Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 530, 2 December 1857, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

On Monday afternoon an important meeting of shareholders in the Canterbury Steam Company was held at Mr. Latter's counting house in this town, summoned by advertisement to arrange various matters of detail. Almost the whole body of shareholders were present, lne chief business was the appointment of trustees, o£ a Committee of direction, and of, the officers for the year; a prospectus containing mtormation as to these arrangements will be at once prepared and issued. No further information had been received to lay before the meeting concerning the vessel itself, but arrangements were made for receiving her on her arrival, and for otherwise entering upon active proceedings. A call was made of ten per cent upon each share, payable on the 15th instant The share list remains open only a shor

time longer, shares having already been taken up beyond the amount immediately required. We are pleased to learn that subscriptions tor the rebuilding of the Parish Church of this town have already been collected and banked to ttie amount agreed upon at the last public meeting, before proceeding with the erection of the building, viz., £500 clear of . all other assets. Another public meeting will now be called to take the next steps. A missionary meeting was held on Monday evening at the Wesleyan Chapel, Lyttelton, in aidof the Australasian Wesleyan Missionary Soc*ety- A report was read and addresses delivered by the Rev. J. Aldred and Messrs. Latter and Turner, and a liberal collection was' made in aid of the objects of the society. ' The attendance at our theatre on Friday evening last was far from numerous, but those who were present had the good fortune to witness what we must call, so far as finished performance went, the best representation of .the whole season. We have seen plays of higher interest, as well as more successful single characters before; but we have never witnessed on these boards an evening's performance of more thorough completeness than was that of the Honeymoon and Bachelor's Buttons on last Friday. Mrs. Foley as Juliana well displayed the pettishness and fastidiousness which in the first part of the play gives such piquancy to the character; as well as the tenderness, still dignified, which at the conclusion forms such a delightful contrast. The subordinate parts were carefully and cleverly rendered throughout, bringing out the piece with that sharpness which comedies of the Honeymoon school so much require; and in which, we may be allowed to say, the previous representation of this piece peculiarly failed. Bachelor's Buttons is a most amusing piece, Mrs. Foley's part being one which was apparently new to her, but still one of that sort, rattling, sparkling, and full of change, in which we think Mrs. Foley excels more than in any other shade of comedy. As in the former piece the other characters were well sustained; the only regret we felt being perhaps in the absence of Mr. Mordaunt, whose short appearance in the Honeymoon left a j strong desire for a further exhibition of his comic powers. Mr. Poulter, however, in his rendering of burlesque character, leaves very little to be desired. We observe an anouncement of a further series of performances; in which tragedy is to be a prominent feature. The ball at Kaiapoi, held in commemoration of the first election of two members of the Provincial Council for the district, which took place on last Thursday evening, in Messrs. Cookson, Bowler and Co.'s new wool-store, was decidedly one of the best that we have had in the province. The 'room was excellently arranged and decorated with the beautiful shrubs and climbing plants which are found in the neighbouring woods, one part of the building being divided off to form a supper, room, nearly 40 feet iri length; a commodious tea room, retiring rooms, etc., being provided. There were about 80 visitors present, all residents in the neighbourhood, with the exception of a few from Christchurch and Lyttelton, amongst whom was his Honor the Superintendent, Messrs. Cass, Cookson, and Banks. The dancing commenced about 9 o'clock, and was kept up with great spirit till four the next morning. The supper,which was provided under the able superintendance of Mrs. Norman, was the most abundant and recherche we have seen in the province. We are glad to find Kaiapoi following the excellent example of Lyttelton, in. breaking through the absurd attempts at exclusiveness of which we have seen too much. We may fairly say that although no restrictions were placed on the admissions, nothing could have exceeded the propriety and harmonious feeling which prevailed throughout the evening. We are happy to learn that the Government has at length decided to have the bar at the mouth of the Waimakariri surveyed without further loss of time. Messrs. Cookson, Bowler & Co., W. C. Beswick, and F. Fuller having entered into an agreement to guarantee the expense up to £100, in the event of the Provincial Council, refusing to sanction this highly important work. We hear that a large party of Maories have left Kaiapoi for the West Coast to be in readiness to assert their claims to the land, in the event of its being opened up. Cheist's College Geammae School. — The Annual Public Examination of this School took place, according to advertisement, in the new school-room on Thursday and Friday last. The examiners were the Bishop of Christchurch, Warden of Christ's College, in Divinity and Classics, the Hon. H. J. Tancred, Esq., in History and Geography, and the Eev. W. W. Willock in Mathematics. The classical part of the examination occupied the greater part of the first day, when but few visitors were present. The first-class was examined in the Greek Testament (a portion of the Gospel of St. Mark), and in portions of the Jugurtha of Sallust, and of the Second Book of the Mneid of Virgil; the second-class in portions of Caesar's Commenta- | ries,.and the First Book of the jEneid; the lower classes in Jacob's Latin Reader, and the Latin Accidence. The second day's work - consisted of examinations of the several classes on the Church Catechism and Scripture History, the History of England, and Geography, together with recitations of poetry, Latin and Engj lish. The Mathematical examination was going on concurrently on both days. The French language, we believe, is also taught in the school, but there was no examination on this subject. The reason of this omission, we understand, was chiefly the shortness of the notice given of the examination, which caused the time for preparation to be shorter than usual. On the second day, a considerable number of visitors, especially ladies, were present. At the condu-

sion of this day the Bishop, after conference with the other examiners, announced that the three Scholarships, advertised some months ago, and for which five boys of the first-class were candidates, were awarded as follows:—rthe Rowley Scholarship to W. G. Brittan, the Buller Scholarship to A. Thompson, and the Reay Scholarship to C. C. Prichard. Prizes of books were also awarded to C.E. Phillips andH. T. Dudley in the second-class, to A. Cotterill and D. N. Inwood in the fourth-class, and to C. Cryer in the fifth-class. His Lordship at the same time took occasion to impress upon, the boys the great importance of carefulness and accuracy, habits which, if formed at school, would be of the greatest possible service to them in after life. The room is of a good length, and well ventilated, but is rather narrow. A considerable enlargement, or the addition of a large class-room, will probably be needed at no distant date. We are informed that it is the intention of the College to give greater prominence and efficiency to the English and Commercial department of the school, and with this' view to send to England for a trained Master for this branch. The school now numbers 50 boys.