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New Zealander, Volume XV, Issue 1358, 23 April 1859, Page 3

Wb have to Iraw the attention of our readers to the announcement of a secondf classical concert by Messrs. Schmitt, Brown, and Brooks, to take place on Wednesday evening next. The Committee of the Auckland Mechanics’ Institute are now making arrangements for a series of lectures on interesting and practical subjects. The “ Otahuhu Agricultural Association,” it will be seen, are about to take steps to secure a club-room for the exclusive use of members. St. George’s Day will this year be actually honoured in Auckland by a public dinner—but not this year by a public holiday ;—tint is an achievement left for the year 1860. By that time Government and Bank Managers will have learnt that, it is but right to observe all nafional saints’-days as holidays, or none. Even if they adopt the former horn of dilemma, they will not he extravagant in the way of public holidays—we are not overdone with them in New .Zealand : with our Anglo-Celtic blood we have imported the same mixed national over-devotion to business and segregation within our respective circles. Our Provincial “ breed” is now daily becoming more mixed, 'and the feeling is daily becoming more prevalent that we should either keep every old national anniversary, or that we should merge the whole in one Auckland Anniversary Fete-Day. To that it will no doubt come in time; but pending that day, “The Sons of St. George in Auckland” seem to see no reason why they should not toast their Alfred and vheir Shakespeare (passing over a few other noteworthy names) while “ the Sons of St. Andrew” drink to the memory of Wallace and Burns, and the “ Sons of St. Patrick” honour the names of Carohm and O’Connell. “ The Sons of St. David” are but few, or else they enlist under the banner of St. George. The present dinner, we hear, will be well attended, and the company will—while mainly composed of Englishmen—comprise representatives of every branch of the great British family. The dinner will be on table at an early hour, so that the entertainment may not trespass on “ the wee short hours ayont the twal’;” and had “St. George’s Day” fallen on any other day than the day after Good-Priday, the attendance would have probably been doubled. —In reference to the objects of the Society, we may say that one of the proposed hye-laws expressly stipulates that the operation of the Society shall not be confined to Englishmen, but shall, as far as possible, comprise every section of the British people, and new-comers of every nation w'ho may be in need of such friendly aid as this Society can give The annual series of Lectures (being the fifth course) to the Young Men’s Christian Association wall commence on Friday, the 29th hist. Mr* Harding will he the lecturer for the evening; his subject:—“ Young men for the Colonies.” Gastronomic Progress. —Three or four years ago, our men of business whose residence was too far from the centre of the town to make it at all times agreeable to go home to dine in the middle of the day, and country visitors, had either to be content with their biscuit or sandwich, or order dinner at an hotel. Then an enterprising hotel-keeper announced a tabled'hote, but found the attendance too uncertain, or else to interfere with his other business: so his experiment was given up or changed its character. Then commenced “ the dining-rooms’ ” era, in which three or four caterers for the public have adventured and with success. In this line some changes are taking place. Mr. Fielding announces his removal to one of Mr. Ellis’s new brick stores, opposite the Greyhound Hotel, which he is fitting up in a very convenient manner; and we hear that one of our “ Newcomes” has taken the new brick house next door to Mr. Whiles, the butcher, in Lower Queen-street, for a lunch and coffee-house after tii© approved London style. The inner man will he well provided for in Auckl .nd shortly, and business men need no longer hesitate at coming in and going out a few miles night and morning. Wesleyan Te\ Meeting, — We are requested to state that, in accordance with the advertisement in another column, a tea meeting will be held on Monday next, at the Whan road Chapel, in connection with the anniversary of that place of worship. A sermon suited to the Christian festival of Easter will le preached at three o’clock, and the meeting will be held at five, when addresses will be delivered on the progress of Christianity. By permission of Colonel Gold and Officers, the Band of the’OSth Regiment will perform on the Government Lawn, on Tuesday next, commencing at 4, p.m. programme: Overture Guillaume Tell Rossini. Selection, Opera Maritana Wallace. The Quadrille Musard. Duetto Conte Conte Prondi (Norma) Bellini. Waltz La Mandoli.ua Bullcr. StaffPolka Koenig.