LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1752, 12 August 1862, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

During the past month, our city has been bountifully provided with amusement aud intellectual recreation. A public Ball in aid of the Widows and Orphans fund M. U. I. O. O. Fmet with an adequate measure of success ; the San Fraucisco AJinstrels gave a few final performances, before starting for Wanganui ; the Athei)«um was not behind hand, as a lecture ou the Geology of New Zealand by the hou. Mr. J. C. Crawford, and a Shaksperian Reading from Mr. Judge Johnston, were both delivered to delighted audiences, while the remaining portion of Captain Wilson's Mesmeric Demonstrations, created quite a furor ,and were nightly crowded. Very recently, we have been visited by Mr. H. J. Hall the Polyphonist, whose first performance on Thursday night last, was a decided hit ; the Olympic theatre which owing to an unfortunat«accident occuring to Mrs. Foley has been for a time closed, is expected to be re-opened for a short season and we almost daily expect the arrival of that inimatable, comic singer Mr. Thatcher. The schooner Sea Serpent, Capt. Blair, from Napier, arrived in this harbour yesterday moraing. She sailed from Napier on Wednesday

evening the 6th inst, and experienced with high S. E. gales a sea, nearly the whole of the passage. She brings no mail, it having been detained for the steamer Queen. Capt. Blair has favoured us with two Hawkes Bay papers of the 2nd and sth August. The Sea Serpent conveyed the English Mail from Auckland to Napier, she sailed from Auckland on Wednesday the 23rd July, and arrived at Napier ou Sunday the 27th after a passage of 3^ days. Mr. Hall's Entebtainment. — The second of this gentleman's mirth provoking perform ances, takes place to-night in the Odd Fellows' Hall, .and judging from the previous enthusiastic reception accorded to him, we anticipate there will be a large attendance.