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New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1045, 21 March 1867, Page 3

Auckland Insubance Company.—The ordinary half yearljr general meeting was held yesterday to receive the report and balance-sheet of the directors. Mr. David Nathan presided. From the report, which will be found in another column, it will be observed that it is proposed to wind up or dispose of the business of the company as soon as may be, a formal resolution to that effect having beenpassed by the meeting of yesterday. A discussion ensued upon the reasons for the company taking this course; as also upon tf'e expediency of negotiating with the several offices doing business in-Auckland, to which we refer our readers in our ordinary report of proceedings.

Dead Body Pound.—Mr. Webb of Auckland reported to the police, yesterday, his finding a dead body off Brown's Island. The water police were at once despatched to the place indicated, and the body was brought to town aud placed in the dead house. The body is that of a fisherman named Jeffez or JefFz, a native of Greece, who was known to have been in'a boat that was upset, a few days sinee, off Brown's Island. Mr. Webb reports an incident of his finding this body which is worth recording, for sundry reasons, no less thaii for the singularity of the circumstance.- Just as the gentleman; who was ia his own boat, approached the body a huge shark was seen to come to the surfaceand take off one of the arms from the body. The body, when found by the police, was without any arms, and was otherwise in a very bad state. Information was at once sent to the coroner, and an inquest will, in all probability, be held this day.

Haib Brushing by Machinery.—-We have seen a very ingenious appliance for increasing the luxury of cerebral friction in the form of a steam-rotary hair-brushing machine at Mr. Mason's, hairdresser, Queen-street.. One of the most punctilious men that erer lived was astonished by the exclamation, of an attendant at a Turkish bath, shortly after those luxuries were imported in 1856, contemporaneously with the. " Crimean beard,"—dear, what a neglected epidermis ! .1 he best-combed man in the world would not hesitate to acknowledge the luxury of Mr. Mason's steam hair-brush, revolving at no one knows how many revolutions a minute. We think it was the lamented author of " Jane Eyre," who said there is soothing effect following the rapid course of the hair-brush across the most luxurious tresses of whatever colour, from which the shorter growth of masculine nature is not excepted. . Mr. Mason's rotary steambrush can either soothe or exhilirate, according to speed. The apparatus is exceedingly simple. It is simply a cylindrical brush and a cylindrical band of india-rubber, which cross drums that revolve by steam power or can be turned by hand. Thus pressure and speed can be adjusted with the greatest nicety, any amount of pressure being made to accompany any rate of speed, and any rate oi speed, be made to coincide with any modification of pressure. This must aid the co-ordinate effects of the hairdressers' art, such as shampooing, * and so forth. This establishment is, for taste in its fitting up, not only creditable to the proprietor but a real luxury to those who are mindful of helping influence to cool thinking of careful combing—in this case brushing—by steam. The lovers of cleanliness in this _ particular should thank Mr. Mason for providing an elegant and commodious saloon, as well as the most recent and improved appliances for personal comfort.

The Whatf Minstrels.—These hew lyrists will give their second entertainment this evening, for the purpose of starting a fund for the erection of a public hall in that district. The Annual Licensing Meeting for the districts of Central and Upper Waikato, will be holden at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hamilton, at noon on the 16th of April. Auckland Cavalry Volunteers.—Members competing, for the district prizes, are requested to attend at the rifle .range to-morrow, at half-past ten o'clock. ■ ■ California. — The. Flying Cloud has . been, laid on for San Francisco, and will, we believe, sail in about a fortnight with near a hundred passengers. A meeting of .persons desirous of securing passages will be held this 'evening, at the Governor Browne Hotel, at 7 o'clock.,-

Napier Races.—A.s will be seen elsewhere, tlie Auckland horses which, were seat down to the races at JN apier, have carried away the palm. The Herald, in its account of the races, which we gi re in another place, pays a handsome compliment to the owners and breeders of horse stock in this province. "The 12th Begiiient," says the Hawke'n Bay Herald of the 16th instant, "is under orders to embark from Napier to Auckland on the 2nd April;" Auckland Naval Volunteers. —Members competing for Government prizes are requested to meet at Mr. Eeaton's (nautical instrument maker) shop, this morning at 10 o'clock. Auckland Land Society No. 7. —A speoial general meeting of the members of this society will be held in the Secretary's ■ office, Queenstreet, at half-past 7 o'clock, to elect trustees and appoint a solicitor to the society. - A. Phantasm ago mi entertainment • will be given at the Hotel, Newmarket, this evening.at 7.30; also to-morrow evening, in the chapel school-room, Bemuera. - W aikato Land. —Mr. MacCormick, barrister, invites tenders for-the purchase of £1,130-worth of Government Scrip, in amounts of £600, £200, £200, and £130 respectively. The scrip is.available for any confiscated lands, and will be received in payment of purchase money. ■ Tenders receivable until 4 o'clock on the 2nd- of April, when the tenders will be opened in the presence of-H-. G. Balneavis, who holds in a sealed envelope c the minimum price which will be taken. • c . " . . ' District Court.—The adjourned sitting of this Court was held in the Eesident Magistrate's Court-house, High-streeit, at 10.30 a.m. yesterday. The case- Walker v. Fox, an action for false imprisonment, in : which the damages.were laid at £100, was adjourned until Monday next, on the application ■of Mr. Gillies who appeared for the defendant for the amendation of-defen-dant's plea, by adding "justification.'.' In the case Petschler v. Macready, his -Honor.: gave judgment-for • plaintiff, as also in the case of Mary Carmody v. B. -McLaughlin. The; next sitting of the District Court will be held in the same place at 10.30 on Monday next. ' ; Police.—At the Police Court, yesterday, six drunkards were inulcted in the sum of SOs.-each or the usual alternative in default of. payment, and a "thirsty soul" named BicharcL; Phillips whose physiognomy is perfectly familiar to - the habitues of the Court was sent to prison for one month for habitual drunkenness. : ' John Hughes was convicted of stealing a -pen-knife'from the premises- of «Tohn Howe, and was sentenced to 1 14 days imprisonment with the "usual concomitant of : Hard labor. We would •remind' the 'public that until-some more suitable place'of sitting* than" the Eesident Magistrate's Courthouse is provided for the Distinct Court, on all sittings days of thei latter tho police business will ih future commence at half-past nine instead of half-past "ten o'clock. ' " , ■ : • Cost of Passage to California. ■ —Some misunderstanding appears to have -' existed among those at the meeting- held at the Governor -Browne hotel on Tuesday evening last, as to the price sought to be chargedby. Messrs. Henderson & Macfnrlane for passages to California. . The charge was not £16 per head, but. as follows: —for a guarantee of 50 passengers, £14.105. per head,.for 65 passengers,-£14;55., and for 80 and upwards, £14 per head, ;<

Auckland IlAifeoun Works.—Tenders will be received at the Public Works Office until Friday, the 29th, for building timber, opening and forming metalled roadway on the Queen- j street Pier, bqjtwcen Queen-street and the waterman's stairs.

Church or the Holy Trinity (Otatiuhtj). —The Right Kev. Bishop Patteson will preach in the above church on Sunday next.

Wellington-street Literary .Association. —A. paper "will be read this evening upon " Maori manners, customs, and traditions.