Local Intelligence.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIII, Issue 957, 29 August 1856, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

Auckland Steam Navigation Company. — An adjourned meeting of the shareholders of the Auckland Steam Navigation Company was held, yesterday afternoon, in the Odd Fellows' Hall. The number of shareholders present was between thirty and forty, and the chair was taken by J. A. Gilfillan, Esq , M L.C. The principal object of the meeting — the consideration of two letters read at last meeting, written by C. J. Stone, Esq., and Captain Mailler, respectively was the subject of considerable conversational discussion, with, however, very little variance of opinion, resulting, on the motion of David Graham, Esq., seconded by William Connell, Esq., in the adoption of the following resolution :— "That the capital of the Company be increased by the issue of such number of new shares, not exceeding 1200 shares, as may be required to admit such of the other owners of the 'William Denny as may desiie it, to become shareholders in the Auckland Steam Navigation Company, in the proportion of one hundred and fifty shares for every four sixty-fourth shares no\f owned by them respectively." It was also resolved, on the motion of William Connell, Esq., seconded by Walter Brodie, Esq.,— 11 That, before the new shares bG issued, it. is expedient that the rules of the Company be altered in respect of the number of votes to be exercised by any one shareholder, and also in respect of the power of voting by proxy. On the motion of David Graham, Esq., it was affirmed to be desirable that shareholders becoming candidates for the office of director should give the Secretary notice to that effect fourteen days prior to the annual meeting. Simultaneously, it was resolved that a general meeting of shareholders be called by the Directors for the purpose of giving effect to such resolutions by altering the rules of the Company.^Various other matters in connection with the interests of the Company were brought forward, and made the subject of inquiry and conversation— not however, resulting in any definite resolution. The next meeting, as will be seen from our advertising columns, is announced for Wednesday, the 10th proximo. Criminal Sessions.— The Supreme Court will open, in its criminal jurisdiction, on Monday morning at 10 o'clock. The calendar is unusually light, only four cases being set down for trial — three for larceny and one for assault. Of the former, two are against a man named Woodford, and one against Neesham, a soldier. The defendant in the latter is Scott, the fellow who, having been out on bail, was non est at the last sessions. The Powder Case.— The schooner Te Iwipowhare, belonging to the Tawera— the tribe that stole the powder from the Kawau — has returned to Manaia from Wangarei. She had on board the chiefs Moeroa and Te Manihera from Wangarei, whose object in visiting Manaia is, to persuade Te Tawera to give up their vessel and the stolen powder tothe Government. A meeting on the subject was held at Wangarei, and the matter was to be fully discussed at Manaia. Taraia and various other chiefs of consequence were to be present. Breach of Slaughter Housh Ordinance. Tolebably hard Swearing.— On Wednesday, at the Court of the Resident Magistrate, Mr. Wilson, butcher, Queen Street, was charged with having, on the night of Sunday last, committed a breach of the fourth clause of the Slaughter House Amendment Act, by slaughtering a pig within the precincts i f the city. For the prosecution, Constables Porter, Jones, and Peter, deposed to having been attracted to the premises of Mr. Wilson, on the night in question, by the sound of pigs squealing. They successively looked over the fence, and saw the defendant carrying into the house a dead pig, bearing evidence of having just been killed! They also deposed to minuter details, Constable Jones, for instance, having seen a pig bleeding, lying near the block-house. Forthe defence,- a man named William Jones, a seafaring man, deposed to having slept in Mr. Wilson's house on Sunday night ; he saw no pig killed, and did not think that •uch a thing could have happened withput his knowledge. Another William Jones, also a seafaring, man, deposed to having spent the evening in Wilson's house, and no pig could have been killed when he was there. He left between 9 and 10 o'clock, and Wilson was then preparing for bed. John Davis and Mary Ann Davis deposed to having slept on the premises during the night referred to. To the best of their knowledge, no pig was there killed. It was scarcely possible this could have happened without their knowing of it ; and they heard Wilson go upstairs to Bed. The evidence being of so contradictory a character, the Magistrate had no alternative but to dismiss the case. In doing so, however, he took occasion to remark that, evidently, gross perjuiy had been committed either on one side or the other. Military Theatre.— We learn that a performance will take place at this theatre, on Monday, the Bth prox., the object of which, as has been the case on so many former occasions, is of a charitable character. The services of Miss Glyndon and Mrs. Moore have been secured for the female parts, and the male will be sustained by the amateur company of the 58 th. The pieces selected are Naval Engagements, Box and Cox, and The Middy Ashore, all of which, we have no doubt, will be effectively represented. The fine music of the Band will add to the enteitainment. Theatre Royal. Benefit of Harry Jackson. — The performance announced for flic benefit of Harry Jackson came off on the evening of Wednesday last. Although the night was- dismally dark, and the appearance of the weather far from promising, every part of the house was crowded to suffocation long before the usual hour, and many, we understand, we're sent away from want of accommodation. The splendid overture to " Tfhe Bronze Horse " having been played by the band with magnificent effect, the curtain rose upon the first piece — Sweathearts and Wives — a comedy inthree Acts, with which mostof our readers are doubtless familiar, and the various characters in which were sustained in their best style by Miv Qlyndon, Miss Mortimer, Mr. Harwood, Mr. Southwell, and the rest of the company. But the fact was that Jackson was the hero qf the night, and we fear that his sayings and

doings eclipied, for the notice, » good deal of light in other quarters. In an early scene of the first Act, he enters, a* Billy Lackaday, reading a book, and spelling the lofljf words. The sound of his voice at the win£ was quite sufficient to elicit thunders of applause, which increased, if possible, and continued for several minutes, on his appearing before the audience. He very successfully personated the lackadaisical " young fondling" (* character originally sustained by Liston)— the various points telling the better from the very effectiyt manner in which he was supported. The scene in which Billy cuts a ringlef^from the hair of Fanny (Miss Glyndon) and that in which he meets and embraces his paternal parent (Mr. Statham) were worked out with much dramatic effect, and brought down roars of laughter and applause. At the fall of the curtain on the last Act, Jackson was vociferously called for, and made his bow in propria pertona. The interlude consisted of a song I'm leaving t'»ee in sorrow, Annie," by Miss Mortimer, which was encored ; " Britannia's the pride of the Ocean," by Mr. Harwood, with the usual hitching of inexpressibles and other tar-like accompaniment*, told well ; but the song was the novelty announced by Jackson, 11 Alonzo the Brave and the fair Imogene," a serio-comic rendering of the well known story, and the music a medley of popular^compositions. The new song, though got tip in a hurry, — and its preparation is evidently a task of some magnitude — was fully successful, and bids fair yet to rival the far famed Villikins. It was ably accompanied on the piano by an invisible hand. In the last piece, the Wandering Minstrel, the make-up of Jackson, as Jem Baggs, was capital. In this piece, Miss Glyndon appeared in a somewhat novel character, that of a starched, self-willed,elderly lady, and did the part to admiration. The other characters were well sustained but (not having seen a bill) we can scarcely name them. Miss Mortimer made, for the occasion, a very charming young gentleman, and made love exceedingly well. Still there was some little impatience manifested for Jackson's song, which, although the public of Auckland have now heard " Villikins " about a dozen times, seemed really to have as much attraction as ever. In the song, Jackson made extensive capital oat of his own misfortunes. The half of Dinah's fortune being invested in a wob'den theatre ; the chorus of enraged " parients," a la a certain low comedian when he was bolted in at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, the garden referred to in the song being the " stone yard" ; and the bottle of poison being labelled "'Coloniallgruel fro- thecellar'of Caktle OBrien," were amongst the sly local hits which drew down roars of laughter and applause from the audience. " Villikins " all but brought to a close- a night's performance which seemed to please every one,and to which a valuable addition was the very excellent music of a full regimental band. In the course of the evening it was intimated that Mr. Jackson would appear once more on next Monday night.