RANDOM SHOTS.

[BY ZAMIKL.] - dome write, a neighbour's name to lash. Some write—vain thoughts—for needtul cash, Some write to please tho country clash, And raise a din. For me an aim I never fash— 1 write fortwn. T Js sometimes convenient to "assume a virtue if you have it not," and I fancy that is jusb about bhe position in which bhe Go vernmenb of bhis colony now find bhemselves. They are nob entiblcd to the charitable pro sumption thab bhey havo been shamed into a show of political honesty and consistency ; for the charity thab " be'lleveth all things and hopeth all things " has nob yeb gob a cloak large enough to cover the transparent hypocrisy of our leading men nor a simple faith of such swallowing capacity as would credit bbcm wibh even those proverbial pav ing stones called "good intentions." Bub they consider the bimeopporbune for making an appeal bo bhe electon. and so we have rumours that Ministers are prepared to stand or fall by the Representation Bill, or the Budget proposals, or anything on which they can find standing ground for their slippory feet ! Much obliged to you, Messieurs Stout Vogel ct Cie, we are quite ready to take you at your word only boo glad to geb bhe chance; bub lay nob the flattering unction bo your souls bhab you are hoodwinking bhe public into tho belief that you have taken a stand on principle.

" It ain't by principles or men Your prudent course is steadied ; You scent which pays the best, and then Go into it baldhoaded!" The people know thab you arc not a model happy family by any means ; they have plain proofs bhab in many respects you are all "at sixes and sevens"; but when k, comes to a question of place and power and pelf, you show a wonderful power of cohesion and a noble faculty for sinking aH minor differences for the general good. So nobody will believe anything else than thai your sudden access of zeal and honour is whab is vulgarly called "a put-up job." for a vory palpable purpose. An appeal to the electors over tho Bud get will solve many difficulties for you. It will for one thing save the Premier from tlie disgrace of breaking his mast solemn pledge on the question of representation, and will ab bhe same time secure the election of the new Parliament on tho* old electoral basis. Thus at one master stroke the political honesty of the stout Sir Robert will be preserved and the Vogel or Soubh Island party will be mollified ab having " dished " tho Northerners' expecta tions of a relative increase in representation, while members all round will be overjoyed at the thought that I tho proposed cutting down of their numbers and emoluments bas been successfully shelved, "ib may be for (three) year and it may be for ever." I'm not much of a political prophet; but I confidently anticipate that the dissolution dodge will be worked, but whether its result wi_ be all that is desired by the _artful dodgers " is quite another matter.

So the Divorce Extension Bill of the Hon. Mr Reynolds has been thrown out by our legislators—on what ground' I know not, but probably some of those intelligent, country electors who read every word of wisdom enshrined in the pages of " Han sard " will be able to tell by-and-bye. I have been som.whab edified and amused by reading a letter which has been published on the subject signed "A.J. Fox, 0.5.8., Hamilton." The writer, as beseems his position, is opposed to divorce on any ground whatever, even thab of adultery ; but tho chief objection which be takes to the bill of Mr Reynolds is with regard to the provision for divorce in the event of three years' continuous insanity on tho _>art of husband or wife. Father Fox does not argue the point, however, but makes a sen timental denunciation of the "treachery, falsehood and meanness " of tho person who would seek divorce on suck a ground. Then he makes a virulent personal attack on Mr Reynolds, insinuating that he may soon find himself in a madhouse, and his wife suing for divorce "if the malady, of which we have un mistakable signs, should dcvelope itself in him." Ho adds: —"Thab Mr Reynolds should have the effrontery to present such a measure shows what a low opinion he has of the members of our two Houses aud their wives.- A decent minded man could not present to a respectable Assembly and to a chaste nation such a measure. The flood-gates indeed were opened when the marriage-tie was declared to be a con ditional tie, not an absolute one, viz.., ' until death do us part,' as the Christian marriage rite insists on ib being stated and recognised. Once the floodgate fe open, where shall we stop ':"

From this point the rev. father proceeds bo adduce frightful examples of the terrible effects of making divorce easy and inex pensive. • Thus he points out that in the State of Vermont and " the sanctimonious State of Masachusetts " there is one divorce to every 14 marriages -, in Rhode Island bhe rabe is one in 12, while Connecticut " takes the cake " with ono divorce to every eight marriages. (En passant, I would remark that there is an eternal fitness in tbe condition of the last-named State, where one would naturally expect thai persons would only connect-to-cub !) Bub even so, bhere is nobbing in bhe reverend father's argument unless he can show thab bad effects to social and moral life have flowed from the extension of divorce Are the folks of Massachusetts more or less " sanctimonious " because of bhe number of divorces, or are the Connecticut!tcs less law abiding since the " misfit marriages " have increased ? Till tho questions are answered it is vain to argue tbe question. But what right has a celibate, even supposing he is " a decent-minded man," to dictate to benedicts on the subject of marriage ? And why should he recommend good Mr Rey nolds to become a Mormon, or a Turk, or some other " harem "-scarem sorb of in dividual ? I humbly submit thab benediebs and not Benedictines are tbe proper people to make marriage laws, and I would advise the worthy fabher not to meddle in matters of which he is necessarily ignorant.

I need hardly say my sympathies are with the progressive party iv tlie matter of ex tending the grounds of divorce to cruelty, habitual drunkenness, desertion, and execu tion or lengthened imprisonment for crime. A case illustrating the extraordinary de vices resorted to under tbe present law to obtain divorce was lately tried ab Paris. A certain Dr. Delbourg, after many years of married life, hit upon the expedient of en trapping bis wife inbo an imaginary inbrigue. Madame Delbourg, who though of mature years, was of a romantic turn, was besieged daily by a correspondent named Gaston, who actually persuaded bhe lady by letter to leave her home furtively and to await him in Algiers. A further correspondence declared that Gaston was de taine' in France by illness, had died, and

bad lefb bhe runaway wife a small pension while she remained in Africa. '-The {^» decided thab, albhough Madatne Delbourg was guilby in inbenbion, the conspiring hus band was nob worthy of a divorce being pronounced i» his favour. The marriage was, however, dissolved, bub to bhe advan bage of bhe wife.

Lord Aberdeen has gone to Wellington, where he will, I suppose, have to go througk tbe usual ordeal of receiving adulatory addresses and replying thereto. I fancy ib would be somebbing of a treat to his Lordship to have an add.ress wherein truth predominates over sentiment, and that is my sole excuse for bere I J1 a e^ln^ m _ a poetical effusion sent me by "S.M.V.. as follows : —

A REJECTED ADDRESS. You've come at last, my noble lord. My noble lord of high degroc, Fresh from tho land where you re adoiea, The Emerald Lie sot in tho sea.

Your name and fame are known to us— We heard of both three weeks ago. And hence, my lord, is nil this fuss, This vapid gush, and spurious show.

The Irish, as your loudship knows, Have hearts and loves more warm ana Koen Thau e'er were found amid the snows Whore you were born, Lord Aberdeen.

And though they love your order not, Yet you, my lord, they would befool With native blarney, _ ipinghot. Because you advocate Home Rule.

But had you held the other view. What would your welcome then have been From those who hail you patriot true And statesman great, Lord Aberdeen 1

Methinks I bear the curses strong They would have poured upon your head T-oir choico abuse in prose and song, And praise of dynamite instead.

Tt suits them now to sing you well; These songs of theirs are easily bought, They might be mine wercyl to sell The truths thai I was early taught.

But there, my lord, let party strife No longer mingle with my theme, Lest faction, rising rude and rife. Estrange me from Lord Aberdeen

Though Demos reigns throughout the land Regard him not a surly churl ; Hod welcome you with heart and hand, Though you were twenty, times an Karl.

For yon are manly, true, and kind, Still striving for your brother's good. And these are virtues to his mind Of more truo worth than Norman blood, *** * * * * * *

Mr Seth Smith, Resident Magistrate and District Judge, is, no doubt, a very much overworked man. His duties may not be quite so multifarious as those of the gentle man who acts as Sanitary Inspector, Regis trar of Dogs, Inspector of Vehicles, Dairies, Foods, Drugs, and I don't know what else, but they are decidedly more onerous. Another distinction between the two offi cials is also worthy of remark. The public rather think that they are the gainers by the over-working of Mr Goldie, for there are some who esteem it a precious privilege to keep filthy premises, evade the dog tax, sell diluted milk and stinking fish, or en danger the lives of the public by carrying great loads of humanity in unsafe vehicles ; but of course thab is a fallacy, although a popular one, for the public at large suffer through such practices being to-orated, and the idea thab " the liberty of the subject" is more fully respected does not atone for the positive injury inflicted. There is, how ever, no manner of doubt in the public mind as to the direct and grievous loss suffered by the community through the overworking of Mr Seth Smith. Practi cally, justice is denied to the poor, and the trading community are severely taxed, be cause of the inadequate adjudicating power. It is bo hie inexplicable thab a democratic people should submit to bhis loss and incon venience, when they could so readily get it amended by means of pressure exerted through their 'Parliamentary representatives. I should he loth to believe that the people who go inbo Courb are so litigious that they rather like "the law's delay," and I should be equally sorry to think that they delight in repeated adjournments because of tho prospect of saddling' their opponents with heavier costs. Yet there must, be some fasci nation about the existing order of things, else it would soon be altered in the interests of justice, economy and convenience.

A possible explanation suggests itself. The Duke of Wellington, it is said, had an excellenb rule in correspondence—never to reply to letters until a fortnight had elapsed. Asked to explain the reason for adopting this rule, he said that after that lapse of time he found that most of the letters had answered bhemselvos, and he was thus saved a lot of trouble. Can it be that a similar rule is acted upon by suitors in petty debt cases here ? Do bhey enjoy having cases adjourned for several weeks before they are heard, in order that the debtor may have a chance of " sloping " over the waters of the blue Pacific, or settling on the land at Papakura gum field, and thus save all further trouble in the way of legal proceedings ? Such is in actual practice the result of the system, for very frequently I read that cases after being adjourned five or six times are struck oub through non-ap pearance of either party. I have not suffi cient faibh in human nature fco believe that all these cases aro amicably settled.

The craze of tbe present day appears to be missions, and apparently Auckland pre sents a good field for the various types of this ever-increasing class of mendicant. Our fair ciby has been visibcd in burn by representatives of Anglican, Gospel Tem perance, New Zealand Alliance, Indian Zenana, Mormon, Seventh Day Adventists, and Faibh Healing missions, as well as the lucrative .mission of the Yankee Cheap John. Perhaps ib may be-thought thab he is different bo bhe others, and should nob therefore be classed amongst them. Well, so he is, for he. openly admits thab he is on the money-making rackeb, while the others do not. He differs also in the fact that he gives.something mat-rial in exchange for the money re ceived, whereas the others stick to the spiritual side of the business. ' But, candidly, is not the ultimate reside the same? Have not all these missions one thing in common—the collections. Here Cheap John again differs, for he does not pass round the plate to the large audience that mighbly abbends his levee, otherwise bhe number would probably decrease, as ab obher missions. Ib seems to me thab, while we go in for Protection, we ought also to lay an embargo on these missions which run away with tbe ready cash and leave nothing tangible behind.

At a recent reunion at bhe house of Mine. Herold were broughb bo a hearing a number of her husband's unknown or forgotten com positions—bwo string quartebs, a sonata for piano and violin, a romance from " Emme line," a duet from " Lasthenie," a canzon etta and rondo from " La Clochette," and a piano concerto in A.

Malarial Fever.—Malarial fever, con stipation, torpidity of the liver and kidneys, general debility, nervousness, and neuralgic ail ments yield readily to this great disease con queror, American Co.,s Hop Bitters. It repairs the ravages of disease by converting the food into rich blood, and it gives new life and vigour to the aged and i m. See

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES.

May 2t-Takapuna J.C. Winter.—Nominations. May 13; weights, May 17; general entries and acceptances, May 20. May 21—Wanganui Steeplechases. — Entries, April 12; weights, April 2. ; acceptances and general entries, May .1.7. May 21, 25 -Dunedin Winter.-Entries, April 16; weights, May 10 ; acceptances and general entries, May 17. Juno 4—Auckland Steeplechase Meeting.— Entries, April 29; acceptances and general

ontrios, May 27. '■._.•'.. June 20-Hawkc's Bay Steeplechase Meeting-;— Entries. May 17; general entries, June 14; acceptances, J-une 21. June 28-Napier Parle Winters— Nominations, Ai ay 20 and June 1-1; acceptances June li. July 28 —Grand National Steeplechase.— Entries, June Ii ; weights, July 5; accept ances, July 18.

DATES OF AUSTRALIAN ENTRIES.

Entries for Caulfleld Cup, June oth ; weights, July Ith ; second payment due, August 30Ui; llnal payment, October lltti. Entries for Maribyrnoi>_ Plate. Molbourno Cup, Champion Stakes. Derby Oaks, Normanbj; Stakes. Ascotvale Stakes, St. J.eger, Sires Produce Stakes, and Foal Stakes. June bui; weights for Melbourne Cup, June 27th ; lirst forfeit, August Ist; second forfeit, October 25th.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

W.H.T. (Dargavillc).-(l) Musket was bred in England in 1807. He was imported to Vic toria in December, 1878, and was sent to Auckland in January, 1870. (2» A man named Murphy had charge of Musket from the time ho left England till ho reached here. F.L.—Ma Petite Fille is out of a mare named Agandecca, who was- bred in New S'oatti "Wales by Mr F. Wentworth. Agandecca was got by Macaroni (b) out of Flour de Lis.

TURF GOSSIP.

[By Hippo sa.]

Puxctcally to time, Mr Evett issued the weights for the Great Northern Steeple -1 chase and Hurdle Race on Wednesday night, and carefully looking over the com pilation I think it can be regarded as one of his best efforts. In the Steeplechase especially the winner bas. been well con cealed, and I think it will only be the cap tious critic who will indulge in any fault finding. Considering the very easy manner in which Volcano won the big cross-country event ab our Aubumn Meebing, I take him to be nicely weighted ab llsb 21b, and Silvio has shown such a lot of improved form of late that he must be hard to beat. Owhaoko bears a big private reputation, but he is a stable companion of Volcano and Mangahone, and ib is not likely we will see more than one of the trio named brought up here. Of the bottom division, nothing pleases me better than Huntsman . (9st 121b). In the Hurdles, Erebus has a taking ap pearance with list 21b, but if Peter Osbeck is dressed in his best on the day he must take a power of beating, despite bis impost. With 9st 51b, Coral musb be reckoned decidedly well in, taking a line through her running with Belle in the Hurdle Race ab bhe Auckland Spring Meebing. The following is a list of the weights :— Great Northern Stkeplbciiase, about 3_ miles.

sb. lb. sb. lb. Belle ... 12 2 New Year ... 10 0 Peter Osbeck 11 5 Magnesia ... 10 0 Silvio ... 11 2 Torpedo ... 912 Volcano ... 11 2 Huntsman ... 9 12 Falcon ... 11 0 Quilp ... 9 S Victor ... 10 12 Revenge ... 9 7 Owhaoko ... 10 12 Orangeman ... 9 7 Erebus ... 10 10 Victory ... 9 7 Omata ... 10 9 Coral ... 9 7 Blue Bell ...18 2 Wat Tyler... 9 7 Mangahone... 10 0 Tawhiao ... 9 7 Hurdle Race, 2_ miles. St. lb. , st. lb. Belle ... 12 2 Victory ... 9 7 Peter Osbeck 12 0 Armourer ... 9 7 Owhaoko ... 12 0 Snake ... 9 7 Volcano ... 11 10 Exchange ... 9 _ Erebus ... 11 2 Artist ... 9 5 Mangahone. .11 0 Coral ... 9 5 Blue Bell ... 10 7 Orangeman... 9 0 Magnesia ... 10 7 Wat Tyler ... 9 0 New Year ... 10 0 The nominations for tho Great Northern St. Leger of ISB9 and the newly-inaugu rated Champion Stakes of ISSS were published in the Star of Thursday lasb, and although the St. Leger nominations show a slight falling - off numerically from the two previous years, they musb be considered most satisfactory. Out of the 55 entries, Musket is represented by fifteen of his progeny. The Champagne Stakes has the excellent nomination of 50, which shows that the Auckland Racing Club were wise in establishing tlie race.

Hurdle Race, 2£ miles. sfc. lb. , st. lb. Belle ... 12 2 Victory ... 9 7 Peter Osbeck 12 0 Armourer ... 9 7 -Owhaoko ... 12 0 Snake ... 9 7 Volcano ... 11 10 Exchange ... 9 t» Erebus ... 11 2 Artist ... 9 5 Mangahone. .11 0 Coral ... 9 5 Blue Bell ... 10 7 Orangeman... 9 0 Magnesia ... 10 7 Wat Tyler ... 9 0 New Year ... 10 0

The nominations for tho Great Northern St. Leger of ISB9 and the newly-inangti rated Champion Stakes of ISSS were published in the Star of Thursday last, and although the St. Leger nominations show a slight falling - off numerically from the two previous years, they must be considered most satisfactory. Out of the 55 entries, Musket is represented by fifteen of his progeny. The Champagne Stakes has the excellent nomination of 50, which shows that the Auckland Racing Cliib were wise in establishing the race.

After the weights for the Great Northern Steeplechase and Hurdle Race had been posted at Tattersall's on Wednesday night, there seemed to be an opinion among several that Exchange had got lightly dealt wibh in the Hurdles, and he" was aoupled in three or four doubles, com mencing with Silvio and Omata. If I mis take not, Exchange has nob been seen out in public since the disputed Summer Steeplechase won by Lin wood, and it will be remembered that, while running in .he race, he met wibh such a bad mishap ab bhe double in front of bhe sband, bhab ib was feared he would never run another race. Time, however, works wonders, for the little horse, after having a long sojourn in the Hawera district, has been brought up here again looking almost as good as new, and is receiving his preparation in the astute stable of Mr J. Lennard. During the season of 18S3-84, Exchange showed some excellent form in the Wan ganui and adjoining districts, and as he has demonstrated thab be possesses pace, he should cerbainly have a look in bhe Winter Hurdle Race with such a lenient impost as 9st 61b,0r 151b less than when he ran second to Macaroni at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting of 18S4.

Foul Shob is being pub in work again. The son of Musket and Slander bas nob been seen out in ' public since the memorable Auckland Summer Meeting of 1885-86, when he upset the big " pot" over Stoney hurst in the Derby, and was defeated on the day following by Derringer. Kelly has Foul Shot looking the very picture of health, and next season I hope to be able to chron : icle a "win for his owner in some important handicap.

From Christchurch I learn that during the Timaru meeting several lines were transacted over tbe New Zealand Cup and Derby. For the Cup, Maxim was backed at 100 to 6, and Sextant, Lochiel, and Silver Prince at 100 bo 5. For bhe Derby, Maxim is a firm favourite at. 100 to 35, Sexbanb has been befriended ab 100 to 30, and Gipsy King at 100 to 10. For bhe Waterloo Cup bhe besb offer about Ring wood is 100 bo 10, and bhe same price has been booked bo Grace Darling. Waitangi would be backed at 100 to 8, but this price is not forthcoming. Bed of Stone has been supported in Dunedin at 100 to 7.

E. Kelly tells me that tho game little mare Mystery, who was put bo King Cole lasb season, has missed, and we may again see her wibh the silk up next'season. Paddy (Teddy Yuiile's full brother) has been pub in work again. This colt has only once "sported' silk, viz: at the last Auckland Racing Club Spring Meeting, and has been turned out over since, lwo or three offers have been made for him lately, but I am glad to see thab his owners don't see the force of parting with tbe son of Anteros.

In a conversation with Mr W. Adams this week concerning the paragraph that appeared in the "Sportsman 11 anent Mitrail leuse's recent running in Australia, he assures me that he backed her for every race in which she started. This I may state _is verified by a reference to bhe price ab which the daughter of Musket started at the post. Mr Adams accounts for Mitrailleuse's defeats by the heavy state of tbe running bracks, and the only time the going was firm and dry was in the Bourke Handi cap, which she woh. Experience has baughb us on more than one occasion thab "Vigilant" is one of those scribes who always air themselves as knowing much more than other people.'

Writes " Sir Launcelob ":— Vanguard has been put in work again and appears to the eye of bhe casual observer to be sound. Should he ever come bo the post fib and well he will leave some of the horses we have aboub now standing still. If he were the Vanguard he was when he won the Dunedin Cup what an inberesbing sight ■would be a weight-for age race between him, Nelson, Maxim, and Sextant! Bub fate generally decrees that your high-class horses are never really pitted against one anobher ab weighb-for-age for a decenb stake. The same authority has had a look at Nelson, and remarks :—considering bhe rough passage he had over, I was surprised to see him looking so blooming in his coat. He was quite frisky when Cutts removed his clobhing, and gave evidence that there is " life in the old boy yet."

Mr P. Butler has sold Hanlan to Mr Con nolly, of Geraldine, who will pub him bo bhe stud in that district. Hanlan won the C.J.C. Autumn Nursery Handicap as a two year-old, and his owner having tried him highly for both bhe Derby and N.Z. Cup following, backed him heavily for bhose races, but he went wrong before they came on for decision. He is a grandly-bred colt, being by Cadogan oub of Waberwibch (dam of Natator, Nautilus, and Stonyhursb's dam, Wabersprite) and has plenby of size and quality bo recommend him. Mr Bubler has also disposed of Master Agnes to Messrs Rubherford, and Snapshot,a son of Musket, to J.Cotton, the Dunedin trainer and jockey.

R. Mason's connection with Mr 6. G. Stead has been happily inaugurated by Marion winning the Timaru Cup. It is understood that the daughter of Maribyr nong and Peeress has won her last race, and bhab she will be sent over to Sydney for tiee purpose of visiting Martini- Henry's harem.

During the Timaru meeting a well-known sportsman offered to take 400 to 100 about Maxim for the C.J.C. Derby, bub only a part of the money was forthcoming. .

The annual meeting of bhe Canterbirry Jockey Club bakes place on bhe 19bh May. " Senex " stabes thab the financial position of the Club Ls probably in a somewhat less satisfactory state than it was ab bhis time lasb year, and ib is nob unlikely bhat some slight reductions in the added money for the ensuing year may be considered ad advisable.

That hero of many a sbeeplechase con test, The Agent, is being used as a hack in Christchurch by W. Bubler.

Speaking of tbe handicap for the Wanga nui Steeplechase, " Flaneur " writes of bhe local candidabe Waibangi: He has been specially saved up for bhis race, and has been schooled and kept in good buckle all the season, picking up crumb 3in the shape of hack races, where he was a Triton among minnows. Whether he can live the distance in the company he will have to meet on the 24th remains to be seen.

Twenty nominations have been received for tho Nelson Derby of 1889. The only Auckland entry is Mr P. J. Buxton's colt Man Friday.

Sam Powell, the Wanganui trainer, has bought the Australian-bred Ascot for stud purposes. This horse is closely related to Cinnamon, tbe dam of Abercorn.

The cable failed to inform us of the winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap, bhe first important race of the English flat racing season, bub I now learn bhab ib was carried off by Mr Manton's Oberon," a four year-old son of Galopin and Wheel of For tnme.M'ho carried 7st 81b; R. Crest's Renny, by Casblereagh - Harriet Laws (6sb 101b), being second, and Lord Bradford's Isobar, by Isonomy—Remorse (Bsb 111b), third. Oberon, tho winner, may bruly be said to be bred in the purple, as he is by Galopin, from the redoubtable mare Wheel of For tune, who won the Oaks in 1879, and is often alluded to by English racing critics as one of bhe best mai-es that have ever ap peared on the English turf. To win a handicap in which he was lightly treated may nob entitle Oberon to the highest dis tinction as a racehorse, bub cerbainly the ease wibh which he won ib encourages the belief that he is a bebter, and he was nob, on bhe whole, a bad one lasb season, as he won the Select ab Newmarkeb, and was second to Ormonde for bhe Champion Stakes! beating bhe crack filly Argo Navis, and although he finished unplaced in the Cesarewitch, he gave the winner, Stone Clink, a lob of weighb. Ib is an encouraging sign for those who bold thab per formance is something in a brood mare, to see thab Wheel of Fortune is beginning to rival in the stud her career on the turf. There have always been a number of men who preached bhe doctrine that perform ance is of no value in brood mares and stallions. Some of these are men with weedy mares to sell, others bob mean bo buy a good mare, and the others a lot of cranks who oppose whatever is rational and delight in doing wrong. If performance is of no value in determining which we shall breed from,we might as well stop racing at once.

Ib is sabisfacbory (writes " Senex") to know bnab ab the Timaru Meeting — bhe first one since the decision of the totalisabor case Sbuarb v. Dunedin Jockey Club—there was no attempt made to reclaim totalisator invesbmenbs on losing horses. There were a few people who anticipated that some of. the bookmaking fraternity might take advanbage of bhe present position of affairs, and, considering the provocation they have received from some of the smaller clubs, and bhe abuse bhey have been subjected bo as walking bobalisabors in some sporting papers, ib is much to their credib bhat bhey have not rebaliabed. They could not of course do so openly, for such action would render them liable to beposted as defaulters, but they might, if so inclined, get men to do the business ior them, who would nob care a brass farthing about the posting business. So far as my acquanbaince wibh bookmakers is concerned I don'b believe there is ono of bbem who would so demean himself, and I have only touched on this point in the hode bhat bhese small racing clubs will not make enemies of bhe bookmakers, bub let them

follow' their calling, whebher liP~^~P ab definite odds or ab botalisator 2? IDg■*•» actual loss a club sustains throng f?'^ ing totalisator is actually ye™ , these bookmakers are themselves k,foc -scrifcers to the machine,to save ft-"c81^ and there are plenty of poplewhnT-n^ totalisator odds from' these men k I- nob beb ab all if subjected to the' d. 1 *°nl<* crush consequent oni ihy_stV^ ■„* machine. I look upon the walking total-" 6 as a great convenience.' ° utailsato. Judgmenb is a good thing whin n_. ' racing bub luck is an excellent thi A O6B (remarks "Rapier" in the ''fSrin*s • ?:tß»' Dramatic News,") This struck Z 5 S C at Sandown. I have agoodmanvS who own or ride "jump horse," ,ds, really bhink that. I knew very^^ * thab was to be known about the fonm prospects of the animals that 'ra^u-i afternoon. Near me sat a »entlem whom it w.ould be unduly conmlimpn^ "* say that he knew notnin|SSl phrase would not do justice to the extftfT his confirmed ignorance. His"%_f" where the horses started' in two ".rtH mile races were vague in.the extreme 1 fancied that the steeplechase horses t j aside now and then to go a little wav^ ! a few hurdles, and he carefully indicate'.^ i lady wibh him bhe position of the^l* jump, which he described as the last f r but one before the finish. Well! \Y_^ with all the undoubtedly genuine infl^ tion I possessed I could nob find a whiß^* my neighbour must have backed"y.' dozen. He was parbicularly "confin about Lord Lumley, and derisive' asIK chance of Tommy for the' March Steeii? chase ; and yet I happened to knp-flf some of the division most closely eonnfe with Lord Lumley would nob trust k shifty and uncertain animal shilling after his roguish performance j Leicester the week before, while span') the cleverest men at the game,iy_r._ traordmarily confident about the'ta horse. Such is the value of informal On this subject Captain Hawley 'g__j- : wribes :—" I think a man hasabetfcer'chZ when he is affiliated bo one, or perhaps {_ good stables, and trusts' to his.' pbsen. tion of public form for the rest t betting and mcners of course bein^,. considered." There is wisdom in this, oni. a man frequently loses money merely C the reason thab he is affiliated to _V^' stable, or more money is affiliated to (_ 0 Very often in these circumstauces a W ' backs a horse, though he does not *re_tjy fancy ib, because ib mighb win -he doe.irl like bo leb his friend's animals run' loose—it' ■would be such a soli if ib did win '_jjj he was nob on, &c. If he had no'specialjj. berest in the stable he would not back the .horse, which runs neibher better nor worse fiian he expected. In time ] he, sees tie folly of this sorb of .'-thing,' and'dqt. not " throw away " his money on the reprgse. tative of tbe stable—when, it need hardly be added, the horse wins. I" know : this, done, because Ido it myself. For a low time I had followed a friend's horses throul a run of ill-luck merely because they' waj his, and you congratulate your Mend, with much more sincerity when you have shared his good fortune. He had a mare in a bi» handicap, and I hesitated. about following my usual course. "She's very well,I.my friend said, " and she's fairly ,liandicappe_ ; I think he'll run forward, but I don't fancy ber much." I decided to leave it alone, and the mare won in a .canter by Wo lengths. ..'. Mr W. Dorton, the honorary secretary of the National Trotting Association, lias _■. dressed a sensible letter on the impoita.' subject of brobting nomenclature. to, ik editor of a London sporting i paper, in which he speaks of the. evil, as con-. fusing alike to handicappers, managers of tracks, and tbe public at large. \, During tie last year (1886) two hundred.and eighty three horses competed in thirty-one trattmg handiaaps in England. In this number were comprised fifteen Eollys, nine Fannys, eight Tommys, six Charleys, six Bobs, .five' Jessies, three Alices, three Jennys, ik There seems to be a mistaken; idea, among owners of trotters, he says, that horse .en tered in common-place names'are'betta. treated by handicappers. This might haye been the case, some years ago, ;butban_ cappers would tell Pollys, Tommys, . c., in, these days are always looked upoii witha certain . amount of suspicion. .' He. trusis that owners will exert themselves to ■ assist the management of the different' tracks by giving reasonable'names to their horses, »d is sure they will have the appreciation cf the public. ,

STAGE AND STUDIO.

(By Euterpe.) .' Is order bo please: the ultra-fasffiiE section of the British public Gilbert m Sullivan have changed the title of t-ter latest comic opera from •" Rtiddj/gwe-f *f.. "Ruddigoi-e." The i-dea, of •cours.to^ vious. " ... It was advertised by someone' mW" Melbourne papers that Mr . John R.'Row; manager for Miss Minnie Pal~e.r™ißj give free admissions:for vthe';Bijoa toW first 100 people who presented"«'_lows_»p«, paragraph. The 100 rolled" up ._d-«w» nob admitted, and bhe. question'isjdeM whebher Mr Rogers '•' sold '■' theiiundred,W whether somebody else " sold":R<>_era,:: J : The matinee given by the-membere~pt' bhe dramatic profession in Melbourne;^ ,the widow and child of bheiate Wiiwa Hoskins was;; a brillianb success^ •; J» 'receipts of bhe performance *^!|» bhe donabions from' members •of the prw^i si»n £S4 : so that, with Mr' Irving na tion of £-100, the. widow wiU get<a-cbwM for £367, as the expense only-came to >m ■■" The Mikado " istclbe piSiduce-fortD-,, with at the' Eden Theatre, Paris, j»» J. of preliminary experiment tot^ t. , tolerance of the Parisian public before™ production of "Lohengrin/^MrdrfW insult to France, if not qnite'-rodW^. Wagner's/is more recent,' and it.)™ ~ . beretbing to see how ■■ the French wM» bo the work of a poeb who has written.,-. " Ruddygore" :— , f . ~ . For to fight the French, :fd-la£ it'sfiketitM.. •agal, . '' : ' ''.. ■':';. . '.""■ It's a lubberly thing for to do; ,^ ' Mdme.'TrebeUi, rthefamous^DW^ sisted by a young violinist.of -Ovide Musin-has.beeir :P erfo^ empty chairs in.San Francisco. ■• v; a critic wribes: B'B>.„'siS into Albom's place when ™&%SMli, bralbo retired fronr opera «f_ S_f _M is she whose AzuccenaisaccepW fl -^ over as tbe ideal reprsentatioa MMfe queen. It 'is she" se^S_of* Arsace, whose Carmen the opera Old World never 'tire to sp»S£gj \tfgb It is:;she for whom Ain^j^ composed that charming &*$&>&"»» The years that' have passed . vm f pa? . pumfofWartehthe^^^g -vNilsson's teacher-made hen^^, B t Teabro Reale, in > Madrid, *> gy yon* few traces in her wonderful eg If the upper notes ar?.^SeW^'ft slighbly sbridenb, ggs in 111 its fulness, the "ffffcg masculine quality.' Th^ S|her ;fig unusual degree of evenne^w^^ register.' Aather'art|g& jncg is a matter of courser Sg^gft and* tion have combined intjiisw more artistic singer existo, ;

THE AUCKLAND EVENING- STAB, SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1887.

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