Local Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 756, 27 January 1870, Page 2

Local Items.

This Dav, Mr John Stuart will offer to public competition the sheepstation situate in the Oero district, known as "Elsthorpe." For particulars see advertisement in first page of to-day's paper. Napier Debating Club.—A meeting of this, society was advertised for Tuesday evening, but was adjourned owing to there not being a quorum. ISTapier G\rrick Club Farewell Performance.- This performance, in which the Misses Williams and Mr Tom Kemp appeared for the last time, took place last evening, and we were pleased to observe a full, house on t\)Q occasion. The enter taiument opened with Planche's comedietta of "The Loan or a Lover," which was played wilh more than usual animation, and was warmly applauded by the audience. The next part of the programme was looked forward to with great interest, Mr Kemp having undertaken to paint, in 20 minutes, before the audience, his scene of " Venice by Moonlight." Mr Kemp premised that no very elaborate piece of work could be executed in so limited a time, but undertook to produce an effective scene; and he fulfilled his promise. For the first ten mpiutes or so the outlines on the canvass were mysterious and, apparently, unconnected, but as one object after another became more fully developed, the applause of the audience knew no bounds. Towers and palaces rose under the brush as if by magic, and a striking scene, with true "moonlight" effects was produced in minutes—one minute and a half less than the advertised time. Mr Kemp, after acknowledging the applause which greeted the completion of his work, formally took his leave of the Napier public. A mesmeric seance by Dr. Carr followed, and the time at that gentleman's disposal being limited, he confined himself, with one exception, to subjects who had been previously mesmerised. The experiments were of the most striking and convincing character, and the seance was quite a success The deluded subjects at one moment were made to suppose, themselves drowning, and sprawling on the floor were vigorously attempting to swim in -various directions. Under the impression that

chairs and were horses, they 'mounted and rode round the stage. Two in the agonies of rushed frantically from the room to have their teeth extracted. On their return after some minutes, Dr Carr released them from their delusion. A powerful man, who had nor been mesmerised before, and did; not believe in the power, Av-as brought as completely under its influence as the others. The performance closed, with the clever farce of "The Area Belle," played witlji great spirit, which brought to a close one of the best and most varied entertainments we have seen for some time.