AUCKLAND.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 4 June 1872, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

[Fnovr onu o\v:; Conii;;seo.vdi<:xt,] .June 3. There is quite a dearth of matters of any special interest to chronicle, especially in the political world. The (itinera! Assembly is convened by proclamation for the 10th of July ; but as yet, of c uirse, there are no ind c it ions of either •" party or purpose." A change of seat has taken place in the representation of the dial rice of Mangonui in the Provincial Council consequent on the °resignafiou of Thomas Hall, Ksq. William Maxwell, has b'x;u returned as inenVber by a majority of 14 votes <1?°:* his opponent, Mr. [flint. I may ■mention that Mr. ,J. C. Leggctt has succeeded Mr. H. d. Sullivan as Clerk to the Council. The latter gentleman s resignation of the office in some respects is to be regretted, although it was entailed upon him from the multifarious anil onerous nature of the duties he discharges. Mr Leggetts appointment has given general satisfaction, and t have no doubt that if he emulates his prototype in his assiduity to the discharge of the duties of the office, coupl.al with his invariable courtesy of manner, he will remove a few of the thorns from a position by no means a bod of rojes. Much distress exists in Persia, which has called forth trom every kind sympathy and assistance. I he ciy, though distant, has not been unheard in /•uiek and, as I percieve a meeting has been called by the Mayor at the Mechanics' Institute, for I iiiusday next, for the purpose of collecting funds for their relief. - A great battle was fought in the Mechanics' | Institute on Fnd.ayniiht between "old identit-yism" ?iii(L new iniquity ism," as they would term it in Ot-ago. In plain words, progression vermis retrogression. Ihe light extended from half-past seven I tdl within a few minutes of twelve o'clock, and I was wiin triumphantly hv the " progressionist 1 ' | paity Ihe bone of contention between the two wa3 wnether the management of the institute should] lie \csled in a few "old fogeys'" whose only aim! has been to render 'it as unit tractive as possible, I both by their management and the class of Jitera- I I arc I hey _ have provided, or whether new life! s.iould be imported into it by instituting a series i or lectures, semiring the ]a f -psfc editions of works, j giving- an e jual franchise to members, and last, ! t not. least, providing a comfortable reading-1 room tor the subscribers; instead of a cheerless I

j mm, bard benches, ami morose incivility on the J put ot the librarian. It could scarcely be ex- ! l x,ctc 'l l,!le Ingoing objects w'ould have met with 1 any opposition, yet they did. and that of the most j narrow-minded. As an instance I miv give the I yio\y.s held by one of the leading conductors of the institute—a vice-president— to the effect "that if ca»o-bottomerl chairs were obtained for the convenience of subscribers a parcel of fellows would su.ay reading until ten o'clock at night." An entire change however. hnsjiow been effected irt some of the ni.es having be->n amended, and a new set of oiueers appointed, so that we may now look forward to an increase in its members, its fund*, an I u s library, and ultimately the possession of a imil-.ting on a si be that M ill be as accessible as it Siiould lie popular. . 'he greatest combination of talent that has been 111 Auckland is at present catering for public patronage.. At the City Kail, Mr "and Ma lame JSimonseu, Barry O'Neil, Mr Clarke and Mr Kelly have been d rawing la-ge attendances, and deservedly : so, for it is rarely tuat there is found such an array of talent, and of tho nits':, diversilied ciia-

j rioter combined. The instrumentation of Mr j Simonsen on the violin, and the charming sin-ing | °f Madame are established facts, while Barrv* O'Neil jau Karry Kelly s rendering of their comic reneri toire of songs and dances is inimitable • bur for j exquisite delight one should hear Professor S uin lers j lday ;l s °b> ,m the Invp. Mia manipulation of the I strings of the insfcr.vnenc is most finishol and ; dexterous, and the ivsul-. is a flow of melody that j both delights and enchants. The votaries ot' | 1 hespis have had produced by the indefatigable ; lessee of Jhe Prince of Wales "Mary Stnarv' I and Rob Hoy," in which Miss Aitken i nas sustained chc c'u f >v-'V of characters, assisted, in the two last pieces bv an amateur - Mr. John Perri.'r, who enacted the pirfc of the Jew and iv>b >ioy rospeocivoly. 'A hat could have iu'iuee l .vir !•. 2s. to have offered such a "bill" I an,*. unaldo to say ; but this 1 do know. t,nc the res;ut vis. as might- have been expected. < comparatively speaking, empty benches. Thar Mr Perrier should have essayed to interpret two characters so widely different bespeaks an amount , of assurance in au amateur which augurs little for his molesty and less for his ambition unless jhe ''.tries back." and acquires two rudiments i essential ro su.*h aspirants—tuat of "suiting the word to the ac:ion, and the action to the word." as well as the proper disposal of his arms and legs, (most awkward members). Besides, one can scarcely imagine Shylnek exclaiming with a strong Cork accent, "I'll have mv bond!" &c. Of the play of "Kob Roy"' [ v.-ill content myself bv rethat it was redeemed by the superior acting of Miss Aitkin, in conjunction with Mr. Keogh. I would suggest to Miss Aitken that before she Jeaves Auckland she should give some '•readings, which 1 am sure would be listened to with pleasure..