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Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 75, 22 October 1872, Page 2

Miss Aitken (Mrs J. L. Bunten), we regret to say, gave her farewell reading in tiie Waikato last evening. We have never in our experience listened with greater pleasure to any lady or gentleman we have ever heard, ller dramatic power is excellent, her pronunciation perfect; we write a great deal when we say that she is mistress of the .English language. She must possess an exceedingly refined and educated mind, otherwise it is impossible that she could render the thoughts of Tennyson in the inimitable manner she does. Her programme was well selected, and it would perhaps be invidious on our part to point to any piece and award special commendation. We may, however, express our opinion as to those pieces we consider the gems of gems. Tennyson's " May Qneon " was beautifully given ; the innocent expressions of joy of the young village beauty contrasted with the calm manner in which she alludes to her departure for the realms above, is one of the roost powerful pieces of writing in the English language. In the first we have the innocent village maiden elated at the thought that she is selected Queen for the following day; her innocence is cleverly brought out by the author in the anxiety he makes her display as to the awaking in time in the morning. In the second, we have the young girl who, like a flower that has only "bloomed for a day," resigning herself without fear into the hands of the power that gave her being. Miss Aitkcn's expression of the fine feelings of Tennyson- has seldom, if ever, been excelled. Had the author been present, we feel confident that he would have joined in the applause which rewarded her efforts. That Miss Aitken is an actress of great power was evidenced by her sudden change from the pathetic to the farcical. Her reading of Mrs Caudle's lectures elicited many a laugh; one could almost fancy that he was the poor unfortunate benedict suffering from the Jong and venomous tongue of a nagging

We could writ? mueh more were it- not ior the Inte liour and the limited space n-fc our disposal, but wo must say this before we close : we wish that the day is not far distant when we shall be favoured with another treat such as we have enjoyed last evening. The conatabulary who had been working on the Wliata Wliata road returned to Ngaruawaliia on Saturday; they commenced work yesterday on the approaches to the new punt building for that township. A native woman named Emma arrived in the Waikato on Thursday by coach. She is on her way to Te Kuiti, for the purpose of returning his watch to King Tawhiao. It appears that it was to her, and not to Mr Mackay, that the king forwarded his watch for repair, as was stated some time ago in the Auckland press. "We have received tlic first and second numbers of the Poverty Bay Standard. We congratulate the Poverty Bay settlers on the possession of a journal which promises in its columns to act with honesty towards them, and we are glad to welcome another journal which starts with the promise not to sell itself to any party or clique, a fault too common with the New 'Zealand press. The sheet is small and unpretentious, but we trust that the progress of the fine district our young contemporary represents will soon enable him to enlarge his publication,, and in addition appear more frequently before the eye of his readers.