The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1870.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 98, 3 May 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1870.

His Excellency accompanied by the Defence Minister,, returned yesterday afternoon, in the Luna, from his tour, to the Northern Districts'^ - The Bay of Islands, Kawa Kawa, Waiinate, Hokianga, Ahipara, Mongonui, 'Whangaroa, were visited, and in "interviewing" natives and settlers^ cultivating the ■amenities and loyal feelings of the residents in the. Northern districts, the vie'e^ regal progress was attended with pleasure* and success. His Honor the Chief Justice Sir G.eorge Arney returned from the Bay of Islands, yesterday, by the p.s. Luna. Last night a meeting of non-commis-sioned officers was held, at half past seven, to make arrangements for a Volunteer Ball, on the night of the Queen'a Birthday. Sergeant-Major Haslan presided, and after a long discussion, it was resolved to adjourn the- meeting till tonight. A very snccessesful entertainment in connection with the Catholic Institute, a musical, literary, and dramatic melange, was held last night, a full report of which we are obliged to hold over till to-mor-row. Thebk was a capital attendance at the Prince of Wales Theatre, the dress circle assuming quite a bright appearance. Mrs. Hill was warmly applauded during her clever impersonation of Margaret Wentworth, in " Henry Dunbar," and received frequent calls before the curtain. Mr. Kyan was as usual excellent as Henry Dunbar—many of his scenes being the true picture of an unhappy life. The Mayor could not have been placed in better hands than those of Mr. Macgowan, who made the most of it, and was loudly called for at the end of the drama, but his not appearing, led the audience to suppose he had carried his threat into execution, and " skeeJadled." Mr. Musgrave was at home as the detective Carter, and the other characters were well sustained by Messrs. Glover, Liardet, Miss Uaymond, and Mrs. Macgowan. To-night •• Henry Dunbar" will be reproduced, and we urge upon our readers not to lose the opportunity of spending a couple of hours of legitimate employment. A novel kind of accident occurred this morning in Wyndham-street, opposite the door of Messrs. Gilbert and Manly, beside the Herald office. A horse and dog cart, belonging to Mr. Manly, were standing by the pathway, when the animal no doubt supposing that he might as well take things easy in the absense of anything particularly pressing, quietly proceeded to lie down, smashing the shaft in the proceeding. A lady who was in the vehicle, with great presence of mind, made a spring and lightly touching the prostrate animal with her foot alighted in safety on terra firma. Thb success of our new San Francisco mail route may be augured from the favours bestowed on it by our Southern friends. Sixty-one huge bags and ten packages of letters arrived this morning from the South, per Phoebe, for transmission per the City of Melbourne to-morrow; and it is only due to those concerned to state that from the hour — ten o'clock this morning—when the Phoebe anchored in the Manukau, and Mr. Brewer took charge of the mails, they were landed in boats at Onehunga, carted up the wharf, packed on coach, driven in to Auckland, and deposited in the Post Office in one hour and twenty minutes. Comparisons are " odorous," but we cannot say that such expedition characterises the landing and despatch of mails at the city itself. It -was really a sight worth looking at to see the coach tearing down along Queen-street this morning, loaded inside and out with mails, and over all presiding, the worthy and respected Sub-Collector of Customs of the Manukau, his genial countenance beaming with mingled happiness and solicitude as he gazed on his charge. A large crowd assembled at the Post.Office to see the immense Southern mails received for San Francisco.