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New Zealander, Volume XXI, Issue 2221, 12 September 1864, Page 4

The p.s. Sandfly took her departure for Tauranga on Saturday afteruoon, on business of importance. The Southern Mail.—The mail by the Queen, although containing abundance of news of interest iu the various localities from which our exchanges come, has very little of general interest. The most noticeable fact is that efforts have been made to raise the steamer Scotia, lately wrecked, and that those efforts have failed. Hopes are entertained, however, that she will be got afloat, Caught at four months ago, the " Count Constant Albert Klaprodd " victimised several tradesmen in Auckland, to the extent, it is said of .£4OO or £500., and then uncerimoniously took his leave for the South. Amongst those whom he had victimised was a 3'oung man named Ewen Cameron, from whom the Count had obtained £BO. Smarting under the wrong done him Mr. Cameron got htmself appointed a special constable, and started off in pursuit. The Count proceeded first to Dunedin and from thence to Bendigo, where he made the place too hot for a residence. He therefore returned again to Dunedin, where Mr. Cameron found him, after a useless voyage to Melbourne and back. The Count was brought to Auckland by the Queen, and was, on Saturday, taken before Mr. Beckham and remanded until Monday (this day). It is expected that the examination of the prisoner will occupy some day*. The Count is a respectable looking well dressed man of about fifty, and has very little the appearance of a fast man. Foot Racing.—At the close, of the cricket matches in the Albert Barracks on Saturday afternoon, several pedestrian games were got up by the officers of the garrison, and the Royal Artillery. The running was not confined to themselves, however; several matches were made for the soldiers on the grounds, and some spirited sport ensued. The Californian Circus was well filled on Saturday afternoon, when a special day performance for the accomodation of country people and juveniles was given, The ehildren in -connection with the Military Schools were admitted free, Mr. Foley having very kindly invited tueir attendance on the occasion,- free of charge. The performances gone through elicited the applause of the large audience, and showed that there is still no flagging in the interest taken in this entertainment. Mr. Bird's performance on the rope, and Signor Raphael's antics on the flying horse, and Mr. Foley's intelligent performing pony, were each in turn admired by the assombly, the manoeuvres of the latter being particularly interesting to the juveniles present. The entertainment was again crowded in the evening. The circtu will be opened for a few nights longer, the whole of the company being under engagement to appear at Taraaaki very shortly.

NIXON" MEMORIAL—COMMITTEE MEETING A meeting was held on Saturday afternoon, in the Chamber of Commerce, for the purpose of considering the designs for the proposed monument to the memory of the late Colonel N"ixon.

Present—Dr. Weekes, Messrs. Martyn, Buckland, Bassett, Shepherd, Creighton, and the Secretary. On the motion of Dr. Weekhs, Mr. Albyu Martyn was appointed Chairman. The following designs were opened: — No. 1. A monument 20 feet high ; breadth at base, six feet eight inches, bearing the signatUj«, " Nikau.'.' This was a graceful design, but the capital, if anything, was too heavy.

No. 2. A monument 40 feet high, by Messrs. Barnard and Allen. A very good design, with an imposing column, terminating in the form of an obelisk. No. 3. A monument 40 feet in height, with the signature " No. 3, C." Neat and appropriate. Ditto. A broken column, 32 feet in height, with a laurel wreath on the upper part of the column. A chaste and suitable design.

4. An obelisk, 60 feet in height, with four " parapets" projecting from the base. It was proposed to be of Sydney freestone. The cost was astimated at £496 10s. Signature, " Obelisk, No. 45." No. 5. A monolisk, 17 feet 6 inches high, well proportioned, but a design that would have a heavy appearance on an elevated ground. No. 6. A monument 30 feet in height, octagon-shaped, with ornamented urn on the top ; at the angle were mortars which seemed to be out of keeping with the rest of the design. With that exception it was elaborate and suitable for the object. No. 7. A cenotaph 40 feet in height. Motto " Egypt." A good and suitable design. No. 8. A monument of a gothic design 30 feet in height, cost £SOO. Altogether of an ecclesiastical character, and more suited for a monument to a chureh dignitary than a brave soldier. The whole of the designs met with the approbation of the gentlemen present. The Secretary stated that he had inserted the following notice in one of the papers —" Parties having designs unfinished Can forward them during the week, when they will be submitted to the Committee oh Saturday, and probably allowed to compete with the rest." In reply te this he had received six designs that morning, the question was whether they would be allowed to compete with the rest.

The Chairman considered it would not be fair to those who had sent in designs in accordance with the wishes of the Committee to receive the later ones.

Mr. Bucklajtd moved "that they be not received for competition." They had been sent after the time specified in the advertisement, and it would not be fair to the original competitors. Mr. Shephabd seconded the proposition. The question was then raised as to the propriety of opening these designs, and it was considered that it would be wrong to open them without the consent of the owners. They were therefore ordered to be returned, and if the designers wished it they could afterwards be submitted to the Committee, but not (or competition.

After a careful inspection of the original designs, each member of the Committee wrote down on a slip of paper the number of the one he though most suitable.

The Chaiuman declared that the choice had fallen upon No. 4. The estimated cost of No. 4 was £496 10s. or thereabouts, but if it should cost mor«, the architect naively remarked " that her Most Gracious Majesty would no doubt gladly make up the difference." Some slight alterations wtre afterwards suggested in the selected design, and the architect was to be invited to meet the Committee on Saturday next. The SecRKTAKr said it was his pleasing duty to read a letter from S. Bsaly, Esq, the Superintendent of Canterbury, enelosiuga draft for £2l. The Committee then adjourned.

The Brunswick. Hall was again crowded to overflowing on Saturday evening to hear the Shakesperian drama of "Macbeth," The piece was well put upon the stage, the company profiting by the experience of the previous evening. The characters were well sustained throughout. Mr. O'Brien, as on the evening of his benefit, was well received, and did credit to the character ot " Macduff." The after-piece was the very amusing ono of " Rumtifoozle, or Lord Lovellaud Lady Nancy Bell,'" which was well perfermed.

The Theatre Royal—(Odd Fellows' Hall,) was well attended on Saturday evening. The drama of "Joerisse the Juggler" was represented for the first time, and was performed with all the taste and skill of this talented company " Medea " was the afterpiece, and was better than ever. Mr. George Fawcett gave some new versions of the songs introduced in this clever production, which are likely to become very popular with the play-goers of Auckland from their intrinsic merits and excellence of composition. The singing of Miss Royal and Miss Dunn again elicited the admiration of the audience to an extent noisily demonstrative. The break-down finale a la Christy's Minstrels, was received with rapturous applause.

Amateur Theatrical Performance.—An amateur theatrical performance was given in the Albert Barracks oq Friday evening by members of the I battery 4th Brigade Royal Artillery. The performance was given in one of the huts, bnt the space was so confined, both for the audience and the performers, that it detracted from the interest of the entertainment. There was a crowded attendance, including several officers of the garrison. On this occasion an original drama, in three acts, written by Messrs. J. Lazenby and VV. Clements, of the Royal Artillery, was put upon the stage, entitled, "Thejßold Stroke for Freedom ; or, the Slaves of Kentucky." The drama exhibits much careful composition, and a neat denouement. This adapting the end to tha means is a wise ariangement. If the amateurs who get up these performances feel that they cannot for various reasons get up to their own satisfaction the standard pieces, they act wisely in sitting down and sketching such a piece as they think within the range of their limited resources. The newest pieces, too, are the most sensational, and have had the longest run on the stage. The drama composed by these gontlemen, and so well put before the audience on Friday evening, is one possessing great merit; reflecting the highest credit on their taste for theatrical composition, and showing their aptness to " point a moral or adorn a tase," by the production of ?h''.,' fertile imaginations. The characters in the drama were ; Creo the fugitive, Mr. J. Luzenby ; Sir William Hardman, share-owner, Mr. T. Delafleld ; Harry Hardman, his brother, Mr. E. G. Latham ; Jeff, Creo's companion, Mr. J. Fryett; Duncan the overseer, Mr. W. Donanghy ; Snowball, a regro, Mr. F. Adams; Mrs. Hardman, mother to Sir William and Harry, Mr. G. Sweet; Norah, Harry's wife, Mr. Win, Clements. The authors of the piece were, of course more at home than the rest, but upon the whole they were all well adapted to th«ir respective parts aud apquitted themselves creditably. The farce was the old one of "The Goose with the Golden Eggs." Here again the cast of characters was productive of a very good effect. The farce was the greatest hit of the evening, from its superior make up. We must not omit to mention that these entertainments ere under the management of Corporal T. Craig, R. A., to whom the garrison are much indebted for this ready means of spending an hour pleasurably. The band of the 50th Regt., was in attendance, and contributed greatly to the evening's enjoyment, by their skillful performance. The great drawback at our established theatres, is the want of such an orchestra as these amateurs raise. During the evening Mr. Lazenby gave a comic song and dauce. which enlisted the enconiums of the audience. The song was an original one, on " the Maori girls of Auckland, and Rewi and Thompson," a somewhat thrilling narrative of what occurred (to the imagination of the composer.) It is the intention of these amateurs, as soon as increased accommodation can be obtained, to give a performance for the benefit of the widows of the unfortunate Sergts. Egan and Stewart, who have recently met untimely ends. The Tabernacle of Israel. —Mr. Whyman will lecture at St. Paul's School Room, this eyeuiug, on the " Tabernacle of Israel." Dangerous.—The planked footway along the frontage of what was until recently the "Royal Exchange," in Shortland Street, has long been in a state not very creditable to the City Board, which is supposed to have the oversight of such matters. This planking is old dangerou» and rotten, and it has long been predicted that the footway would become unsafe. On Saturday evening the prediction arrived at fulfilment. A Gentleman who was passing along the planking suddenly found his footing giving way, and his right leg disappearing into the depths below. Ths shock and the pain led him to suppose his leg was broken, bnt on examination this was happily found not to be the case. The pain, however, was great, and the shock to the whole system not such as anyone would willingly undergo. There is now a hole two feet long in the footway, and we may hope that something will be done by the City Roard to mend this " way" before anything more serious occurs.