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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2459, 14 April 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Tub Crown leases in the vicinity of Piccadilly Circus and Piccadily have been falling in rather thickly during tho last few months. As an indication of the enormous value of property in the neighbourhood, it may be mentioned that short leases of 2t years are being granted at an advanced rental of from SO per cent, to 100 per cent.

There are a good many strrnge features in London journalism. For some years past a writer, whose signature was " Miranda," furnished sundry columns of girlygirly gossip every week to the Lady's Pictorial, and now it comes as rather a shock to the readers of tltat paper to discover that " Miranda" was a male individual, and bore the name of Archibald M'Neill. Young girls, middle-aged gir's elderly girls—girls of all sorts, in fact— poured all their confidence into " Miranda's" ear. They wrote asking him to expound dark points regarding stockings and frilling, they consulted him on cosmetics and hair washes and tilings that would remove pimples ; they took his opinion on the subject of trimmings for very delicate garments which are worn in the silent watches of the night, and " Miranda" answered them all and breathed soft confidences into the pink car of the public. They all gave themselves away muter the impression that ho was a woman, and lie wasn't a woman after all. And now " Miranda" lias come to a sudden end. It would have been all right, doubtless, if he had confined himself strictly to writing items, as that is an occupation at which comparatively few men get murdered if they are ordinarily careful, but he went away to report the Smith-Kilrain prize fight, and a 'lay later his dead body was Found on the sea shore near Boulogne.