(Br TELsaßArn) AUCKLAND, Jan, 4. At the settling tip of tho Auckland Bacing Club's meeting to day, Gollan wns the largest winner, £882 12s 6d ; 0. Berasford, £674 10s ; W. Bobbett, £593 15s ;J. Harris, £378 2s ; A. Somerville, £250 103 ; Jno. Hae, £218; J. E. Nugent, £171 ; Thos. Pago, £171 ;L. Burke, £133; J. Lowthor, £23, and a num ber of smaller amounts made the total paid away £4033 14s. WELLINGTON, Jan. 4 An eight roomed house owned nnd ocoupicd by J. D. Morrison, a cuttor of Teiro House, was destroyed by firo at one o'clock this morniog. .Everything w«3 destroyed, Morri son escaping m his night dress, 'i'he family were absent at Dunedin. Tho building was insured for £300 m tbo Qaardian Office. Tho origin of the fire is unknown. At the annual meeting of tho Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company a 10 per cent dividend was declared ; both the reaervo and insurance fund were increased, and £4720 carried forward. Sinco the im'tiution of the company seveii years ago dividends aggregating 70 per cent haro beon paid. During the year the company slaughtered 200,000 animals, tinned over lOO.OOOIbs of meat, made over 1300 tons of tallow, fel mongered nearly 160,000 skins, 01 ported over 165,000 pelts and 1700 bales of wool. It has been arranged to hold a special thanksgiving service m connection with the jubilee of the colony at St. Paul's pro cathedral on the 21st instant. A combined choir of the Anglican churches will take part m the service. Messrs Goodwin and Dolislo, of this city, who have previously made efforts to opon up direct trade beetwucn this port and the South Sea Islands, but whose schooner Cora was wrecked among the islands during her first voyage, have made arrangements with tho owners of tho Auckland schooner Jessie Nicoll to take up the Cora's running. She will leave on her first voyage to the islands next week. Jan. 5. The Mahinapua with the San Francisco ! mail left New Plj mouth for Wellington at 8 a.m., and is expected to reach here early ' to-morrow morning. The southern portion will ba Bent on by the Manapouri, leaving at 3 o'clock m tbo afternoon. DOKEDIN, Jan. 4. ' Probate m ABhcroft's estate has been granted to tho widow. It amounted to £1500 i and consists exclusively of insurances. 