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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 77, 1 April 1868, Page 2

A requisition most respectably and numerously signed, is in course of circulation, for presentation to his Honor the Superintendent, from the residents of Bridge-street und the Wood, and also of the Suburban district on the eastern side of the Maitai, askiug that a sufficient sum may be placed on the Estimates for the public works, for the erection of a cartbridge over the river, at (be junction of Bridge and Tasman Streets. Viewing the dangerous state of the ford at the east end of Bridge Street, and the inconvenience aud even injury sustained by residents on the opposite side of the river from this cause, with the probability that such a step would attract a very considerable amount of traffic to that side of the city, we may reasonably anticipate that the .subject will receive the favorable consideration of the Government. Madame Simonsen's benefit at the Oddfellows' Hall last night was not so numerously attended as would have been the case, had the weather been less tempestous, but amougst the audience we noticed many of our local musical cognoscenti, whom no considerations of this description were likely to deter from being present, and we need hardly add that their loyal devotion to the ' divine art' was amply rewarded. The selections by the fair beneficiaire from Mozart's glorious opera, 'Le Nozae di Figaro/ j

■were given with exquisite feeling, and the Shadow Dance from • Dinorah* only required the lime-light reflection to carry out the illusion nnd render its execution all that could be desired. During the evening Madame Simousen also sang 'll Bacio ' (by request ) ' The Harp in. the Air/ from ' JVlaritana,' 'Molly Asthore,' aad several comic trifles, the latter with all her accustomed naivete, and the concert concluded with the famous mad scene from the ' Lucia,' of which we have already spoken in terms of the highest admiration, and which her performance of this very poetical inspiration last night only tended to increase. Miss Eebecca Jones sang several very pleasing ballads during the evening, aud in one of them — the Mabel Valse — obtained a well-merited encore. M. Simouseu's violin solos were, as usual, of marvellous difficulty and as marvellously executed, aud were rewarded by the most unbounded. applause. We must not omit to mention that the twofirst movements of Beethoven's ' Sonata Patetica,' were played with exquisite skill and feeling by M. Artot on the piano, and listeued to with marked interest by the audience, a fact which we trust may be regarded as a hopeful indication of tha progress of musical taste in this community. Owing to the number of encores, the concert did not terminate till past 11 o'clock. An advertisement announces that M. and Madame Simonsen, in compliance with suggestions made to them in influential quarters, have determined on giving oue more operatic entertainment at reduced prices, so as to come within the means of all who desire to hear these gifted artistes, at the Provincial Hall to-morrow evening. The performance will be under the patronage of his Honor the Superintendent, and is likely to be \erj numerously attended. To-rnorrow, April 2nd is to' be observed at Westport as a public holiday, in commemoration of the escape of 11.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh from assassination.