ST. ANDREW'S FESTIVAL.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 588, 3 December 1851, Page 3

ST. ANDREW'S FESTIVAL.

The Annual Dinner of tlio " Sons of St. Andrew" took place on Monday evening at the Masonic Hotel, the anniversary of Scotland's Patron Saint having fallen on Sunday. There was a goodly muster of St. Andrew's sons, together with not a few of the Sons of St. George and St. Patrick, the whole company numbering about sixty. The Chair was filled by Dr. Campbell in a manner which gave universal satisfaction. Mr. J. W. Bain and Mr. L. McLachlan ably and courteously officiated as Croupiers, The Stewards, (the Mayor, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. J. A.JJiffillan, Mr. W. C. Wilson, Mr. W. Henderson, and Mr. J. Macfarlane) wre vigilant superintendents of the comforts of the company ; but indeed their previous arrangements were so judicious and complete that they had little to do except to see that their plans were carried out. The viands and attendance were such as to do credit to the Committee and to Mr. Possenniskie, whose diligence and liberality merit all praise. The Band of the 58th regiment added much to the enjoyment of the evening. During dinner they performed the overtures to the " Fair Maid of Perth," and " Guy Mannering," and afterwards a selection chiefly of Scottish airs which had been chosen with great taste as appropriate to the several (.Oasts • I for instance, " Weel may the Boatie £ow" to the health of n» r new Common Council, « High-land Mary" to fl, e Memory of Burns, \ " Gloor^y Winter's now Awa" to the Prosperity °f Auckland, &c. The first Toasts given l>y the Chairman weie "The Queen," and " Prince Albert and •the Royal Family," which were received not as mete matters of course, but with that feeling of loyalty which, here at this remote verge of Her Majesty's empire, is cherished by her subjects with a sincerity .which may vie with any similar emotion in the very precincts of Buckingham Palace or Osborne. Am-* National Anthem, and Prince Albert's jMarcli. " Their Excellencies the Governor-in- Chief and the Lieutenant-Governor," was the next Toast, and was drunk with all the honouis. Major Nugent returned thanks. '• The Mayor, Aldermen and Common Councillors" was responded to by the Mayor in the following terms :- — Sir cind Gentlemen, — For myself and for my brethren in the Council, accept ot thanks for the honor you have (lone us. Weave here befoie you, at least some aie piesenr, with "all our blooming honors fresh upon us." Whether these slnll long retain their heshnehs—whether they shall maintain their beauty and giv« forth iheir fragiant odours till next St. Andrew's day, is a .ijueiitiou of interest to all — to us one of serious consi-

deration. I "liink the si) ing of an ancient kiu<>; is applicable to our ciicunistancc-. " Let no' him that j>hdith on his harness bo ist like him ihat puttcth it oil 1 " We .lie seaicely yet accoutred for tue fi Jit, much les« in a condition to picdicaic i s issue. A friend ol mine, a coiuviynian, as you will soon judge, lias this entiy on the (iist p.inc ni' his led»oi — "Commenced business this day— with no money— li tie credit, and £70 in debt Faint hcutnevei won (,ui lady. Set a stout heair to a stpfp biae. Gm! s,i\c (he Queen." It is with feelings like these we *>I cmlil oommence business — expecting to meet with difii< ul ies — hoping to oveicome them — and manifesting our loyalty to Her Majesty by stuvmg to advance V>c inieiosts of this, the most distant of her possessions. Aii — "0 weel may the Boatie Row." "The Army and Navy" was next drunk. Major Greenwood returned thanks in the following terms :—: — Mr. Chaikm >n and Glvilimi v, — Upon mo Ims devolved the honour of lesponding to the compliment you have just paid the Army and Navy. 1 could have wished that the m.intlo had fallen on shouldcis more worthy than mine to fulfil this duty ; but since it is not so I must even use my best efforts, pool although t'loy be. It is, I believe, n o;fnoral opinion that the best jocommendation of an aftci -dinner speech is Us bievity. Our fneud the Mayoi seems to incline to that way o( thinking, and I shall smve also, in this pailicular, not to offend }on, I shall not demand your attention w Inle 1 point out how closely the sons of Srint Andiew have been identified with the most brilliant achievements of tlio Army and Navy. 1 need not lemmd jou of Duncan at Campcidown, nor of the conduct of the Scots Greys, or the noble -12nd at Waterloo. I need not dwell upon thu deeds of the "Scots who bled with YVollwg'on," during the whole war pieceding thai great vicloiv. I need not do this, becau&e their exploits aio stamped upon the page of lnstoiy, with the typo of imperishable fame. WVII may you, sons of St. Andiew, anil your children, and your childien's chudien g loi 3r3 r in the triumphs of these worthy scions of the North. They pioved that the Jed tide of Celtic goie which stained tho plains of the Peninsular had sustained no diminution of its punty since the days of Wallace. I beg lcau< gentlemen, in behalf of both services, to thank you for the honour which on have done them. Ails — ' British Gienadiers," and " Rule DiiUnnm." " The Land o' Cakca" came next, and was dtank with a feeling which was dca'ened by the playing of " Auld Lang Syne" to which evciy Scotchman's heart must have responded. The toast was very acceptably lesponded toby the Mayor, not in a speech, but in a song — "The Kail B.ose of Old Scotland" - which was gieeted with loud and geneial acclamation. This ended the series of toasts formally assigned to (he Chaiiman, who brought them forward in a manner which left us no oilier re»iet than (the somewhat unusual one) that he did not speak at greater length in introducing them. The succeeding toasts had been assigned by the Committee to seveial gentlemen in the company. " The Sons of St. Geoi.ge" was proposed by Mr. McLacMan and replied to by Mr. Young in terms well calculated to nouush the fraternal feeling Avhich pervaded the company. A ir — "The Fine Old English Gentleman.'' Mr. J. W. Bain iv giving " The Sons of St. Patrick" said, The " Land o' Cakes" and the " Sons of St. George" having been proposed, I have now to call upon you to pay all honour to the toast of the " Sons o( St. Patrick," whose tastes and sympathies in po many respects vpiy closely resemble tho«e of the sons, of St. Andrew. Perhaps of the three kingdoms, tho lush and the Scottish dispositions assimilate each other most ; my Rughsh fnends will, I know, fmgn'o me when I say that Scottish sympathies for their united biethi -n. run moip frequently in tho Irish vein than in any othei. In many respects, however, they differ greatly, yet Scottish caution and perseverance uould often lose half their value, but for the proper infusion of Irish impetuosity and activity, the timely mixlme of which thus often bind us together in a giealer dpgiee than what at fust sight we may be aware of, but which ue should veiy soon feel it the link vveie unhappily btoken. It needs no words of mine to shew how intimately, and in how many different ways we aie, and have been connected with our Irisli inethren, both in times of war and times of peace. We, as Scotchmen, feel proud ol the high honours so fitly paid by a membei of the noble profession to which he belongs to our counliymen's achievements in arms ; but great though they were we must never forget that it was Atthur, Duke of Wellington, a son of St. Patrick who led them on through the fields of the Peninsula to that of Waterloo. And much as we owe to our 1 1 is Ki brethren in time of war, we aie not the less indebted to them for then many triumphs in times of peace — and Peace hath her viotones not less renowned than those of war. To lush Arts and Science and Literature the British public owe much ; noraic we, as Biitish colonists heie with the glorious work of Colonization before us, less indebted to Irish enterprise and peisbvcrance in setting a fitting example for others to follow, and not less indebted for their warm hearted sympathy, and open confiding friendship to cheer us on in the course of generous emulation. Mr. Heaphy replied to this toast in a humorous strain. Mr. Uoylan (in responding to it at the request of the Committee) said, He was regretting, during the evening, the absence of a gentleman who could have done justice to the toast, but the eloquent and glowing terms of the propospi of it had removed all cause of regret. lie might claim, this evening, the motto of the Geialdines, that ho had proved himself more Irish than the Irish themselves." He had it from the best authority that St. Patrick was a gentleman, and he was quite convinced St. Andrew wasa gentleman too: and he was sure it would delight the hearts of these fine old Saints if they could only look down upon the jovial meeting of their respected sons. Air— "St. Patrick's Day." Dr. Bennltt proposed " The Land we live in." lie referred to the blessings enjoyed by Now Zealand in its climate, its soil, its mineral and •. egetable productions, &.c. lie next spoke of the advantages derivable from its native population, giving a brief sketch of what he deemed some of the salient points in the Maori character. He proceeded to advert to the character of the settlei s, declaring Ins belief that it was a promise of much good to the countiy, that so many Scotchmen had made it their home. With reference to Mr. Ham's remarks, be said that the union of the characteristics of the Scotch and the Irish formed an admirable British character, as might be seen in Ulsre^ y.'hore, he was bo 1 ,, 1 , to say th-Ve would be found os. lo^l, as energetic, as ' industrious, anti as intelligent a people as any under Queen Victoria's sway, lie anticipated not only ma- ' terial but intellectual eminence for New Zealand — muterial, finst indeed, for the pioneer settlers in a new country are impelled by necessity to direct primary attention to what is immediately and practically useful ; but intellectual also. Not that New Zealand could soon produce such men as Lord Jeflrey, Lord Brougham, or Professor Wilson ; to make them what they were, collegiate training as well as natural gifts were indispensable. But in those walks of intellectual attainment m which natural gifts rightly improved can attain excellence, why may not some in " The Land we live in" speedily excel 1 May there not be at this moment some young stonemason orsavryer working his way to bo a New Zealand Hugh Miller? May there not be some shepherd boy on our plains rich in the aspirations and fancies that made up the Ettrick Shepherd's poetical nature?—before whose mind's eye even now some " Bonny jKilmony" maybe " gaeing up the glen" to moot creations like those that teemed from Jamie Hoggs prolific imagination? And even, — as he did not ngieein the opinion that Nature, when she bad formed 0110 tianscendently gieat man, bioKa the mould in which he had been cast, and mndo no other like him — why may there not be some forthcoming Ilobie Bums in New Zealand"! Peradventure theie was at that very hour a child bom, of whom some " gossip keeking in Ins loof " might predict that even hero he would find a " Bonny Doim" whose ' banks and braes" ho might immortalize in deathless vei so. After some fuither remarks the Doctor concluded by expressing his hope that the toast would be regarded as a pledge on the part of those who honouied it, that in their lesppclive spheres they would rise above uieiely selfish and personal motives, manifest patnotic largeness of heart, and &ay by their conduct, This is not only tho " Land wo live in," but also the Land w e live^o?'. Air— "My am Fireside."

Mr. Hcckham, in a tew I ut veiy appiopnato and Ictins, proposed " The 1 /allies of Auckland. " The to.^t idllfd up thru- won ed knight, Air. Gisborne, who, with his usual enthusiasm in this :>er\ice, spoke as follows :—: — Gentlemen, — 1 am Inppy to return you the sincere (lji]!">of the. Lading f'oi tf»e enthusiasm with which you have dmnk then h'Mlrh*. f am giatified but not surprised at tli.it enthusiasm. Jn our countries, from I lie time ol tin' Crusades to that of Queen Victoi la, (he Lidies htue owr been ''u oliject u( man's woi-dnp. And now, although tli'U fwlmij doe,-, not lead us to perform feats of kni»ht-ei randy, still, it excites in our l>iea»ts many geneious emotions, — it makes us scorn mean and cowaidly notions, — it teaches us to be unselfish, and to aim at the true nobility of nature. Wbll, then, lias Scotland been behind-hand in this coritost of eluvahy ? ]lave her ions been lukewarm in the vrvice of the Ladies l What do your poets say'! Who lias calle.l woman "a ministering an»ol" ? — who has depicted in such luthful colours the gentle devotion of a. r Mine Deans, 01 the esalted heroism of a Floia Mclvor ' WhoM 1 lays, have unmoitnlized Highland Mary, and other Litres of bonnio Scotland ? Who has said " Without the smile l)»m btMuipoiH Wwinii won, O wluit win, Wain— a woild wulioiit a sun l " When the name-, of Scott, Burns, and Camp boll are unknown oi lightly esteemed m Scotland then, and only then, will her sons prove recieant to the cm it 1 of the Ladzes. Tiadmon says that tin, named Ladies are the peculiar pets of St. Andiew. Tli.it venerable Sunt hns n knack at getting them good Im-binds, — an rulicle of ; upply alw ij's in demand auioii'" li-t'cn,.! 1 (ousuiikts. Like St. Valentine, he malcea ii Lib ■..-- .io( <,f sulphur and sandpaper, but of Ji 'arts si'i'i huj is. i><n> anted lor (amily u-,e and liuhspentuhle to dim •- tic comfort. Tin 1 Ladies hope that his power m that iG&pect still exists, a:id, 1 think, it his power in that line c a tends to the case of bachelor thcie could not be a bottei occasion than the present one on which to invoke bis as.ntance. The Ladies of Auckland, Gentlemen, will be delighted to know tli.it so many of their couutiyincn, Scotch, lush, and English, — so lai fiom then native homes, — have assembled here to pass a festive and haimomoub evening. Their prayer us, Long may you live to do so again. Tlie Ladies hatp discoid; they are all, we know, partial to a united .state. Let us. then, ibi the love of tho Lidios, saciifbe national prejudices and personal differences. Let us live m union. Lot w~ be a happy, because an undivided, people. iJehevo me, the H&e Shaimock and Thistle, inteitwinetl by the hands of tho Ladies, shall for.n a chaplet, of which no leal shall wither noi floweret fade. And (Jieat Jintain too, including in that termeveiy ]>aitof the einpne, so long as hei vast family of brave sons and fan daughters pi nvos faithful to itself, shall over be, as &he is now, the envy and admnation of the woild. Air — " The Lass o' Gownc." " The Memoiy of Hums" followed, in proposing which Mr. Kennedy said, Gentlemen, — The toast that I hive been requested to piopose ts one that will always m^et with a good inception from Scotchmen, " 'I he Meinoiy of Burns." There never lived a p.) •!, in any age or country, whose wilting-* are so unmanly lead and admired as the poems of Jhnns in his native land. If you enter the cottsgc of tlie liumblcbt peasant, the pooiest m the land, iou will find, as I have often srfon, in some corner of his little cabin, thiee books ananged upon a shelf, the fi/st of which is the Bible, tlie second is the Shorter Citechisin, and the thud is the Poems oi Bums, ]f you ascend a slep higher in the scale of .society, and enter the elegant furni&hed diuwing-iooms of tlie wealthy citizen and landed piopnetois, \ou will still find the Poems of Hums. If you go higher still, and enter tho magnificent houses of Hie autocracy, there, nuiid't tho cxtteau nt wealth luxury, and rofinemen!,, \ou will still find the Poems of Jiuins appiecnU'ii, ris much as m tho humble, cott'i^re. JII3 wiitm»s aie lead by all, by the peer as w r cll as by the peasant; they are lead and admit ed by every countess in her castle, by every " bonny Inssie" m the humblest cottage. Nojioet, in mi} ]>ail of the woild, ever so lived in the heaits of Ins countrymen aa Burns. Whether in their days of ninth, or in their hours of melancholy, in joy or in soriow, his ''native wood notes wild" possess a chaim for them which no lan<;'ia",e can express; and upon such occasions as the piesont, assembled as we aie, for tho puipose of "social enjoyment, in this distant land, tbeie is no namo in the histo) ) of our countiy, that exeicioes so much influr>ncp orei oui foHii.qs and nationality as the name of " Bums." Air— « Highland M.wy." Mi-. W. C. Wilson proposed " The Prosperity of Auckland.'' He said, Gentlemen,— The toast lam about to propose is one in which 1 am sure eveiy one piesent will heaitily join. We are individually much inteiested in it. Auckland, since its forma* ion, has hid many difficulties to cn~ coiiulPi". Occasionally a gleam of prosperity shone on her, but as often did a gloomy cloud obscure all her appaient prosperity. S.ill, nmidst her diflicultics. and the many drawl'ucks she Ins had to encounter, I mny safely say sheisiapidly piogiessing. And now, when I look aiound this company, and see oui first Mayor, a son of St Andie.iv, occupying a conspicuouj, place at this festive board, we may reasonably hope that a blighter diy will she t ly dawn upon us. It is well kiiomi that tho indomitable iion peiseverance of the sons of St. Andtcw will ciriythem tiiumphnn'ly foi ward vvhei ever they go. I have been in several of the sister Colonies, and I feel assured that no place of the same population could havf stood the shocks Auckland has endured, and he in the healthy condition in which she now is. I iiust tint by the united cllorts of the sons of S-..n' O^oige and Saint Patrick, we shall soon see the capital of New Zealand what she ought to be eio this, one of the brightest gems of the Sou hem Pacific. I have already said that 1 have been in seveial of the sister Colonies, but let me remain in Auckland in pielcrence to any, or even the much talked of Sandwich Islands. Gentlemen, I hope you will nil live to sec Auckland m a much more piosperous state than bhe is even at piosent. Without further comment, 1 beg to piopose "The prosperity of Auckland." Air — " Gloomy Wintei's now awa'." " The Memory of Sir Walter Scott" was introduced by the Mayor in the following apt and judicious observations : — Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,— Wo have toasted the memory of Coila's liartl — of the ploughman who, am id tho toils of eveiy day life, and the caics and hanassmen's of a busy woild, wai hied his " wood notes wild" in strains of nieltiiifr tenderness, as well as ot spiiit .stilling cncigy. "Well is he worthy" of our grateful lenicmbiance, and deai will his memoiy aUajb be to eveiy Scotsman wH lias a licavl to Ihiuk or.-i he«rt to feel. : Bur, Sir, tlie land of our bi th lias oilier gieat names C! ivincli her bons have reason to ha pioud. These should not be overlooked by us, met as we are for the purpose of recalling the sce\< > of oui eaihu yea is — of awakening those associations which link ub to our father land — and o! fosteiiug those feelings ot love and giatitude with which we delight to cheiish the memoiy of the good and giear who have done honor to our countiy Among these are to he found names which aie indelibly wiitten on tho paj.-e of lnstor>, and will descend to remote posieiny as monuments oi patient and persevering industry — of deep and jciulinizing enquiry — of bold ami chivahous aelion. The diseovcucs ot Napiet and of Watt, the reseuches of Adam Smith and Di. Chalmeis, have not yet yielded their lull haivest of fruit, and the deeds of our lieiocs will be lememburcd while the lay of the ininstiel is heaul in our halls. And O ' loved w.utioia of (lie Miiiitior* land, Yoiidui yom buniivt^ m>J, ymn taitans w.ivo. 'J'lio inygul lon' l " la y n>' lllv tllo mountain band, And luislici lL.ilUK'i umt a mien mom But iu'ci in Ij.ittk'-licld ilnubb'd lic'.nt so bi.ive As itut which In i!-. hi in .ilh lliu Stotlisli plaui ; And when the pibiorh In lb Uio Iwltlf i.i\e, And li\el lor (lie cli.n^e join .urns .m< laid, Wliuii! lives Hie de»|iei.ilu tot tliat toi Mich onset slanl ? Sir, 1 have been icquested to bung beloie you tonight anotliei ol thohe names -one who loved Scotland no loss ardently than hei peasant bald— one who has shed a h do ovur her liteniture, and advanced thai, hteratuie, above any man ol im time. When 1 mention the name of Walter Scott, 1 am sine there is not one in this loom who will hear it without emotions ot respect and admiiation — respect for hispiivate virtues, and iidmiiation ot his splendid talents. Whether we consider him as a poet, as the author of Waveily and ltt, succcssois, oi as a. hktonan, we shall find that he has lew equals, and passages may be selected fiom each class which will cope with any wntings or their kind in the English language. His dc-cnplions of external natuie aie coinpichcuswc, yet minu'e—for the most pait delineations of actual scenery, (.ketched by the hand of a master and coloured by the ia'icy of a poet ; no hctciogeneous giouping for

effort of objects f.ncuMi to tin* Mibjpct, butliiith fulness in in detail, even to (lie flmvcts and plants nidigi nou < to the spot. Hence his powt i ovei Iho hmili'i ,in bunging to his mind, with the \ ividness of le.lny, a large e\lent of I'oun ly upon winch the eye his never lested. Every one must .icuoid with ihesc lemaiks who his read the " Lary of the Lake" and li.ul tlio good fortune to travel irotn Dumlimton to Sin ling, bailing up Loeli Lomond and Loch Kiitimc to wauls the Tiossaclcs and ') ivcisinjf the distncts in these vniinties In like manner, his chaiacteis, like most of Shaks peare's, are leal embodiments of hunianity. Who lias not met with many of thru types in his pi ogress thiough i he world? Miking allowance ior time and circumstance, tlieie are lew of them, not excepting the Bailie himself, wlio ;uc not alive at the piesent day. Man, considered in the aggiegate, is ihe same fiom the days of old Hornet down to ours, and tli -u^h eveiy agr does no r give buih 'o a Homer, or a Shaksjieare, or a Scott, it is not for want of nntcinl to woik upon, bur because theie >, seldom vouchsafed to any one of our race the neoe. ii/numbci and combination of talents so exalted. Rn, n would not be difficult 10 enlatge on this sub Jert, but it has been said that " brevity is the soul of wit," and I think brevity a vciy essential requisite in speeches at convivial meetings. Alldw me then, bir, to i mtioduce to join notice once (lie "Gicat Unknown," nou the %t Magician of the J^oith" — him who '• conjures spans fiom the vasty deep" and clothes them with the leehnns of huniain'y — who laises his wand, and all ianl<s «nd degrees of men, in <iges long gone by, stand before lib m their very " form and pressure" — who enciieles us within his ina-ic ring, and makes us feel that wo aie indeed under the spell of the Enchanter— "The Memoiy of Sii Walter Scott." Air — "Jock o' Ilazeldean." Next came " The 58th Regiment," proposed by Mr. Kennedy. Major Nugent, in few but fitting and effective terms, lesponded. Air—" Alaicli of the sfUb Regiment." " Professor Wilson and the Literature of Scotland" was proposed by Mr. J, W. Bain. He said, The appropriate tribute having with oil honour been paid to the memoiy of the gieat men who hare passed away from us, 1 have now to bring before you the name of John WiKon, the greatest living wnter of which Scotland nt this day can boast. Though now full of years and honours the powers of his gteat intellect are si ill in all their piistme vigour, nor will it be thought mappiopiiate that I .should connect his name with the litpraluro of Scotland at the present day, wlipii we reflect that he is one of the few lemaunng stars in that blight g<ilaxy winch, with Jeffrey and JJiougham at its head, intioduced the present century, and moulded the hterai y tastes of tho age. Wilson's fiist appearance ns an author was as a poet, in bis "Jsle of Palms" and " City of the Plague," and it is chiefly by his poetiy that ho is still known to his English readers. Ihs genius however lemamed undcvolop"d until, in the pages of " Blackwood's Miignziup," ins love of and thoiough sympathy with Scottish Scenery nnd Scottish Manneis, nnd all that comes home to the Scottish heait weio fust displayed. The influence, I mean the liteiary, not the political influence, which "Blackwood" has so long exercised was in great part owing to his genius, which iiom mouth to mouth sustained its reputation, -and won for him the honour and respect of his countrvmon, in tboso contiibutions which have since been colKcteil as the " Recreations of Cfonstoplier Noilh." In perusing tlipso papers one's heart naturally nmras to llip life-like pictmos of Scottish Scenerj', whe ther it be on the wild mountain side, by the silent lake, by the blight flowing liver, or in the quiet though not less romantic scenery of the retired inland pansh. The chaim of his pictures lips in the tiuth and fidelity, and in the fl'plmg conveyed to the reader, that nil the writer is debcnbing he has seen and felt. One of my cailiest rerecollections (and, perhaps 1 , hence my predilection for the man) i'< coniK-cted with the perusal, when a hoy, of a passage in one of his '' Recreations," wherein he says be inspects a boy not the less for playing; truant from school, or harming buds' nests, or falling asleep in chinch long befoio the Minister hud " come to tenthly." To rovert to the Magazine in which Wilson's Essays first lppeared we 7iiust remembei that it was tho first ft utts of that class of periodicals which now exercises so great an influence on the English mind. If it was preceded by the Edmbutgh Review, it was fol o ved by the Encijrlopa'dia Bi itannica, Constable's Miscellany, the Edmbui«h Cabinet Libiur)/, the publications of tho Messrs. Ch»mbers, and other woiks which, fiom mo require no eulogy. Mr. J3.im concluded by suggesting the formation of a St. Andrew's Society in Auckland the success of which might be safely piedicterl while the memoi v of Scotland's great mpn lpmnined to uo. In conclusion, he proposed " The health of Christopher North, and Piospeiity to tlio Liteiatuie of Scotland." Air — '• Within a mile of Edinboro' Town." " The Piess," was most duly honoured. The toast was proposed by Mr. A, Kerr, and replied to by Mr. D. Burn, both gentlemen I doing as full justice to the subject as the brevity of their remarks permitted. Air — "Tullochgoriun." The toast of " Our Guests," proposed by Mr. M'Laclilan, was replied to by A. C. G. Turner, who said tli.it, as remarked by his bonoi od friend on the right, (Mr. Young) h<\ though n guest, could not hare guessed ', that a speech should bo expected from him. Air—" Welcome, Royal Charlie." 1 In proposing " Absent Ftiends," Mr. J. A. 1 Gilfillan said, J While we must all rejoice in seoing- several new ' faces at our festival to-night, I believe we have to re- E gret the absence of some who wete with us on last S. ' Andrew's Day, and it is to those "absent friends" that * the toast I have now to propose is dedicated. After a t passing reference to Mr. John M'Dougall, as the ropre- £ piesentative of those whom circumstances alone pre- i vented being present, he concluded — But, sir, my toast, I or the sentiment which my toast contains, has a ] wider application, which may safely be left to j the individual fancy or memory of all : for in i less timo far than Ariel nould " put a girdle louud the earth," our thoughts can travel to the old s gtey hills, and to the kind hearts we have left behind £ us ; and sharing, ns those must ever do, in all our J bptter thoughts and feeling*, it is but meet and right they should not be forgotten now. I give you "Absent * Fiiends." (1 Air — u Here's a health to them that's awa'." li The health of the Chairman, to which Dr. Campbell feelingly responded, and the stand- * ardwmding-uploastof"S\veetheartsand Wives/-' concluded the •programme for the evening. About c twelve o'clock the Chairman vacated h'.s presi- i dency. The whole passed off in the most j agreeable manner, leaving as a result, we have :i no doubt, an increased cordiality of neigh- I hourly and fiiendly feeling amongst those i who paiticipated in tlie festival. c

Iltsrm.Nr Magisihaij's Coum. — On Monday, a man named Thomas Hill was charged, by Mis. Vercoe, a tavern koepei in Foit-stieet, with having given her a number of counterfeit sixpences, in payment ioi 1 n botdu of mm that ihe sold to linn on Sunday last. Un was traced to htij lodging, by a policeman, on the same evening, and a largo number of similar bixpenceii to those lie liiiil given for the rum woru found in Ins pocket; and af'tervvaids, the s.imo officer procreded on bo.ud a small vessel, in winch Hill had. came down the liver, und found a lump of pewter, a spoon, and a mould in hh chest. Thes>e weic produced in Court, 'lhe prisoner made no defence, and was romandod. A port>ou named John Duncan, who had also been drinlviii!j at Vorcoe'.s on Sunday, was clnrged with having two of theae bas>e coins in his possession. lie was albo remanded.

Win have pleasure in announcing that the "Band of the 58 Ih Regiment will, by the more than permission of Colonel WVn'YAKD, commence their Th.urt.day performances for the summer season to-morrow, in the grounds o(" old Government House, from four to six o'clock. The following is the programme for to-morrow : — Ovortuio— " 1m a Diavolo,'' Auhcr. C.ivuluiti— Op. . . " Somnainbuln," licllmi. An- anil Cboi us— Op. . . " liuryanthc," . . Weber. Qnad.'ille— " Tho Jiibeniian," Julhcn. i'ollwi— " Tl)e Hosa," Kulmor. Ballad — " My Nannie O," Nil. Waltz— " The Peail of England," Jnllien. Gallop—" Tlie Schlitten," Kuhuer.

CIUCKET. Wn arc glad to be informed that a new club, culled the "Auckland Cricket Club," has been

l.itely formed, .and wibh it every success in Lli<

promotion of that manly exercise. Yesterday, a Match came off' on the Parad Ground, at the Albert Barracks, between th Married and Single Men of the "Aucklani Club, assisted by amateurs from the garrison." The result, as will be seen below, was the vie tovy of the Single Lien, in one innings, by a ma jority of 21 runs. The superior play of G. Waring, of the Roya Artillery, told effectively on the side of th< bachelors. Married. — Ist Ivnings. XV. Payne, c. by Waring, b. by Botherstone 12 F. YVhitaker, c. by Captain Campbell, b. by Wai ing; 1 W. Young, b. by Botherstone 1 P. J3mey, b. by ditto 4 G. M. Stephen, c. by Payne, b. by Bother&tone 0 C. lleapliy, b. by Waring 0 Captain Cockoaft, c. by Botherstone, b. by JJotherstonc 0 C. A. Harris, c. by Ilayles, b. by Botherstone 11 JI. ILitavray, c. by Captain Campbell.. 1 "VV. Martin, b. by Botherstone 1 P. Turner 5 Total 36 Sivglt. — Jar Innings. XV. Payno, c. by IJataway, b. by Whitaker 32 Captain Cooper, (uin out) b. by Wlutnkar 2 J. Shaver, b. by Young 0 — Wai ing, not out 72 — Sunms, b. by Young 3 — Jlaylpp, b. by ditto ."> — Ijotbersrone, c. by Captain Cockcraft.. 0 Captain Campbell, run out by F. Whitaker 5 Lieut. Cooper, b. by Stephen 1 Captain Murray, leg before wicket 3 J. Bukannann, b. by Stephen 0 Total 121 Byes 8 129 Married — 2nd Innings. P. Borrey, c. by Playlea, b. by liotberstone 9 F. Wlnt.ii.er, b. by Waring 0 P. Turner, struck wicket „ . 0 C. A. 1 lan is, c. kyJCnptain Murray, b. by Waiing 6 G. M. Stephens, b. by Wanng 3 T. Payne, b. by Botherstone lc-il c -i C. Ileaphy, b. by Waring 3 31. Hat a way, (mn out) b. by Waring.... 2 W. Young, c. by ILiyles, b. by Waring... 38 F. W. Mprriman, b. by Waring 2 Captain Cockciaft J Total 56 Wide balls 2 Byes 1 64