NEWS OF THE DAY.

"'Banco Sittings.—The banco' "sittings intended to have been held yesterday morning were postponed till 11 a.m. to-day. Thb CHBißrcmmcH M*tob*ltt. —The* following were the nominations for the Mayoralty of Christchurch, closing to-day, viz.:—Messrs J. T. Smith, W. Thomson, and Eden George.. A Co'ntbast.—The Lady's Letter from Melbourne in the Weekly Press describes two very different days' racing in Melbourne : Oaks Day, which was perfectly fine, "and Steeplechase Day, which was pouring wet from morning till night. " Marian " writes very cleverly, and gives a vivid idea of the contrasting conditions of the two days. Baxgioba Hai.v HoiiiDAT.—An attempt is being made to establish a hall holiday in Bangiora on Thursdaya. The promoters' expect to be able definitely to advertise results in a few days.

"PiPßtts Fos *fiß Mail.—A wail for the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, &c, via Brindiai, Point de Galle, India, China, Japan, &c, and also for the Australian Colonies, is timed to clote this morning at 10.30 a.m. The Weekly Press and Referee, enclosed in wrappers, may be obtained from a&y of oar town agents or runners, or from this office.

Sttmnbr Tbam Excursion.—To-night an excareion will be run to Smnner, leaving the Square at 7.15. The Garrison Band will be in attendance.

St. Patji/S Church.—The eoiree and public meeting in connection with the above will be held at the Oddfellows' Hall this evening. Pbbsonal.—The flag at the Lytteltou Borough Council Chambers was flying at half-mast yesterday, as a mark of respect to the late Mr John Kenner, who died at his residence, Coleridge street, Lyttelton, on Tuesday evening. The deceased gentleman wafe some years ago a member of the Borough Council and Chairman of the Works Committee. Acknowlbdgmbkt. — The Superintendent of the Lyttelton Sailors' Home acknowledges with thank* the receipt of a parcel of illustrated and other Home papers from Mr P. Cunningham. Angling.—Lovers of the gentle art will no doubt read with interest " Fontinalis*" article in the Weekly Press and Referee, entitled " Pishinjr in Canterbury." " The Messiah." —It is understood that arrangements have been made whereby the Christmas performance of "The Messiah" by the Christchurch Musical Society will be given in the Cathedral. Lyttelton Court.—At this Court yesterday two cases came before Mr R. Beetham, R.M., which will be found reported elsewhere. In H. N. Nalder t James Pope, claim £4, jndgment was given by default for the amount claimed and costs.

Bain. —Acceptable rain fell daring yesterday morning in North Canterbury, and it is hoped that it will put some of the wheat, upon which signs of rust had appeared, in such a state of growth that it may not be permanently injured by the disease. The area affected is iimited. DiooesAN Choeali Festival. — The Diocesan Choral Festival will be held today in the Cathedral. There will be celebration of the Holy Communion, matins and evensong. The"Yen. Archdeacon Harper will preach at the latter service. The particulars as to the muaio, &.c, have already been published. Theatbb &otax<. — " Marjorie " was repeated last night at the Theatre Royal very successfully, all the principal items being encored. It will be played again this evening and to-morrow, and will be replaced on Saturday evening by "The Old Guard," which is said to be the funniest opera in the repertoire of the company. The plan of the reserved seats for "The Old Guard" is now open at Messrs Milner and Thompson's.

Local Wool Sales. —On Friday afternoon upon receipt of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company's cablegram regarding the opening of the London wool sales the various brokers here will commence the season by offering a large quantity of wool, about 5000 bales having been catalogued. The wool has come forward in good condition, and with a large attendance of visiting and local buyers it is to be hoped that values will exceed expectations, notwithstanding the depressed state of the trade in the old country.

Daisy Factoby.—A meeting of the Oxford shareholders in the Central Dairy Factory was held in the Orange hall on Monday evening last, when about forty shareholders were present. Mr William Fenwick occupied the chair. Mc {Ingram read the correspondence he had received from the Secretary regarding the progress that had taken place re building of factory. Two offers of land in close proximity to East Oxford station were submitted for recommendation of the Directors. It was resolved that the creamery should be established at East Oxford. A vote of thanks to Mr Ingram and the Chairman terminated the meeting.

NOBTH CASTBBpiTBT BICTChM CLUB.—At a meeting of the North Canterbury Bicycle Club on Tuesday, November 22nd, letters were read from Messrs A. C. Wilmot, J. and W. J. Sanson, and Fitzgerald, asking to have their resignation as members of the Club withdrawn. The request was granted. A letter was also read from the Secretary of the Cyclists' Alliance, giving the Club permission to hold bicycle races on January 2nd. Messrs A. Miller, G. Eowe and Mullainey were elected members of the Club.

Dbaxtght Hobsbs. ■— That Canterbury draught horses are being much sought after in various parts of the colony is evidenced by the fact that Mr S. Kowe, who some time ago purchased twenty-four horses here for the Wellington City Council has been commissioned to purchase others for various clients residents in the North Island. He has been par* ticularly successful in his mission, having purchased, a3 he remarks, " twelve grand horses that he will land with pride on Wellington wharf." The horses are to be shipped to-day by the Tarawera, and Mr Bowe is of opinion that so soon a3 they are seen in Wellington numerous other orders will follow, and as a result he expects to pay a return visit to Canterbury qn an early date. This high tribute to the quality and excellence of Canterbury-bred horses is particularly pleasing. It may be stated that the majority of the horses were purchased is the Southbridge and Ellesmere districts.

N.Z. CTOiiifirre' TJkiok. — The initial meeting of the newly formed N.Z. Cyclists Union was held last evening in the Bicycle Touring Club's room*.. The following Club 3 were represented.—N.Z. Cash Amateur Club, £. P. Clarkson, W. Thompson, and C. H. Cotton; Bicycle Touring Club, W. Arey, GK Forbes, and W. G. Williams; Oainaru Bicycle <Hub, B, L. Adams, H. Price, and F. Panuell; Dunsandel Bicycle aub, C. Panneil, W. Cookson, and G. A. Clarke; Ashburton Bicycle Club, H. Thompaon, B. Maneell, and J. Boyd; Porovyhita, Youcg, J. M. Thompeou, G. Balfour. It was resolved, on the motion o£ Mr E. L. Adams, seconded by Mr Maneell —" That this constitution be called the ' New Zealand Cyclists' Union? ■' Mr W, E. Arey was elected to act aa Secretary and Treasurer pro Urn. A complete set of rules were drafted for the management of the Club, which occupied tbe attention of those present till late in the evening, after whicis. the meeting adjourned.

. Ltttblton EeaATTi..--A meeting of the Committee of the Lytteiton Regatta was held at- the Borough Council Chambers on Tuesday might. There was a large attendance. The Commodore, Captain T. McClatchie, occupied the chair. Mr J. Joyce reported what steps had been taken with reference to arranging for the visit of a warship to Lytteiton on regatta day and also with regard to other matters which had been left with him and the Mayor (Mr Brice) to arrange. . Mr T. L. Smith, on behalf of the Chriatchurch collectors, reported that the subscriptions were slowly coming in, and he had every hope of bringing the amount up to that collected last year. The Lytteiton collectors reported that only part of the town had yet been canvassed and that the promises were fairly satisfactory. After dealing with other routine matters the Committee were directed to arrange the programme, which will be printed in the coarse of a few days. It was resolved that the entrance fee in all cases, should be 5 per cent, on the gross amount of prize money given. The question of inserting a coaster's race in the ptCgramma was discussed, and it was decided tnt.t the funds would not permit of the race being included at present. The meeting then terminated. PHOFK»3OB BICKBBTON OST CTCUNG.— "I am simply delighted with the special Star Ladies' Safety made to my order, and congratulate you on being able to turn out such a magnificent specimen of local industry. Not merely am I pleased on my owu account, but more particularly so because in my opinion Safeties will certainly come into general use in the colony, and will be especial value to the fair sex. Further, the price and perfection of such colonial machines rendere it an act ol aimply folly to use imported cycles. Wishing you the success your enterprise ana skill deserves, I am, sirs, yours tro*7jA W. Bickerton. November loth, «*»♦„ Thirty hands employed making "Stare. Acknowledged to be the best. Adams, CnsTZEs and Co., 70 Manchester street, Chriatehurch.—[Advt.J

Taa Gebman Cmmca -_iT3jr seen by notification elsewhere M»T«* man Church w'Ol be opened fo?n&* worship on Sunday next, at 11 a.m LBCTtTRE.—At the Temple of Tw night Mr Worthington wiU ffi? ; lecture on " Religion and EaligioßLu- , the United States." S'waate Tempebancb LscTtrEß.--Mr E !)»*_ King wUi give his first lecture auspices of the New Zealand AUia^^ , the OlidfelW Hall, subject choson is " Patriotism " The will be taken by the Mayor of "sydeaW* New Brighton Excobsioh.— cursion to New Brighton last night well patronised considering the thresi ing state of the weather. The Band played a selection of muticoofe beach, which was grnatly appreciated Safb OAaaxAOK—The very interaJtb. and practical report oa the safe carri»Ws fruit; and dairy produce which haskL prepared for the New Zealand Company will be found printed in eifaj in the Farmer pages of the Weekly j£* Shis week.

MoBTAUTT AHONG TROUT.—A 8tBj». mortality among trout is reported,«»?! Wellington telegram, from MaeteaL The theory is that the fish hare W poisoned through the medium of cert? green beetles. *"

D«bp Artesian Well.—A SiaweHhi, just been completed at Luck's Building Colombo street, by Mr Job Osbome, *fIE of sixty gallons per minute bei'ae jjT tamed. The agents, Messrs Taylor £ Oakley, are fixing a powerful hydwaS ram to raise water to existing tankioatt* roofs. The supply by this means wflu* more than ample for the reqnireme&hrf the blocs. B

Th« Labour Markst.—Doting ft* course of the meeting of the Selw* County Council yesterday morning serofl of the members remarked oa the labour in the country districts. Two« three instances of work remaining undoa. for «rant of labourers were qaoted7*y one member remarked that much more to the men's benefit if th*» would journey into the country diafcriefcjS work instead of rushing off to the Koitt Island. n

Lyttelton Amatsub SwiauuNaGatt.The following handicaps hare beaTL clared for the Club's races, which tab place at Lyttelton on Saturday-Efrr yarde handicap, W. Sinclair, P. <aS scratch, Qeo. Bich 6aees, W. ClearjlQa? F. Bradley 12sec3, J. OUiver Eich 183ecd. 100 yards Sinclair, P. Cleary scratch, F. ]Lsml lOaecs, Geo. Rich 14sece, W. Cl»py 2S A. V. W. Pdrsona 25aec3, P. a>Sr 253ecs, J. Olliver 30iecs. 200 yards hjd. dicap, P. Cleary scratch, F, £ gig* 25sp.cs, Geo. Etch SOsecs, A.T. W. Pmoni 50secs, D. Cleary 75se<a. It hag decided to substitute aploagefortheloßf dire, and accept pest entries.

A Snakb at TiMAEu.—Atinjßtxakenti discovered at Timaru on Tuesday, in j truck of sand ballast discharged from tht barque Cumbrian, a pretty little creator* 6£ inches long, and Blender in properties, Its colour is an even brown, like oat gag lizards, with two dark stripes, one wide than the other, along each sideof itytfaick, The interesting little stranger, says ifc» Herald, was not lively, bat qaite alir* The Cumbrian obtained her ballaal if Buenos Ayrea, and tuerefore we may coaelude that this is a South American aukj. The discovery of one juvenile snake uasq> among the Cumbrian's ballast aaggtitt the query whether it had any companion to be shot down, undiscovered, on tbe nit way embankment or the beach.

Mb Waltes Bsntlby.—The Nta Z» land Times states that Mr Walter Jteatty has received an offer by cablegram of U extremely remunerative engagement at Drury Lane, whose management is is the hands of Sir Augustus Harm. Mi Bentley has, it understands, Iteeu \o2etetl the title role in a new English, pkj d great dramatic interest, which it to to produced in London in the early part rf May next. Mr Sentley is not yet carina whether the engagements already eahtt4 into by him will permit of. his aasp&sf the very flattering offer made him b/Sv Augustus Harris, and negotiations vftfc Australian entrepreneurs on thie sabjst may take some days to settle. If utsagt. ments can be made by which hki» tralian dates can be cancelled. Mr B&faj intends to bring his New Zealand tear fc a close in Auckland, and after a well needed, period of tfecuperafcioaaJdjs Hot Lakes, he will proceed to London ri& San Francisco, Chicago and New playing possibly a short season in cacb tt chose centres, where hi has m»sj -admirers.

As Honoubablb Actiok.—-ft was b» rently reported among the ha&ituit at Uβ Addington Saleyards yesterd*/ ta»kJ well known cheep dealer bad tetsoSj dealt in a very honourable way witi I number of persona who were Mb credit® on the occasion of his having toseek the protection of the Bankruptcy Court efceaS fourteen years ago. We learned thai la has distributed tna sum of them, he having been enabled to do tws through successful business ojwratiow--16 is needless to aay that thie tisaip* forward conduct was much appreciateaDJ tho3e who received the unexpecteamvK dends, eepeoially as in soma cum b» bankruptcy had been quite forgotten. Adbington Liva Srocx There was not a large entry at we 7**® yesterday, there being a cenader»te falling ofE in fat cheep the temporary dosing dowa of ttt* &«eofif works. The lat sheep yarded vmttei only of butchers 1 : lots, and tte«» being only about equal to. the rapW»e prices remained about the : sa»e « «f week. Crossbred wethers sold at from IB 3d to 15s 6d, halfbred e*e*J& teMfc crossbred ewea 12a to 15a & ««g} wethers and maiden ewes 335 23 ■«> *•*» merino wethers 6s 4d to ll* <$ crossbreds ia the woeM*-MgW} merinos in the wool up to. *»■•»; .* fair!/ large entry of f« !&»*» iw** * ready market ab from 1<» -„,--■** for medium, and 12a for best lines. Store e^ and lambs realised *k edto.lftljjgja line with 130 pcs cent, o£ ia^m 265; shorn two-tooth to 12s 6d, and merino ewes*** Bd. The supply of fat cattle WM* 3 one, and the quality waa Rood. The competition *»/{JJ3 lastTreek, and prices, receded Is per lOOlb. Steers £9 59, heifers JBS 8e to £5617e tojß6lss. TooogttoecrtttogflWgS at» slight advance on ""Sirjfc* to «*} S 603 to 593,' calves up to 3G«, »* from JB3 to J67 1C *f> demand for pigs, the medium one; porkers sold a 6 stores up to 17s 6d, baconers ap to «* Pol Pobwt.—The Hon. J.B.Ag Mrs Acland, and the aCssss•**; returned from England to Tuesday, and were accorded a weSe by the inhabitant of j little village. Isabella Button, Mr D. 3fc&^*j s | Terry, and » number of ' « i T ba s* designed and erected a down teiumpbal archee ■«J2?- Mnear Mr Mciay-. rtore, and **%*& over 300 people assembled **"*j -ru «d the Misses arches were largely made up f ***£$ gpeoimens of tree ferns and other lovely specimens ol! "J*! be found in the native bosh » beck of the and eented a remarkably P Aβ the party drove up Jfc arcfces they were loudly cheered, -g» , G» G. Dennietoun, on behalf m *"| dents in the district, read an oome, and farther««p i 4 t» it gave the residents of Pc« /^ te j* welcome Mr Acland,bi*wtfe and Jβ back amongetthem once more. »*• briefly thTnked Mr .Dew"»?n3 « . wstof the inhabitante come that bad bee* *&?*?*&£ and the other members of JJf "gj fc> 3* expressed the pleasure itf*^ 1 " back amongst them once How abb siscaif you; since vein* An k^f-TAD^

Tin Racing Conkebincb. — The £:ing calendar, the Weekly Press and ■ffiiSLESte Bishop of Chrisfcchurcn Jl SvT a lecture in the Town Hall, Son, on Monday, December 12th in Mfilment of an engagement made by him S months ago. Tbe subject will be BSer Thames," and the lecture will be illustrated by limelight views. T|p prorjpde will be given to the fund now 1 being JjJJed for repairing the parsonage at **£ nepWHENTABT.— At the last meeting f the Sydenham Borough Council a wella BArved compliment waa paid to Captain Sue on t" retirement from the Civil advice, rffc* twenty-four yeare' service, AMfafftfee last twelve of which he has vi« filled the position of Postmaster of let 7 Sfienham Post Office. Wβ aro sure JjJTt the following motion, which was passed, only expresses tbe ZMagoi every resident in the Borough Jaa ia9 had occasion to transact businesa !?th the late Postmaster. Cr. Booth mored and Cr. Forester seconded:— «Taat this Council desires to record its ktrorobation of tho manner in which the duties of Postmaster for the Borough have been performed by Captain F. Bailie, and ' Sfrectsthat a letter be sent to him to this effect, thanking him in the name of the Ltepayere for his unfailing courtesy, and 'SSJitf him lon & life « healtQ » and happiness fr his well-earned rest." (jgicKST Cxntdbibs. —Besides his usual jjptfj notes " Dark Blue" contributes to ''ib'e"oorrent number of the Weekly Press end'Beferee an interesting table showing ♦lie century scorers in senior cup matches since the institution of the competition, '■Qbbaldwb. —A meeting of ratepayers "trigheld at Geraldine on Tuesday evening \d consider the advisability of making necessary improvements to the sanitary of tbe township. During the toftet year there has been more sickness, and the mortality in the district has been greater than in former years. Br.- : Pish, who was present, gave it a3 £13 opinion that the illness was erased by defective drainage. 'A he tweeting resolved to present the following recommendations to the local Board of Efealth :---" That the pan system be eeta-

bHaued in the township; that dead horses no longer be buried near the school ground ks heretofore; that the Government be approached on the question of a new site for a cemetery; that a meeting £c called to consider the question of the Cemetery Board being made elective, and that an engineer be obtained to give an ' estimate of probable cost, show the best , method of draining the township, and also to report generally on the sanitary state of ' -the township." Mr A. White, Chairman ■of the Town Board, was in the chair.

Aw Australian Music Teaches in ;londoh,— Mr Graham P. Moore, Victorian bornaadeducated at Ballarat and Geelong, ' is now occupying a position in the London § : Royal College of Music as a professor of the pianoforte. Mr Moore has tried his heed with considerable distinction in composition, and several of his efforts have attracted the favourable attention of such pianistes as Paderewaki and Stavenhagen. 'Music.'—With something like JB2OO as the result of the benefit concert to cheer heron her way, Miss Emilia Wood (aays the Sydney Daily Telegraph) starte for England early nest month. The young piauiste has mapped out a two years' •conree of study and observation in Europe. Signor Foli will be back in London for Christmas. MrW. H. Ppole, the concert manager, who has had four years of rather mixed experience in the colonies, • will accompany the basso. Th 2 Mki-bocens Citt Oegan.—The glory of the Melbourne city organ hath, indeedj departed. Here is what the Argus says r—- ,, Saturday evening's recital

by the city organist attracted aboub - thirty people to the Town Hall. The .' - programme provided was of the flimsiest description, and bright easily be euppaeed ,» to have been intended as » direct insult <■' to the- : mn^^''Jnl^lließiico''pf l ''tlie*'Me^-- : .*'- bourne public." This matter came before the City Council on Wednesday, aad.it was then pointed out that the organ . required a giant's, strength to. play it, ' owing to the want of modern improvetnente; These, it was stated, would cost £2000. Something is to be done about it , uexDyean *

: Thb Tβ Noawai Eivbb.—At a special meeting of the Geraldine County Council yesteiday, Messrs Acton Morris, McKibbin and Colonel Eichbaum, attended as a deputation from Pleasant Point, to urge on the Council the necessity of ereoting 25 chains of protective fencing: sq the bank of the Tβ Ngawai river one and a half to two miles above the Point township. The deputation took the same line of argument as was adopted »i a meeting of residents at the Point) on Friday laafc, viz.,that the work beingonoof ' importance to the whole county should tie undertaken by the Council. The Council decided by 4 votes to 2 votes to do nothing. The argument of the majority being that it they did such work for Pleasant Point they must do similar work at other town- . ships that happened to be threatened by • tirefca. • ■ . ■

„.' A Quaker Wbdding.—A Quaker wedding is reported in the Sydney Daily Telegraph as having taken place recently at the meeting house, Devonshire street, which was the second only that has taken >* place there daring the last* seven years. The ceremony differs considerably from that usually practised by other Churches, and is decidedly quaint in character. ' There being no officiating minister, the ; contracting parties take it upon themselves to marry each other, the formula, being, - w Friends, I take my friend so-and-eo to be . lay wife (or husband, as the case may be),' (ronuaing by Divine assistance to be unto her or him a loving and faithful husband to wife until death separate us." The ~. wgister is next signed, and the rest of the 5 service is of a devotional character.

-Two Vibwß ov HsasmTT.—Bjornsen'e, i, in, his last book (Bays a writer in the ', Sjdney Daily Telegraph) strikes a different - note in regard to heredity from that of Ibsen. Bjornßen's "Heritage- of the Xurts,? and Ibsen's " Ghosts," are both pourtrayals of a modern problem. Both depict a> widow fighting with hereditary tendencies in her son to his fathers . - excesses. But Ibsen, noble and powerful as he is, is hopeless. "It is Kismet," iJ&says, "the. sins of the,fathers are r visited upon the children." and the children fall under the curse." "Not so," replies Bjornsen " One inherited quality combats another." One need not be so desponding, In the coarse of time all families are bo mixed together that any legacy of. evil has almost always beside it a legacy of good, which j may be strengthened by use; Be watchful, be untiring in effort and courage, and the evil may be so modified v as to be* almost unrecognisable, if not exorcised altogether. The mother in BjSrnsen's book does exorcise it. The hoy is violent, ungovernable, half-savage in Mb instincts. "Very well," says the widow," he shall be brought up entirely *uh girls }" which he was. And the little girls used to beat him, and half•feangle him—one boy among them all— , ' tatil he fell in love with one of the small , jfrrantß: after which he used to fig*ht vsperately for her. BjSrnsen believes •woagly in the united education of the and full confidence between parents sad children on all points. He would ' have every boy, every girl, taught what life and its dangers mean, before leavine •he mother's knee. "Then heredity will be revealed," not as an iron fate, " but a potent stream of tendency, to be curbed •nd guided by the power of a mother's love."

"David Gar* vs."—l wonder ( write 8 -"*««" « the TForid) if m* ny !reeSof. the "History of David Grieve-• are aware that a mucL-treasurea memento of Henri gegnault, the French artist-hero of Mrs Humphrey Ward's book, is carefully pre- £?« fficerß, ™oin of the Main mTI J? The painter, from his headquarter* at Tangiers, often paid long visits to the Rock, where he made many friends; and it was on one of these °i C^ 9ns ' ia 187o > that he le,fc ia coloured | chalks on the whitewashed guard room wall the three characteristic frescoes that are. now protected by a projecting glass case" against the depredating renovators of the barrack department, to whom nothing is sacred.

A Tbamwat Secret Societt.—A.n extraordinary conspiracy to defraud a Tramway Company was recently detected in Cincinnati. It appears that three or four years ago an mqui3itive conductor learned the combination that enabled him to open the " punch " and remove as many of the little bits of paper as he desired and to hide the robbery by moving back the bands of the dial that registered the number of fares punched. The enterprising conductor took one or two of his friends into his confidence, and they organised a Secret Society. Recently a certain conductor waa asked to join the Society. He took the matter under consideration, and consulted a superintendent. That gentleman told him to join the secret order and learn all the secrets he could. He did so, and reported that the Society numbered forty members, and that each " knocked do*rn" from 3dol to 4dol daily, the slips punched being thrown away. A seriea of calculations led to the conclusion that last year the Company lost 36,500 10l by the scheme, and IOO.OOOdoI in four years. A Child Sxticide.—ln Vienna suicides and attempts at suicide occur very frequently among schoolboys and apprentices dreading punishment from severe parents and masters. Recently a little boy swung himself over the balustrade of a bridge over the Danube Canal, and was browned before the boatmen could reach him. The little suicide was but ten years old. He had stolen and eaten unripe grapes in the garden of a neighbour, and threw himself into the water rather tha.n the chastisement threatened by his father, an artisan.

Tennyson's Mabbiage.—Tennyson, like Mr Gladstone, unlike Carlyle and William Pitt (says the London correspondent of the Argus) was close and cautions in money matters and in regard to his private affaire.' It is characteristic of him that he was engaged to be married to Lady Tennyson for twenty years. He was in truth Bluggish in his love-making, and it might never (have come to anything bub that one day, at the end of the twenty years, the poet said to his intended, " Don't you think that people will say we are rather foolish if we get married after all this time.! , Misa Sellwood replied with much presence of mind, " They would think us much more foolish if we broke it off."

Another Otetbr Story.—A correspoo> dent writes to the Daily News ia reference to the story of the coraorant and the oyster, which we reprinted as follows: —Sodjo thirty yeara &co I" was sketching.oa the shore at Lochgoil Head when a shepherd accosted mc. He even looked at my sketch, and drew my attention to a" low-lying mass of rock jutting out from the shore that I had caught as faithfully as I could. " Tes, sir," he said, " a curious thing occurred there, about three weeks ago. Foxes, you will kifbwi sir, are in the habit of coming down at low tide and eating the oysters out of their shells. One day 1 found one lying dead, and on examining it closely, 'observed that its tongue was held as if by a vyce. The oyster was firmly' attached to the ropk, and poor foxyV tongue to the oyster, so the returning tide settled his fate." ~ I asked if he had ever come by this kind of thing*-''before." "No, sir, never 1 before; though I believe it is not uncommon. He was a young fox, though full grown, and maybe he was not up to the dodge of .putting a stone between the shells;' That is what I am told they, as a rule, do. Oh, they" are ' cnrfaiuß , - thing*,--tome.* X believed it fcheii:.:ifc£:;i do no etill.

Legitimacy.—Genuine art in ptaobograpny is to be obtained from' C. H , Manning, he having had many years of practical experience in India and the Australian colonies; the patronage ba r stowed upon him by the. many illustrious personages, notified elsewhere, certifies to his capability of producing the highest clas3 of photographic work obtainable. Our recent Governor, the Earl of Onalqw, was pleased to appoint him only as special photographer to himself, the Countess and family, as also the Earl and Countess of Meath. Studio, 150 Colombo street.-* [ADvr.] Artistic. — Eden Gkokgb Company, L.mxxsd, the leading photographers"of Chrlstchiirch, are now producing from their new workrooms in Worcester street the most beautiful and artistic photographic work ever seen in New Zealand. Persons holding deposit tickets are re minded that they only remain good until 'December 3lat, and as a great rush is expected the last two weeks holders of deposit tickets should sib early and avoid the crush. All opals and portraits are nO\y finished in a fortnight, as owing to our new workrooms proving such a.success we are able to produce 1500 prints per day.-{ADVT.] . . Standish and Prbbce have just completed extensive alterations to their atudio, and thejr new display o* P)»otiQgraphs is well worth a visit.—-lAdvt. J ;