Auckland Gossip.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4322, 7 November 1882, Page 2

Auckland Gossip.

(EHOM OVSfaOWN COBBE3PONDENT,) The allotment mania continues the prevailing epidemic, and during the last fow months so much money has been withdrawn, from fixed deposit in the banks that those disiaterested are sounding the tocsin of alarm. We all know the evils of over speculation in land or anything else for that-part of the matter, so that the deli-, ciously unsophisticated homily recently preaohed by the President; of the Bank of New Zealand resolves itself, when* analysed, into a pitiful whine on behalf of our national pawn Shop. Talking of land

speculation remiuds me of a good story in which a neighbor of mine plays a prominent part. At a recent sale he* purchased a section in one of the charming terrestrial paradises (vide auctioneers' advertisements) at the North Shore. One morning recently my friend informed his spouse "that he was just agoing to take a run across the water to look at that 'ere allot* ment." He went full of joyful anticipation, and returned covered with mud and desirous of selling his section at a good round sum under cost price. It subsequently transpired that the charming section was a piece of. swamp land which would cost more than the land was worth to fill in. Moral! Look before you leap.

All the unhealthy excitement generated by the Melbourne Cup is over, and people are now able to talk of something besides "morning gallops," "odds," "probable starters," etcetera, etcetera. The victory of Assyrian lifted a considerable weight off the minds of the local bookmakers, as had any of the favorites won they would have been severely struck. Many of them lost good rounds sums over the result of the Derby. As it is, £300 will ' cover their total losses over the Cup. It was a sight worth seeing, burly Joe Gallagher leaning Against the verandah post in front of Jones', the tobacceaist, shop » and heaving great big sighs of relief when the vtelcomo news came to hand; while^ Lyons, Blaikie, and others of the talent" looked pictures of happiness. The drawer of Assyrian in one big consultation is an old expressman who had been in the habit of taking a sixpenny drink in the United Service Hotel evening and morning. He was chaffed into taking a ticket, which he paid for by reducing his daily allowance of spirits to a threepenny nobbier. The - morning of the race he refused £150 for his chance.

One day last week there appeared an advertisement in the Herald requesting information regarding the whereabouts of a young man named Sismore, who through the death of hit father has been left a large fortune— some £30,039 >,or £40,000. Some time ago I met young Si9inore &od heard his story, which ; iB,/w|th the sequel, a good illustration 6F the up* and downs of colonial life. Some yearil ago the lad's father, a colonel in- the; army, went out to India, leaving his wife and son under the guardianship of a male relative. It appears that Colonel Sismore left sufficient funds in the hands of the guardian to keep his family respectably, but that wicked man appropriated the greater portion of the money and forced tbe wife and son to live on a miserable pittance. Being reduced to the; -greatest penury, she wrote to her husband, but receiving no reply was led to believe that he was responsible for her distress. The brutal relative treated youogSismore so b *dly that be ran away to sea, and the woes of his unfortunate mother drove her to drink. About two years ago the Colonel returned home and was so stricken at the evil courses of his wife and the disappearance of his son —of whom no (race could be found—that he-went out of hi? mind. All this I heard from young Sismorei whcarrived here IStaonths ago, an apprentice on board the snip British Empire. Seafaring had been before distasteful to him, and he deserted his vessel in this port; and proceeded to the Thames, residing there until the acid ship British Empire had started for London. He came to Auckland completely.-" flyblown,'' but before long secired th« sitsation of " boots " at the Northern Club, and wag subsequently employed as bottle-washer at Gledhill's Cordial Factory. About a year ago he left the Colony for New Caledonia, and I la3t heard of him per* forming the duties of storeman aud interl* prefer—for lie was a good French scholar —at a warehouse at Noumea. Quite recently his fattier died in a lunatic asylum, and an investigation of his affairs has shown him to be worth a large sum of money. When young Sismore hears of his good fortune, he will probably not lose much time in securing his patrimony. Verily "truth is stranger than fiction, j

In a few days a team of valiant Auckland knights of the willow will proceed south to do battle for the honor of the Queen City of the North. I prophesy that they will prove victorious at WeU lingtou and Dunedin, but that the yeomen of the city of the plains will giro them " slops."

It may not be generally known that Sir George Grey was at one period of his life, a most uncompromising opponent of the Contagious Diseases Act. Wliea in England some years ago, he was elected one of the vice presidents of the British Association for the repeal. of, that ordinance..

Lately theatregoers of this city have had 'their wants well attended to. Mr Bland Holt's eo-npany (which played fix weeks.; the largest season on record) was the best mounted and strongest dramatic combination that erer visited Auckland. The scenery and mechanical effects w.ere superb, and you may gain some idea of the completeness of Mr noU'-s outfit-when I tell you that he has 303 wigs and upwards of 100 stage dressesffor his own use. The Tambour Major> Company excels all its predecessors, and though tiie nightly receipts so far hare exweded £103,1 really cannot understand how the management can make it pay. The travelling strength of the company is 50, and-80 supernumeraries were engaged here. Four days were expended Jn drilling thete latter, and they were to do' remunerated at the rate of los per week each. Just before the curtain roso on the opening night all the " supers" - struck, jind the manage* ' ment had to increase the scale of pay considerably. Of course the wily " walkicg gentlemfca" had^the whip hand of the unfortunate impressario, and he had to comply with their exhorbitant demand or " burst." I will not detain you with a description of the opera, but will merely refer to the last scene. The whole;depth of the stage, surrounded with appropriate scenery, represents a grand square in Milan. The Austrian soldiers are at.drill while groups of citizens itand near the great cathedral watching the manourres.. Presently the faint sound of music is heard, and as the sounds become stronger the inspiring. time of the Marseillaise can be detected. In a few minutes headed by a full military baud, the French army represented by at least 100 armed.ana uniformed "supers" march into the square, while ladies and gaily dressed cavaliers scatter Hovers from the balconies above. The. spectacle is simply perfect and it is not to be wondered at that the audiences ou Friday night mm« ted on the curtain being drawn up several times before their greedy eyes were sated. mft***