— A large quantity of smuggled cigar-) were seized m Melbourne last weok by the Customs 1 officials. Complaints had been made to tho OommissioiiQr of Customs by several 1 importing (inns, that a large supply of Manilla cigats had been placed on the [ market at absurdly low prices. This 1 pointed to tho natural conclusion that ' tbe payment of duty must have been \ evaded, and a strict investigation was commenced. Information which came to hand yesterday induced the officers to visit tho premises of Sun Kum Lee, | merchant, Of), Little Bourke-street east. ; A search was instituted, but without leading to the discovery of any cigars beyond a few cases on which duty had ' been paid. The officers had gone over 1 the whole premises, excepting one room, which they fonnd locked, and upon asWng for the door to be opened were [ informed that it was the private room of ' a domestic, who was then on a visit to \ some friends m Richmond, and had taken [ the key with her. After a threat that ' the door would be forced open by the 1 officers, it was voluntarily unlocked. | Two hundred and fifty thousand Manilla ' cigars were found Btowed away m this [ room. They were all seized as smuggled ! goods, and taken to the Custom House. f Two lorrios arid two drags were required 1 to bring away the goods. The amount f of duty payable on the goods seized is \ L 250. Irish Banking.— lrish bank shares \ have, like almost all other Irish securities, I suffered during the past three years from ', materially diminished profits, and their resources m the shape of deposits have ! likewise been seriously reduced. Upon | the average the drop m dividends has 1 reached as much as 1-j per cent as com ; pared iv 1877. — " Banker's Magazine." An Amusing Blunder. — One of the. Taranaki last week perpetrated , an amusing blunder. Lancaster's slaugh '■ ter-housc at]Ashbnrton was burned down, | but the " Herald" unformed its readers \ that the " Lancaster lighthouse at Wel lington was destryed by fire." Women to the Fore.— Nautucket is a ■ place were the women are not so entirely i ignored. They outnumber the men 16 to i 1. 