The Evening Post. FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 62, 21 April 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1865.

A meeting of the Shareholders of the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company was hsld yesterday at the Athenreum, and although the past half-year's efforts of the Company have not met with the success they have merited, the shareholders expressed themselves satisfied that no exertion of the Directors or Manager had been spared to produce a more satisfactory result. The company possesses seven steamers, and the aggregate number of months run by them are thirty-four and a half. The working of the Wonga Wonga on the northern service has produced a loss of £1,247. The Directors show in their draft report, what in their opinion has been the causes of the company's losses during the past half year, and are — the great expense in repairing the Storm Bird ; the contract entered into with the General Government by which the Company has to keep two steamers running between Auckland and Dunedin, on the East Coast. The great distance between Auckland and Napier, and the small traffic on portions of this line, combined with the length of stay at Dunedin, has made this traffic most unprofitable; the increased number of steamers running on the coast has also been prejudicial to the interests of the company. The Directors have, with a view to the improvement of the fleet, sent home, to arrange the building of a new steamer of a similar class to the Wellington, and £4,000 has been remitted on account, £2,000 in the last, and £2,000 in the current half-year. The Directors have also considered the propriety of disposing of one or two of the smaller boats, by which they would be enabled to procure another vessel of a superior class. A practical proof of loyalty is about to be given by the Maori chief, Hemi Paraiy, end

the natives who inhabit the pab on Te Aro I flat ; but, as far as we can learn, the " loyalty " is not spontaneous, but communicated, in fact, it originated in the " native " mind of Sir George Grey. When the Governor was last here, he expressed a wish that the Queen's flag should fly over the heads of the natives on the Te Aro pah ; Hemi Paraiy was quite willing that such should be the case, provided that Sir George Grey would furnish the necessary materials. The flagstaff and ensign, which was erected in the course of this afternoon is the result. Mr. Meek has been appointed by the native department to superintend the important work. The natives say that they expect Sir George Grey in the course of a week, and they wish to have the proof of their loyalty up before he arrives. We understand that a meeting will be held when the Governor is here, under the British Ensign, which meetingJSir George Grey will attend. , The time for reciving tenders for leasing pieces of land on Watt's Peninsula has been extended to the 20th May next. The Peninsula has been divided into sections, and are to bejjleased for 14 years, dating from Ist July. A plan of the land, and full particulars of the leases may be seen at the offices of Mr. Brandon, solicitor, Lambton Quay. Persons who are looking out for leasehold property will do well to inspect the Peninsula, which has the valuable advantage of being close to the town, and is well adapted for dairy farms, Wednesday night the playgoers of Wellington were regaled with three comedies, "Family Failings," " Betsy Baker," and " The Toodles," and the excellent manner in which they were {all placed upon .the stage reflects the highest credit upon the directors of the theatre. In the first piece Miss Marian Dunn as Clorinda, the spoilt child of a pas. sionate t flery father, inheriting all hisjheat of temper, proved herselfj;to,be an actress of no mean calibre. She made a pretty little vixen, and rushed about the stage in a most becoming manner, smashing and^crashing^everything '.that opposed her, until, as is usual wi ili ladies, she obtained her own way. Lord Gawkey, her equally passionate admirer, was played by Mr. John Dunn in the drollest manner possible ; his awkwardness of movement, especially in his minuet de la cour with Clorinda, brought forth roars of laughter from the audience. Mr. Howe, as Sir Sampson Silliman, played remarkably well indeed; we have not seen this gentleman to such advantage as we did last night, and his impersonation of the character was excelleiifc. Sir Folliet Duckworth whs played by Mr. Frank Towers in a clever manner, and his repeated lamentations over his dear Julia, magnificent girl, five feet ten in her high heel boots, consequently five teet eight in her stockings,was extremely funny. We must remark that the dressts in this piece were magnificent. Betsy Baker was admirably sustained by Miss Maggie Griffiths in the second piece, and her love making scenes with Mr Mouser were very comical. Mr. Dunn, as Mouser, was in his glory, and looked the character to the life. Miss Anstead, too, as Mrs. Mouser, must not be forgotten ; whilst Mr. Frank Towers, as Crummey, helped to give effect to the piece. " The Toodles " was repeated, and Mr. John Dunn sent his audience away convulsed with laughter, and with a vivid recollection of having seen a tipsy man.