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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 134, 11 June 1867, Page 2

The performances ofthe Nathan Troupe again attracted a crowded and fashionable audience to the Odd-Fellows' Hall. Theie was an entire change in the programme, the first piece being the farce of " Colin, or the Youth who never saw a Woman, '* adapted by Mr. J. Small, which was very neatly performed, Miss Julia Nathan taking the part of " Colin," the unsophisticated youth, and Miss Selina' Nathan that of his inamorata, while Mrs. Nathan appeared as tlie old duenna " Gertrude." Messrs. Small and Chambers, as the fathers of the two impressionable young people, assisted materially in the general success of the piece. In the musical interlude which followed, Mr. Small gave "The Irish Schoolmaster" with immense gusto, and, for the inevitable encore, " Trust to Luc.k," a song of the Henry Russell School*,, and given with great spirit. Considerable disappointment was expressed that the song of " Hamlet," which figured in the programme, was omitted by Mr. Small, a circumstance attributable probably to the length to which the entertainment was likely to be prolonged, and not to any desire on the part of Mr. Small to shirk his devoirs to the public. Next followed a solo — Keller's " Soug of the Exile," — on the cornet by Master E. Nathan, given very pleasingly and with considerable taste; then ap as seul by Miss Selina Nathau, which was much applauded, and lastly, " Finnigan's Wake," which introduced "dear little Marian," as everybody seems to call her, her appearance being the signal for. a prolonged cheer of welcome. We have already referred to her performance of this song and the subsequent jig, and it is only necessary to add that she showed perhaps even more than her customary spirit and vivacity on this occasion. The very amusing farce of **' The Omnibus " enabled the audience to witness this marvellous child in a new, and, as we are of opinion, still more wonderful role. The intense humor which she threw into her every word and gesture, and the evident delight with which her mischievous tricks were performed, repeatedly "brought down the house." The other characters were ably sustained, and the entire piece afforded the highest amount of amusement to the audience. We can ouly mention that the grotesque ballet, which concluded the evening's programme, was very successful, and displayed Mr. Chamber's comic powers to especial advantage. This evening the performances will be under the patronage, of his Honor the Superintendent, and a crowded audience may be anticipated. To-morrow evening there will be no performance, and on Thursday the laish Comedy of "Andy Blake" will be given, in which Little Marian sustains the principal part. The Circus Company gave their farewell performance last night at reduced prices. The reserved seats were but sparsely patronised, whilst the rest of the Circus was crowded, a fact mainly attribu-

table, in all probability, to the announcement of the repetition of "Dick Turpiti's Ride to York." The whole performance, was very successful, the principal feature being the first appearance of Mr. J. Cook, the Shakesperian jester, who introduced an entirely new reading — if we may be «llo\ved she term — of his part, entirely divested of the well-worn vulgarisms of the ordinary clown, and pleasantly witty withal. The Company left for Auckland by the Airedale to-day. The Maungatapu Monument Committee met last night at the Trafalgar Hotel, for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken to meet the deficiency in t the funds required for the erection of tbe monument, and for other purposes. It was delermined that a meeting of the whole committee should be held to-morrow afc the Trafalgar, at 2 o'clock, and that they should then proceed to the Cemetery in order to view the monument, and pass the work'. It is worthy of observation that the monument has thus been completed exactly, to a day, within a year from the date on which the first of the murders which it is intended to commemorate, was committed, the 13th June being the anniversary of James Battle's murder. Considerable excitement prevailed yesterday evening about six o'clock, in consequence of an alarm of fire at the Wakatu Hotel, Trafalgar-street. Ifc appears that the fire originated in the lamproom, a small buildiug roofed with iron, at the rear of the house, and was probably caused by the woodwork of the room, which is saturated with kerosine, becoming ignited from a match thrown down carelessly on the floor by a boy who was engaged in trimming lamps, and who had only left the room a minute or two previously. The notice of the waiter, who, fortunately, happened to be in the adjacent billiard-room, was attracted by? the blaze of light, which shot up in the air to a height of twenty or thirty feet, and he immediately closed the front door, by this means putting an end to the conflagration, which, but for this fortunate interposition, might have committed incalculable havoc in a part of the city in which it would be most difficult to arrest the progress of such a calamity. It has been our pleasing duty on more than one occasion to advert to the marked progress which the Volunteer Band has made within the last few months under leadership of Mr. L. Drager. This was especially observable on the occasion of the late Review, when the martial music discoursed by the band added in no small degree to the eclat with which the whole affair passed off. It must be remembered ;that, with the siagle exception of the bandmaster, all the members are amateurs, and receive no renumeration whatever for their services. Their only object is to be enabled to meet the necessary expenses, and for this purpose a certain income is, of course, requisite. In order to effect this, a subscription has been set on foot, in order to cover the expense of providing instruments, music, etc., for their use, to which the Provincial Government has subscribed liberally, and to which his Honor the Superintendent, the Honorable Major JVlorse, and other gentlemen in this city aud neighborhood have also contributed. It is intended, we understand, that the band shall perform, at least once a week, during the summer seasou, on the. Church 'Hill, which will thus form a very agreeable place of rendezous, and we trust that, ?if only to encourage the cultivation of music amongst the young men of the city, bur fellow-citizens will offer every encouragement to the undertaking by liberaily subscribing to the Band Fund. A notification appear, in tho New Zealand Gazette of the Ist instant, signed by the Defeuce Minister, to the effect that

the commission of Honorary Captaiu John W. Wigzell, Nelson Cadet Rifle Volunteers, will bear date Ist December, 1866, instead of Ist January, 1867, as published in a former Gazette. The result of the poll for Suburban North did not reach town in time for our issue of yesterday. Twenty-eight votes were recorded for Mr . Wastney, who has announced himself a supporter of the present Government, and twenty-three for ■Mr. Pollock, thus giving Mr. Wastney a majority of five over his opponent. Mfr. James Bentley has also been elected member of Council for Westport, one of the new electorates, which seat was rendered vacant by the improper election of Mr. H. Wright, but did not take his seat in the Council to-day. The New Zealand Gazette of the Ist instant gives the following statements of the average amount of liabilities and assets of the various Banks established in this colony during the quarter ended 25th March, 1867 : — Bank of New Zealand : liabilities, £1,646,391 ss. Id.; assets, £2,509,167 Bs. lid.; amount of last dividend, declared at 17 per cent., £42,500 ; amount of reserved profits at time of deelaring said dividend, £199,067 ls. 9d. ; amount of capital stock paid up at close of quarter, £500,000. The Union Bank of Australia : liabilities, £955,649 Bs. 3d. ; assets, £1,277,803 18s. 7d. ; amount of capital stock, £1,250,000 ; amount of last dividend declared at 17 per cent, per annum, £106,250 ; amount of reserved profits,' £507,248 14s. 9d. Bank of New South Wales : liabilities, £903,309 7s. lOd. ; assets, £1,233,296 ss. 4d. ; amount of capital stock, £1,000,000; amount of lasfc dividend, at 18 per cent, per annum, £90,000 ; amount of reserved profits, £344,993. Bank of Australasia : liabilities, £129,401 lis. Id.; assets) £518,385 ls. 3d. ; amount of capital stock, £1,200,000 ; amount of last dividend declared at 14 per cent. (6 per cent, per annum and bonus of 8 per cent, per annum), £78,750 ; amount of reserved profits, £370,000 9s. 3d. Bank of Otago: liabilities, £163,232 7s. 5d.; assets, £450,007 16s. 4d.; amount of capi tal stock, £230, 403; amount of last dividend, at 6 per cent, per annum, £5,868 15s. ld. ; amount of reserved profits, £2,773 7s. 7d. Bank of Australasia: liabilities, £119,763 19s. Id.; assets, £507,955 17s. sd. The New Zealand Advertiser says — A case of some interest to masters of steamers or sailing vessels was heard before the Resident Magistrate on Monday last. Captain Halliday, Harber Master, summoned Captain Renner, of the s.s. Wellington, for having, on the 3rd May last, committed a breach of the Harbor Regulations, by steaming alongside the Queen's Wharf while powder was on board his vessel. This particular case was not of much importance, but it should be understood that in future the provision of the Regulations will be enforced, although it is difficult to say why, in this respect, they have been so long allowed to remain in obeyance. Captain Renner did not deny the charge, but contended, and brought witnesses to prove, that it was not only usual for vessels to come alongside the wharf with powder on board, but that it was usual to land it upon the ■wharf. In this case, the " powder " was Government ammunition, and the Magistrate held that it came under the definition. The charge having been proved, his Worship inflicted the nominal penalty of £1 and costs, at the same time intimating that any other charge of a similar character would be looked at in a more serious light. It is v. ell that the intention of the Harbor master to enforce the Regulations should become known, even in the manner which has been adopted, hut it would have been better if some more public notification of the fact could have been given.