Anything and Everything.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 73, 17 December 1891, Page 1

Anything and Everything.

The attraction of the week has been an excellent exhibition in the Choral Hall by the Auckland Academy of Art. This, the second annual show of the Society, is in every way a brilliant success. Although more pictures have been hung on other occasions, the quality of the present exhibition more than compensates for the quantity. It is something to say that out of about 100 paintings there is only one which should not have been hung, and probably found a place from a somewhat strained sense of politeness. The hall is beautifully decorated .and excellent music provided by Mr. Burke’s band. Many young ladies wistfully remarked that a dance under such conditions would be quite too lovely. Only for the dust which might injure the paintings, a ball would be a splendid wind up. Space will not allow us to criticise in detail the many fine paintings which everybody should see. Of course Mr. L. J. Steele’s splendid and imaginative canvas representing the last stand of Captain Starlight is always surrounded by a throng of admirers. It is undoubtedly the finest work yet produced in Auckland. With one or two of the details fault may perhaps be found, but the tout ensemble is a triumph. By the way, a critic in one of contemporaries talkes .about “ Morning Mists,” but the hour is that of sunset. Mr. Steele also exhibits “ The Story of a Saddle ” and his magnificent ‘-Crucifixion,” which one of our Catholic churches should endeavour to secure for an altar piece. As the exhibition does not close until Saturday evening we would beg our readers to notice especially the following catalogue numbers :—No. 5 by T. Ryan, No. 8 by J. D. Perritt, No. 10 Mr. Watkins’ grand picture of a boar at bay, No. 20 by O’Keefe, No. 23 by C. F. Goldie, Nos. 24 and 25 by J. D. Perritt, No 34 by C. F. Goldie, No. 49 by Watkins, No. 60 by Miss L. White, No. 63 by Bev. P. Walshe, No. 62 by C. Blomfield (one of the best pictures he has ever painted), No. 79 by K. Watkins (in his best manner); and No. 81 by J. D. Perritt. In searching out those gems the visitor will find many others which space will not allow us to particularise. The Art Union (tickets 10s.) is to be drawn on Friday evening.

Baby Ogden lately gave some performances at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, under Miss Georgie Smithson’s management. “ Georgie” is now a hotel proprietress in that city.

Wirth’s circus has been receiving a considerable amount of support in Melbourne, where they have been giving day as well as evening performances.

Slavin has been offered 400 dollars per week to appear on the stage in opposition to John L. Sullivan, while. Sullivan has challenged him to fight for the championship of the world in September next, and has deposited as an earnest. ■ Peter Jackson has also offered to fight Slavin for a purse of 10,000 dollars, put

up by the Californian Athletic Club and the latter is now on his way to San Francisco to negotiate with them.

Miss Amy Vaughan has spared neither time nor expense in preparation for her Southern tour, she having engaged the best available talent from Sydney and Melbourne, and their strong point is their pantomimes of “ Blackeyed Susan” and “ Little Monte Christo.” The scenery has been specially prepared by Mr. N. H. Thornton (probably the best scenic artist in the colony), who has been a considerable time engaged in its preparation. After leaving Auckland Miss Vaughan’s company open first at Gisborne on Boxing Night, and play there four nights. She then proceeds to Napier, where she is booked for a week. From thence she goes to Christchurch, and after appearing there she opens in Dunedin about a fortnight before the races. On her return journey she purposes appearing at Wellington and other towns. We hope Miss Vaughan’s Amazons will have the success on their Southern venture they so thoroughly deserve.