AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 201, 31 August 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

JOHN F. SIIHUTDAN.

(Special to Times.)

Auckland, last nightdobn F. Sheridan concludes a phenomenally successful season at the Opera House to-night. Throughout the season the company have drawn crowded houses, and the excellence of each production thoroughly merited the enthusiastic support accorded by tiro public. Tt must certainly have been very gratifying to Mr Sheridan, on the production of Fun on the Bristol," to he greeted with a house packed to the doors. And what a night's fun they lmd ! The house fairly shrieked with laughter. Mr Sheridan's reception was enthusiastic in the extreme, and the vast audience rose and cheered the favorite comedian.

ANNOYED SPORTSMEN

Much annoyance to local sportsmen was caused in town to-day when it became known that Advance, the favorite for the Xew Zealand Cup, was scratched. If is feared th it long-distance racing is for Advance a thing of the past.

INHIGNANT CYCLISTS.

In furtherance of the objects of the meeting held last ovening by cyclists, the following telegrams were to-day sent by the Secretary of the Auckland Cycle Roads League to the Right lion. R. -f. Seddon : “ At a public meeting last night the following resolution was unanimously carried : That this meeting of cyclists and others interested in the cycle path movement expresses its strong sense of indignation at the conduct of the Premier in refusing to assist his colleague, Sir Joseph Ward, to make the Cycle Boards Rill law this sossion, especially in view of the fact that ho is introducing legislation which people are lighting against ; this meeting hereby requests him to take up such Bill and make it law this session, ns he has been petitioned by many thousands to do : it. is not too late yot—will not you assist- the cyclists to get what they want, at no cost, but direct gain to the country'? ”

THE BOGUS KING

Mnhutn, the “king," of Waikato, his wife and son, and several of his chiefs, including the old rangatiras. Partita to Tuhi and Tonara Maiohn (Mnhuta's uncles, of Mnngere), were in town yesterday and to-day. Maliuta and his party paid a visit to the Lindancr Gallery of Maori paintings, owned by Mr 11. E. Partridge. They were delighted with the collection of life-like portraits of famous Native chiefs, including their deceased relatives Tawhiao, Tamaiti, Ngapora, and others. In this gallery are the portraits of a number of prominent Natives wellknown to Gisborne, Messrs Carroll, AA i Perc, Henrc Tomoana, and others. The lives and history of each Native is attached to the painted portraits. Tho lives referred to were written up by a woll-kuown Ctisbornite, now residing in Auckland.

MAHUTA'S SPEECH

Mnhutn, before leaving the gallery, made u characteristic speech. Looking round at the pictures of old warriors and tribal leaders long since dead, ranged on . alls, he said : “ I have looked upon these -mintings of Maori chiefs of Aoteroa and ;e Waipounamu (the North and South i>iands). My heart fills with grief at the

sight of these likenesses of my ancestors, my father's and mother's. Salutations to ali of von here assembled (addressing the pictures). Greetings also to the man who painted the pictures, the owner of them, and the person who has them in charge, God save you all! "

A NOTED CHIEF,

One ot the Kingite party in town, Patara Te Tuhi, is a chief with a history. It- was he who in the days before the AA aikato war conducted the Kingite paper “Te Hokioi,” at Ngaruawakia, against the organ John Gcrst (now Sir John) started, the “ Pikoihoi," at Te Awamutu. Mr Gorst was. however, “run out’’ of Waikato, and the “Pihoihoi" was smashed up by the war party, l’otara took part in the war, and was many years afterwards secretary to King Tawhiao, with whom he visited England in ISS4. Amongst his other accomplishments, tho old chief is a skilled wood carver,

rim ATE DETECTIVES.

Mr Justice Conolly, summing up in the divorce case to-day, commented strongly on the evidence of a private detective. Ho remarked that although police detectives were a valuable body of men, the same did not apply to persons who took up detective work as a private trade. He thought they were persons whose evidence should always be received with a great amount of suspicion. POOR CEIBB.

Charles Cribb, who acted in an eccentric manner at Gisborne the other day, and attempted to jump off an hotel balcony, arrived from Gisborne yesterday, in charge of Constable Farmer. After examination, the unfortunate man was committed to the lunatic asylum.