AMUSEMENTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5288, 23 September 1876, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

During the past month the chief attraction in the way of amusement has been the series of operas produced by the Simonsen Opera Company at the new Theatre Royal. After completing the subscription season, which they were giving when the last mail left, they gave a brief season at "million" prices. This resulted in much better houses numerically, though it may be doubted that the theatre treasury benefited much by the change. The benefits of Madame Simonsen and Mr. Martin Simonsen drew such crowded houses as to prove unmistakeably that their efforts to please, if they had not been patronised as they should have been, were thoroughly appreciated. Madame s popularity seemed to increase at each performance, whilst excellence was discovered in many of the company who had not been credited -yith it. Opera has now migrated to the Thames, but will return to Auckland (this time to the Prince of Wales Theatre) next week, when there will be three nights On Thursday the compauy leave for the South. The drama has now made its home at the Royal, where Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Hall opened on Wednesday last to a crowded house. The pieces were " Old Poldiers " and " Toodles." Sir. Hall is lessee and manager, and promises high class productions, intending to secure an efficient company. He has already brought together some very good artistes. The other items of amusement during the month are the usual tea meetings, concerts, and " spelling bees," of which there has been an average number.

Mr. James Mackay has completed the parchase transactions on Sept. 18 got the deed signed for 20,000 acres at 3s. per acre, having a frontage of 12 miles to the Thames River, ami Hve miles below and seven above the junction of the Ohinemuri River, on the \rest side of the Waihou. The land is all suitable for settlement. The Terpsichorean entertainment given by the petty officers of H M.8. ' Nymphe,' came off w ith great eclat, at the Naval Shed, at the North Shore, on Thursday. Action was commenced in the afternoon by Captain Suttic, supported by several officers. The up-stair3 room was tastefully decorated with ferns aud flowers, while the bunting of various nations, borrowed for the occasion from H M. cruiser, gave a particularly naval and brilliant effect to the room. The officers left before ten o'clock, but the dancing vas kept up till an early hour next morning, by the sub-officers and their friends, and th.-> •' boys in blue," who on this occuiou wet l dressed in white, and displayed no small amount of talent in the way in which they acquitted themselves of their ball-roc .11 duties. The same might be said of sonu> local amateurs if they would only learn that there are more graceful ways of waltzing than of jamming the lady's right hand under the gentleman's left ear, or of keeping her arm extended at right angles to the body. A Mr. Thomas Harrison, who wears a red stripe oa his left arm, deserves particular mention for his really pretty dancing. A refreshment table was separated from the ball-room by a screen of bunting, and there all manner of good things were dispensed. Mirabile dictu, not a single quarrel occurred, and the whole thing passed off with as much decorum and quietness as a State ball, and we may venture to say with a great deal more enjoyment. The inhabitants of the North Shore and those Aucklanders who were present lay they will not Boon forget the • Nymphe.' * Thursday being St. Matthew's Day, a special communion service was held at 7 .in the morning at St. Matthew's Church. Fiftyfive communicants partook of the sacrament. A short address was delivered by the Rev. R. S. Hassard, and a collection was made, when more than £6 was taken up. In the afternoon, at half-past 2, a children's flower show and exhibition was held. The schoolroom was gracefully adorned with festoons of flags. There were six tables covered with the exhibits. Two of them were occupied with flowers in pots. The flowers included geraniums, fuchsias, cacti, forget-me-nots, hyacinth, begonias, wall-flowers, and many others. The remaining four tables were covered with a multitude of useful and ornamental articles, manufactured by tjhe scholars of the Sunday-school. There.AYas an almost endless variety of antimacassars and mats. There were besides peii-wipera, leather- work, models, pin-cushion^, beadbaskets, artificial flowers, fly-catcheirs, specimens of kauri gam, and a large ataonnt of plain needlework. F