donbtcHly eliut me out from the bo?t jiosi tir.ng in the Baptist denomination."

Wo think (hero inny bs distinguished from thia point in the autobiography a tin"o of disappointmout. With a highly-trained intellect, nnd conscious of tlio popoossion of ponaidernblo powers of mind, it must havo involved much Felf-ropre--.=ion to livo for roveo \cars. as tho pastor to a email Baptist congregation at Kimbolton, an agricultural village uf 1.400 inhabitants. Tho salnrv was under £120 a yoar. It was vhilo hero that tho exclusive claims of immersion in baptism first appeared <o him to grow doubtful Still no such conscientious scruples with regard to tlio ercer! of tho church under wiiich ho ministered had grown up in his mind as to pro cludo him from accepting a call to the VSapl^t Gbuscb i-.t Abing.lon, a town of 7000 inhabitants ; but his removal to that church in tho faeo ot a proto«t of thirty members led to a iplit in tho con gregation, -md formed tho prelude to con tinued turmoil, which only ended with Mr Edjror's depariuro for Mow Zealand as minister of tlio Noneonfni mist special settle ment schema, organised tn occupy lands in .he Ivaipara district.

So _far as the engagements made by this atsoojdt.'oi v.-rro concerned, they were com p etsly broken, and Mr Edf;cr, f or fcur years, Btniyelcd npon the land in thothinly po-plod BOtllouicnt of Port Albert, where tnoro was not oven the material to build up a cOngresaHon. At the end of that time, a vacancy in tha Independent Church, Albort streot, opened up the path for hia re moval to Auckland, whero he fubsequontiy established an unooctarian church.

1 he hisiury of tho movement which ooou p.ed his attention during the later years of his life, an told by tho author himself, dees not impress us with any faith in the inherent stability of unsectarinn Christianity—non aoolrioal vre should. take to bo a more expressive, term - when de void of organisation; and tho vary fact ot organising, Mr Edger admits, tends to produce, if it does not actually constitute, tho very cfsenca of denominationali.-m. loa congregation which met under Mr ■ledger's niimstratioiH- merely attached themselves to him from personal admiration sympathy with his preaching, or because they wera out of harmony with the denomi nations to which they had formerly belonged. When he wa.3 withdrawn.

tho flock wzre scattered. Even while I) A remain.*! th: congregation were subject to constant nhangos, many no doubt being drawn away to other churches from tho very necessity of an organisation which would fill that pluce in tho family life that ii beneficially occupied by tho Church, In reviewing the reasons for the declina of tha Lome-street Hnll pervicas, the author observos, among other things, "I have learned from experience and observation that the dissatisfied of other con gregitioni, and the nou attendants any where-, may form a favourable basis for the diffusion of idea? and thoughts, but a very indifferent basis of congregational permnnency whero anything litve trouble or earrifico may bo involved, an in our case." It is extremely difficult to define from his writings the exact, position which Mr Edger occupied towards Christianity ; In deed, wo doubt whether he over attempted to settle this question for himself. He rloes not appear at, any timo to have chal lenged Biblical authority or to have doubted the divinity of Christ, although it is clear that ha did not latteily accept the ortho dox definitions of the nature of the Trinity. While clinging to what would be termed by most liberal Konconfoi mists the essential doetrineß of Christianity, to the extent that ho felt that without any violation of hia own principles or their-, ho could etill oc cupy tha pulpits of the I'rimitivo Metho diet*?, ho woi.ll yet seem to Lave baen frroping about for c'eirer evidence than is Liven in tho accf pted church shibboleLhs to su?tuin tho faith tint was in him. This, ho admits, was ono of tho chiet rtasons for his researches into tho pretensions of Spirlto»!i-m. HofolthiH too., most firmly ' planted when resting upon tho sublime aims and beneficent moral teachings of Chris tianity, and his works present Christ more as tho divioo teacher of moral truth than a? the Lamb of O- d faciijiccd for the ems of tho world. Nevertheless, ho expressly declares that tho term Unitarian, ns applied to his teachings, " suggested a deliberate lie." Ho exalte Chrift as "tho Son of God " and " Redaomor,'1 who " came to ful fill all prophecy," and nverH that his con stant endoavour was to approximate his own teaching and methods to those of the Apostle?: "Tho niling goniua of tho hall services was tho diffunon of tho essential truth of Christianity apart from all ecclosi. a-tical aim"." Except for cortaia uncharit-, ablo and rathsr peevish references to those who. in tho oxereho of their right of inde pendent judgment,differed from him—which may well bo forgivon to ono who suffered so much physically—there is nothing in the work to oreite a foeling of regret that it was wiitton or published. On tho contrary, thora is much in tho autobiography, and Btill more in tha appended lectures, to inslruct and elevate those who read the book, although we be'iove that the deductions from his Church experianco3 will, in ninety-nine cases out of erery hundred, be the very r»var=o of what tho author would wish bis reader* to draw.

MOUNT TONGARIRO.

First Ascent After tho Eruption — Knmbllngs in the Mountain — Chanses In the Crater.

Ox Saturday, the 12th of February, a party of gentlemen started on horseback from Mr . Gallagher'* hotel at Tapuwaeharnru to ; make His ascant of tho volcano Tongariro. After a pleasant ride of thirty six miles they arrived at t!io comfortable Tokanu liotol, kept by the very pleasant proprietor Mr Geo go Blake, who is famous for his i caio for all who vicit this interesting locality. Hera the gGntl3tnau epant Sun day ; and on Monday morning at 11 o'clocki after being provided with horses and all 3 other necessaries for an encampment at the • foot of tho mountain, they started for the ■ interesting scono. After ridiog seven hours, daring whie'.i time they ascended a spur on the east eido of the crater, they encamped, jj at this partas Mr Robert Maunsell, anexperi. j onced fiuido, considered this necessary in order lo iis^'o the following daj for the asciint, on loot, of the remaining portion of the mountain. After pitching their tent ,'' and partaking of a hearty meal, which was., enlivened by many speculations upon the . morrow's prospects, and smoking their pipes '' in ti-.o twilight, they addressorl thomaelves , to eloep. On the following morning early .; they partook of a hearty breakfast, and H' after riding Bix mile?, totherod their horses "1 aad commenced to climb up, when they;' heard a great rumbU and the mountain shook u:itil many very great stones which ~ h3d formerly been lodged noar the top "! went bounding down the north-east aide to the bottom with a booming sound;,' After gaining tho top thosei mountaineers 'J were well rewarded for their toil. They I entered tho crater, which is about half-a- 9 milo in diameter, and found a vast deposit 1 of puro sulphur, with many other objects ,' most interesting to thorn, nOD the least of I which was a smaller cratev within the large/, 1 and in which was a boiling cauldron. ': They spont an hour aud a-half herd, and1 then returnod to their camp. They occn- -" pied cix hours in the ascent, but t'ne descent - j to the camp w-s made io thre-j. Here Mr ■•• Allen and Mr Maaneell, tbo guide, left i their throa companions to spend the night I and started to make the accent of Kuapebn. ;I which is covo ed with snow, and is two or j thres thousand feet higher than Tongariro,; and from tie top of which you have a splen- ' did view of tho country around for a great 3 j rii=tauco. Here you look down upon ■-' tho town of Wnngitiui and all that region. Mr Allen and Mr Maunsfill "■ spent tho night at Waihohonu or -j Kangipo. Noxt morning the weather wa» J so foggy and wot that the ascent was not undertaken, and they returned to Mr Gal- '■ lagher'g hotel at Tapuwaeharuru, whero I they again (pent tho night. Mr Allen leav- ■ mc for Auckland next morning. Thosa gentleman were tlie first to make "; tho ascent siuco tho eruption. Mr Maunsell | iound the crater much altered since his last ' ascent. All persons desirous of ascending ; theso mountaius should employ the ser-- m vices of Mr Maunstll as guide, or they may 3 so wiong The ascent must bo mado botween tha ;; month of December and tho middle (usually)'* of April, and our meic ant 3 and legal :;! frienJs will do well to go and see these in- H tores ting and impre'sivo feights during those SI month?, and not fail to tako Maunsell WithlM thcoi as guido. - " • '" Tho hot spiing or. tho sitlo of Tongariro; I called Ketetahi, is tho most pjweiful of : 'i a!! (it is said) for healing purposes. It'dis*'. ';■■ charges a large quantity of black water.' -'! Tha colour may ba caused by iron held in fj solution. Oar philosophic arid learned' '| a friends will bo bolter able to explain this j than myself.—James. Oavis. . "

MOVED BY MUSIC.

A Touching Scene In a Islardcroi-'s CeU. To-day, for the first time Unas his ttW'dsn and incarceration, Thomas 3. Cluverius, the'4^ condemned murderer o£ Lillian MadUonj,.'l^ exhibited emotion. Frank Cunningham,'.''.:; a fuvourite tenor tingo; of thij city, wh63B' great forto ia in singing tender 'religion* § songs, received a msa3ago from Cluveriun, CS begijing him to como to bis call. .Mf■^-, Canniugham complied. Hs found the now.rfx celebrated prisoner reading his Bible, but'Hi still maintaining that cool, imperturbable.'.!!1! demeanour which neither the eentencßv.*'* of tlio Judge, rtfusal of pardon by the; ■-,:'; Qoyamor, r.or sight of thagallowa' plan has V been able to disturb. It is suspected that; „.*> the religious counsellors of Culverius, find-: M i:ig nil other taear.s of softening the appar'-irfj ently hard nature of the man, suggested to Jiii him that he get Cunningham to sing, t.td't'-'Xi ho complied. Ho conversed pleacantly with >■ : the singer for a while and then, more out of ■ deference piobably to tbo wishe3 of his:;.);! minister than for any other reason, asked ■'.■^'i for a =ong. Tho singer, feeling himself the :?irf solemnity of (ho occasion, selected aathafotfi voc&l offeiing tho sor.g, "Tho Homo of the rp Soul," but (ia Boon a3 theso words were « finished his attitude changed and hs grewj, I interested. When the pure and sweat notea.... :.i of tho singor, whose eyeswero growing mou^ !: took up (ho musical story and told how the H harps were playing heavenly music in that! ||j far-away home of tho soul, How tha sinner' j 1 who ropen'.ed misht oater there, and how ~i all danger and .sufferingl would be parti '"■'^ oneo ij its haven of rest, tho murdorer, un- ','■'?. able longer to profcrvo tho grit of which, <« his friends have been proud, leaned his isf head upon his hands and sobbed aloud, ;.r'i and the death watch looking through the >'■' 'rated iron door turned away, touched by-;jf the scene, and prisoners in all parts of the ,»• gaol paused and listened, and as they it . o caught the words, " The Home of the Soul," ',3 and knew^from whonoe they prcceoded, they - ••_•< coon became quiet. Tho episode made a...i great irjQpreasionatthegaoljfortho murderer, 'jaH whom nothing else could movo, waa moved. ~;t by music—" Ilichmond Letter " ia'.tt»; fs!j^ " GlQbe-Democr.at.j'1 ~■. .:., ;--. :• ;»?" :

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1887,

4



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Can t Preach Good.—Xo man can do a cood job of work, preaoli a ftood eennoa, try a law suit well, doctor a patient, oil write a goorl article when ho feels mißcraWO and dull, wiih shißgieh brain and unstrung nerves, and none Bhouid make the attempt m such a condition when it can lio bo easily nnrl cheaply rcn>ovtc' by a llttlo Hop Bitters. Loo!; for.