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New Zealander, Volume 13, Issue 1132, 21 February 1857, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Ciiobal Society repeated the oratorio of the Messiah on Thursday evening, when there was a respectable though not so crowded an audience as on the former occasion ; hut, as before, there was a large out of doors company of auditors, who remained till the close of the performance The hand and chorus were as numerous as ai the former rehearsal, and many of the pieces were given with greater precision, in some of the soli music, there was a change in the singers in consequence of two of the ladies who took part in the former performance not being able to he present this time One of the lady members of the Society took the song, sang at the first rehearsal hy the non-member who then so kindly came forward to assist the Society—and sang them with both accuracy and expression. Of the other ladies we have to repeat the commendations we had to bestow on their former careful rendering of the trying songs of this great work. The soli mu.de for the male voices was undertaken hy the same gentlemen as before, namely, Messrs Brown (conductor), Fleetwood (pianist), Leech, Culpan, Carloton, Williamson, Singer, Jervis, Crosse, Strauch (who had to repeat “ The trumpet shall sound” —the trumpet solo being again cleverly given by Sergt. .vie Coy of the hand of the 58th) and Ely, who was stronger in voice, and gave the alto part of the fine duet, “0 Death where is thy sting” with good effect. Mr. Davis led the string band, being assisted by Captain Balneavis, Mr. Brathwaite, Colonel Mould, and some of the 58lh baud and others with whose names we are unacquainted. Mr. Drown informs us that we were in error in speaking of him as the ‘’originator” of the Society (an error into which we were led hy hearing some of the first members so speak of him). It was Mr. J. E. Bates, the honorary secretary, he says, who first suggested to him the desirability of the formation of such a society ; and the conversation they then had on the subject led to definite steps being taken which resulted in the formation of the Societv, the first Committee of which was composed as follows; The Uev J. F. Lloyd, Rev, A. G. Burchas, Messrs. Culpan, Ely, Burtt, Robottoin, Kemp, i’. Williams, Groser, D. Davis (band-master), T. S. Forsaith and one of the first and most active members to tiie. time of his departure for England; and had Mr. Outhwaite not gone home on a visit, there is no doubt that he would have co-operated with the above named gentlemen and Mr. Brown in the establishment of this Choral Societv.

Auckland Mechanics’ Institute. —The adjourned meeting of the members of tills Institute for the consideration of the revised code of rules, was held on Monday night in the new Hull, Dr. Bennett, President, in the chair. The number of the Committee was decided to remain as before, namely, fifteen. The rules generally were adopted as proposed by the last committee; but a decided change, and improvement, in the mode of electing officers was adopted. The Committee, as well as the President, Vice-Presidents, and Treasurer, are to he nominated in writing, and at the annual meeting, each member will be furnished with a printed list of all the parties nominated, on which he will make his selection and then deposit the list in a balloting box. The Secretary is for the future to hold his office permanently,—or during good behaviour, and subject to his dismissal by the Committee, should they have cause to be dissatisfied with his performance of his duties. At the Annual Meeting, Mr. Connell presented from Mr. Rough the following beautiful statuettes:— Venus de Medici; the Knife-grinder; and Fawn playing on the Lestiphon, commonly called the Dancing Fawn ; —the originals of these three in the gallery at Florence. The Apollo Belvidere — the original in the Vatican palace; the Dying (Radiator the original in the Capitol, at Rome. At the close of the adjourned meeting the President exhibited to the members a carefully prepared Geological Map of the Auckland District, executed by Mr. Heaphy, and by that gentleman presented to the Institute. The President was requested to convey to Mr. Heaphy the warm thanks of the meeting for his useful and valuable present.

THE R. M, S. S. SIMLA. This magnificent ship arrived on Saturday at noon, after a passage unprecedented in the annals of the colony. We have had an opportunity of inspecting some splendid steamers among the many that have visited this port, but, with one or two exceptions, they fall far short of the arrival of Saturday. In the first place her length exceeds by several feet the celebrated Great Britain, and with respect to their internal fittings it is necessary to inspect them to be able to form any idea of their extent and richness of fittings; in short, it would appear impossible to produce a vessel that could eclipse her. The following slight sketch will, however, afford our distant readers some idea of her immense size. The Simla was built on the Clyde in 1854, by Messrs. Todd and McGregor, for the I’. and O. Co. Length, 3lil feet ; beam, .'ill feet ; depth. 27 feet: draught of water, id feet, she is propelled by two engines of 350 horse power each ; is barque-rigged, with iron lower masts, which give her a peculiarly light appearance aloft. The cabins afford accommodation for 1117 first class, and (JO second-class passengers, the fittings of whose berths are carried out in the well-known style of the Company whose vessel she is. fhe paintings, hangings, dec,, which embellish the lUHia saloon, without being gaudy, form a coup d’scil, which it is impossible to describe. Her deck is flush, and makes a magnificent promenade for her passengers. It is also necessary to mention the system adopted for the proper ventilation of the lower cabins. The panneling dividing each cabin from the lobby is formed by jalousies, which open and shut at pleasure, and the upper part of the passages on the deck of the ship consist of open gratings; a large port is pierced from each cabin, and thus a thorough circulation of air is kept up; and even in those beiths in the immediate proximity of the engine not the least inconvenience is perceptible from the heat. In mentioning her syeed it is only necessary to repeat her recent passage from Southampton. She left that port at 3 p.m. on the 12th November, and arrived at Sit. Vincent at 2 p.m. on the 20th, making a distance of 2378 mile* in 1!)1 hours—averaging 12J knots. After a detention at that port of five days five hours, she sailed again on 25th same month at 7 p.m , and arrived at Port Phillip on the (Ith inst. —a distance of 10,388 miles in 1010 hours, averaging 10 3-lOth knots per hour. We have only to add that this beautiful ship is under the command of Captain E. Cooper, a gentleman who ranks as the oldest ocean steam commander afloat, In 1833, Captain Cooper was chief officer of the Royal William, steamer, built at Quebec, and the first vessel that ever steamed across the Atlantic. Since then he has held command in the P. and «). Co.’s service for nearly twenty yeats, and has in turn visited

every p rt to which this company have a line of vessels. His pr-sei, 1 comma'ut Is maiic under ch.iv:er for two years to the Eurnpe.in and Australian Ma I Gompnny, and we sincerely iiope tiro his future visits to these shores may be marked with the *a mean cress which has attended his advent. The Simla will he lucceeded t>y the European, which would leave England on the lah December. . The following are the dates at which it is proposed to sail each way Outward. —Leave Southampton 12th of each month ; ditto London Kith ditto ; ditto Marseilles IGth ditto ; ditto Malta 22nd ditto; ditto Suez 27th ditto; ditto Aden about 3rd ditto; ditto dalle about 14th ditto Melbourne about fith ditto; arrive at Sydney about bth ditto. Homeward.—Leave Sydney 11th of each month ; ditto Melbourne 13th ditto ; ditto King George’s Sound about 21st ditto; ditto Galle about (ith ditto; ditto Aden about 15th ditto; ditto Alexandria about 23rd ditto ; ditto Malta about 26th ditto; arrive at London via Marseilles about 30th ditto; ditto South ampton about (ith ditto. ExTHAonntNABYSrAHS. —The Prince of Wales Captain Nolan, from New Zealand, landed on Monday, at Portsmouth, for the use of the Government, two spars of Kauri pine of the most extraordinary proportions ever brought to this country, viz.. Inti feet in length and 34,} inches diameter, without a knot! They will most likely become masts for the Queen’s state yacht. Maritime Register, November Bth.