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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 61, 14 June 1873, Page 2

Quadrille Assembly.—The next fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Quadrille party takes place at the Music Hall on Tuesday evening next. Petroleum Company.—During the absence of Mr. Hardy, the Secretary to the Petroleum Company, deposits on shares will be received, bv Mr. Stubbs. General Assembly.—The Gazettes to hand per Rangatira’s mail, contain a proclamation convening parliament for the despatch ar business on Tuesday the 15th July, proximo. Malicious Injury.—Yesterday morning, in the R.M.’s Court, an information was bud against William Benson, by T. Goldsmith, for wilfully shooting at, and injuring, a bullock, the property of Captain Read. The hearing of the case was remanded until Thursday next, bail being accepted for Benson’s appearance.

Native Lands Commission. — A notice appears in the GeaeraZ Government Gazette, that the Commission, postponed from the 10th of April, will sit at Gisborne on the sth of .■GisfUfrt. We beg to remind the Government that we have not received a notification to this effect, for publication in our eolumns, as advised in the under Secretary's letter of the 7th May.

Gisbobne Dramatic and Minetbel Society. —An entertainment (of which a short notice had been given), under the auspices of the above society, came off at the Olympic Theatre on Tuesday evening last. We were sorry to set- so poor a house on the occasion, although the fact cannot be said to be a want of appreciation of the performauce, or a lack of interest in the success of the society. This is just one of those instances where, in a small town like Gisborne, a large discriminating tact is requisite to shape a successful course. At the present time the whole district is alive with attractions in one form or another, for

what between Dramatic performances, Soirees, and Quadrille parties in town and country, we are pretty well supplied. And each of these represents money; the bare admission fee, independently of incidental expenses, makes it a matter of calculation, in the mind of Pater, which of the number he will elect to patronize. We had only just got over a capital performance at the Camp, when we were invited to patronize the Gisborne Dramatic and Minstrel undertaking. Next Monday a splendid Tea and Muffin Tournament is to take place in the Music Hall; on the following evening the Gisborne Quadrille Assembly have their usual fortnightly gathering; and in a few evenings more the Ormond settlers will commence a series of dancing parties during the Winter months. We do not, for a moment, say that we have something too much of this.” What we desire is the success of all, and the realization of the object of each. That the object of the performance on Tuesday evening was not achieved, in a financial sense, we are not surprised to hear ; and w'e grieve while we record a money loss to the management. The cause of this lies in the ill-judged and inconvenient relation in which our entertainments stand to each other. Tuesday’s invitation bore down too hard upon that at Ormond, and is to be followed too closely by the Soiree. Families had to choose between the two, and the patronage became divided. We wish the Gisborne Dramatic and Minstrel Society better luck next time. The performance commenced with that popular comedy “ Used Up ” which, in the personation of its chief character, Charles Mathews has made so

familiar to us ; and we must say we were very pleadingly disappointed (or, shall we say, unexpectedly pleased) in the general “get up” and demeanour of the characters. Of course the few exceptions served the valuable purpose of establishing the rule. Candidly, we thought that the management had made a great mistake in casting Mr. Gannon, as Sir Charles ; but with equal candour, we acknowledge the correctness of the selection. Blase to a degree ; an accomplished roue of an intensely “ used up ” caste; a debauchee of that type which acknowledges no sin, and regardeth no virtue, Sir Charles lost nothing of the author’s intention at the hands of hi« representative; of course the whole success of the piece depended upon a true conception of this character ; and we have no hesitation in saying that there are few amateurs who would have portrayed it more creditably than Mr. Gannon did. The other characters were all sustained with an excellence which showed signs of great improvement, but they call for no special remark. Mr. Bettington, who has won his spurs on former occasions, supported the part of Sir Adonis Leech with an abandonment of everything connected with principle, in a most effective way ; and Mr. Shirley, as Ironbrace, looked just the sort of character one may expect to meet with in a man w'ho finds his wife busily engaged in a way not calculated to promote conjugal happiness. The “ Rival Darkies ” followed which, as a piece of grotesque nigger comicalities, caused the usual amount of fun and good humour. “My Turn Next ” brought the performance to a close. This farce was very well supported by the company; which was testified to by repeated acclamations from the audience. We cannot conclude without giving the new scenery and decorations on the stage a place in our observations. Everything is near to completion now, and reflects great credit on the artistic skill of Mr. Atcherley, to whom was committed the task of rendering the Olympic one of the prettiest little theatres of its size to be found in the colony. A very handsome drop scene contains a view of Lake Taupo, with Tongoriro in the back ground.—from a sketch taken by Mr. Atcherley himself.