Auckland Gossip. (Specially compiled for the "Waikato Times.") Auckland, Thursday. DISAPPOINTED STOCKHOLDERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1179, 17 January 1880, Page 2

Auckland Gossip. (Specially compiled for the "Waikato Times.") Auckland, Thursday. DISAPPOINTE D STOCKHOLDERS.

The annual report of the New Zealand Insuaance Company was rather a blow to the shaeholdera, and it is not unnatural that the disappointment should lead them to utter many sharp remarks and opinions in reference to the company and management generally. Business certainly does not look very promising when a dividend of only five per cent, is declared, but, as the report says, competition has been keen and trade bid. One result is already apparent, however. The demand for stock in this particular company is not even so geod as heretofore, and shares can be bought at a lower figure than they were offered for a week ago.

MORE IMMIGRANTS. Our Agent-General is certainly doing 1 something for the "screw" which, I naturally presume, he draws for the colony. In the plenitude of his wisdom he has shipped another cargo of emigrants at London for Auckland, and the consignment — 300 in all— should arrive here several weeks Jieiwe. Jf there, was any I

1 i ' foundation whatever for the unemployed agitition i few days ago, this certainly looks very promising, and when we consider the large number of passengers on i the way out frbm. England to this province - wevn&turaiiy entire what will be found : for them to do., ftowever, there is still ' plenty of g-ura to dig, and if this does not come to the expectations they have been led to hold they ean — well, go ela where.

BICCA.RDI OPBRA. COMPANY. The Kiccardi Opera Company his been reformed, and is now playing in Girofle Gbrafla afc the Theatre Royal, prior to leaving for Melbourne, where they have an engagement hey take the good wishes of the people here, bat it is to be hoped thfeir second trip -will not end in another trip on the shoals of adversity. It is scarcely the thing (although it is decidedly* amusing to some) to see the members of a local company, after they have been on a staring 1 tour,gcoming back in twos and threes without cash and exceedingly down in the mouth.

WHITKFISH FOB WAIKATO. Waikato has been blessed with some s "nail droppings from the large consignment of whitefish ova that arrived here from San Francisco bv the mail steamer Australia- on *unday last. A small parcel of the ova has been placed in the Domain ponds, and the frsh, when hatched, will be placed in Lake Waikarie. Then let the Waikato settlers be very thankful, and hope for larger mercies

next time. SAUOS FOB THE GOOSE, ETC. Our Harbour Board has just dropped on a nice little game ■which was very nearly being- played to a Bucceasf ul issue. At the last meeting of the board, the members were called upon to assent to a resolution dismissing Pilot -fames from the fervice owiner to alleged incompetence. Mr Nathan, however, probed the matter, and the result is rather amusing 1 ccording to the statement of the chairman himself, it was customary for all the shortcomings of Pilot James to be reported to the board, while no attention was paid to the faults of the others. We have three pilots, viz., J. Burgess (chief ), W. Burgesn (2nd), and James (3rd). The latter individual has recently been unfortunate, the Falcon having met with an accident while in his charge, and the Mary Mildred having- got on a sandbank dunng a gale, also while he was on board. But further enquiry reveals the fact that the mail steamer J^ealandia was put on the same Randbank as the Mary Mildred; the Fleohew, ship, was run amongst the rocks at the North Head ; the ship Waikato, with a valuable cargo, a month ago, was taken across the river into a dangerous spot, and there anchored, although there waR a fair wind down the harbour ; the mail steamer Australia, I believe, fouled a buoy off the wharf gome months ago, and could not get alongside the wharf for 14 hours, and swndrv piles have be°n carried away from the wharf by various steamers. In all these oases, James was not the pilot, and it is therefore evident there are others to blame. In another case where the pilot boat fouled the Australia, Captain Cargill exonerated James from blame, taking it on to himself. However, an enquiry will reveal some astonishing facts, and will rather open the eyes of tho^e who are not well acquainted already with the working of the Auckland pilot service.

LATTER D\Y SAINTS. Widows and unmarried ladies of adranced aare who have hitherto heen unable to find partners with whom to enter the state of matrimony are now afforded an excellent chance of obtaining- husbands. Three elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints t vulgarly termed Mormons), are now in Auckland, and have commenced a mission. T^o of them Rhortly leave for the but their places will be occupied by two others. They have, they claim, already ma^e several converts — all of the female sex I have no doubt. Their opening 1 services have been moderately attended, and the fair sex was wel 1 represented amongst those who were present. Judging- from the number of females who have private interviews with the elders I should itnaa-ine that marriaeres will be less frequent here after their departure — that is, unless the (Government send for several shipments of female immigrants.

DISTRICT RAILWAYS. The fambridsre settles have not a verypleasant prospect before them in connection with their railway line. The Utorney- General, replying to a Pukekohe deputation on Saturday last, expressed a doubt as to whether the Government would take over the line when completed. Poor Oambridare ! Whafever may be the course adopted by the Deity, the Government does not always help those who help themselves.

THE PHONOGRAPH. The most interesting: small show here since the departure of the two-headed child, is one of Edison's marvellous phonographs. The instrument, which is visited by larsre crowds daily, repeats with wonderful minuteness all the sounds which are giveu as teats. The machine, which is said to have cost £400, wts in danger of total demolition the other pveninar at the hands of an astonished Waikato Maori chief, who attributed the wonderful reproduction of his remarks to the influence of evil spirits.

ON THE CARPET. Dr Wallis f^ity West) and Mr F. J. Moss (Parnell), both members of the House, have met their constituents in order to render an account of their stewardship since my last letter. The proceadinjrs at both meeting were very tame indped. and it is evident that the political fever has comptately died ont. V good thing- happened at the meeting? of the reverend divine. In an outburst of orenerosity he told his constituents that as they had not asked any favors from him vet, he had determined to voluntarily Qfrant one, which he impressed upon them was a very great concession. He then fold them, in accents soft and mild, that he intended to devote the whole of his time to politics. And this was the favor. Strange to say, *he applause »nd cheering 1 were not very enthusiastic. Perhaps the thousrht fiashpd across the minds of his audience that he -wanted to get on some more commissions of enquiry, with travelling allowances and a nice windfall for trouble, &c. At all events, the spiritual welfare of the flock has been neglected for fcheir temporal welfare, and Newton Kirk is without a pastor. " But such is life, Ac."

A LITTLE SCANDAL. Papakura has famished a little bit of scandal in the seduction case before the Supreme Court The claim was for £150, asd was made by the father of a girl named Martha Lyon aorainsfc a young man named Willis. The evidpnee was grossly iudacent, and, if true, discloses a lively state of things at Papakura, where the parties reside. The plaintiff alleged that the intimacy between Willis and his daughter took place last year, while the defendant was on a shooting trip on his (plaintiff's) estate. The birth took place in July last, when, it is stated, Willis offered £60 as full satisfaction for all iemands, but this was refused. The evidence on the other side goes to show that the girl was notoriously unchaste, and several witnesses gave evidence to her wemeral immorality. Several other witnesses' asserted they had been favored swains, and altogether a most astonishing* and disgraceful story is told. The jury awarded a vordiot for plamtift for £100 Witt, QOSti, I