ENGLISH GOSSIP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue XV, 22 November 1880, Page 4

ENGLISH GOSSIP.

The London correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes : — I think 1 could place my finger upon some spots in tbe map of .New Zealand where it would be some advantage to the residents who have gardens, and who don't like to wake up in tbe morning and find their choicest; geraniums eate , and their best young trees barked, and, therefore, killed, if a local branch were formed of one of the youngest of all English societies. It is ...called the British Goat Society, and though it has been only ten months in existence, its prosperity was celebrated by a dinner last week, in the Alexandra Palace The Earl of ftosslyn is president, the Baroness Burdett Ooutts is patroness, and among the vice-presidents are the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Sbaftesbu.ry. Its members are just now deeply exercised with the difficulty of initiating a stud book, the difficulty arising from the fact,. that nearly every male goat is called "Billy.", and. by common consent the females have been named "Nanny." Hence the difficulty of distinguishing. About fifty guests sab down to dinner, ■ tbe viands being composed mainly of kid's flesh and goat's milk. Some idea may be formed of the igenuity employed from the appearance of the menu card announcing the soup as "Billygoatawney," which card was ornamented with a design in which the prominent feature was Swiss scenery, with of course abundance of goatskin the landscape. The Hon. Secretary, in an'after-

dinner speech, recommended the kid for general consumption, on the ground that it was equal to lamb, and only half the price. How long kids will remain at that; price, he did not say. I wish that this society would send out some of its membeis to IN T ew Zealand, to eat up the surplus goats in some localities that I know ! I thought;, as I read the report, that tbe Earl of Shaffcesbury and Baronesß Ooutts must be getting hard up for new spheres of benevolenc?. T expect soon to hear of their weeping for a new world to be good in, on the ground that poor old Earth hasn't room for one moi j society !