OBITUARY.

ALICE DUNNING LINGARD. An Englishwoman by birth, Alice Dunning made her debut on the London stage in the lowly rolo of a utility woman — a useful but insignificant j member of the company but one remove above the ballet girl. She did not remain long in this modest station, however. She early made such an impression that she was rapidly advanced to | important roles, in every one of which she wpn ' favours from the play-going public. Within five ' years of her debut; she was one of tho ieailuig i actresses of tho English-speaking stage. "" ; Having won fame for herself at home, Miss Dunning went abroad to garner the more substantial reward all artists crave. She paid her first visit to the United States in the early seventies. Associated wjth the celebrated c.me- ! dian William Horace Lingard, whom she after- ! wards married, she became identified with his many successes. She was installed by the American public in the same niche of favour her native audiences had pliced her in. After extended tours of the State 3 Miss Dunning, who had meanwhile become Mrs Lingard, (--ailed for tho colonies. The Lingavds first visited Maoriland in 1876, where they were supported by the different stock companies in the hrt;e cities In Wellington (M.L.) they played upder the management of F. M. Bates and Charles Hilloden, and on Saturday, November 4, 76, supported by the Bates-Howard Company, they opened at the Theatre lioyai in H. J. Byron'B three-act comedy "Our Boys." Perkyn Middlewick (3S4th time)... W. H. Liugard Charlie Middlewick W. H. Metcalfe Sir Geoffrey Champneys Oily Deeiing Talbot Champneys A. luglis Kempster W.J.Sweeney Poddies G Caspar Mary Melroee MiBS Alice Lingard Violet Melrose Miss I-.izz : e Morgan Clarissa Champneys Mrs Stonehain Belinda Miss Adelaide Stonebam Mis^ Alice Lingard's impersonation of Mary Melrose has not been excelled ou the colonial stage. The love scene, perhaps her best effort, was as if to the manner born. In the antipodes their triumph was as marked j as it had been in England and America. Their performances remain historic in the annals of the colonial .stage. They played in every city and i town in Australia. Iv Hongkong and the East Indies a like result attended their labours. They I ended their tour around the world richly rewarded for the perils they had braved and the inconvenience they had suffered. Following their first ' world's tour came return seasons in the United i States, succeeded by a second trip to the colonies, where a repetition of their original triumph I awaited them They pluyed a return Maoriland : tour early in 1877, when they were again associated j with the different stock companies in the chief . cities of Maoriland, with one of which they staged ! with the following cast " Our Boys." Perkyn Middlewick W. H. Licgard Sir Geoffrey Champneys Reg Rede • Charlie Middlewick W. H. Metcalfe Talbot Champneys ... Leonard St. Lawrence Poddies — Alexander The others who played the '77 cast were the same as in the cast of 76. Theie may be differences of opinion as to the acting of W. H. Liogard, but there is, I think, little risk in saying that as a comedian he stood unsurpassed, if not unequalled. uther pieces in which the Lingards starred in 77 were :— "The New Magdalen." Mercy Merrick Alice Dunning Lingard Grace Roseberry Lizzie Morgan Julian Gray W. H. Metcalfe Horace Leonard St. Lawrence Lady Gray Mrs H. Stonehain

I " Married in Haste." ' Percy Pendagron W. H. Lingard Augustus Vere W. H. Metcalfe Gibson Leonard St. L*\yrence Ethel Grainger Alica Dunning Lingard "The Two Orphans." Louise ... .— ... Alice Dunniog Lingard Pierre ... - W. H. Lingard "Mr and Mrs Peter Whit is." Mr Peter White W. H. Lingard Mrs Peter White ... Alice Dunning Lingard In this the operatic selections introduced by the Lingards were excruciatingly funny. "Not Such a Fool as He Looks." Sir Simon Simple W. H. Lingard Mould Sam Howard Mrs Mould Mrs Stonehain "FROU FROU." Frou Frou Alice Dunning Lingard Baron de Crambrie W. H. Liugard They also played the musical, classical, mythological, and operatical extravaganza in six scenes and one act " Pluto ; or, The Magic Lyre." Pluto W. H. Linxard Orpheus Alice Dunniog Lingard In 1832 they agian toured Maoriland, thit time with their own company. Their tour opened with "Stolen Kisses." Tom Spirit W. Horace Lingard Walter Temple ... .„ C. Overton Lord Trangmar ... ... ... J. B. Steele Felix Freemantle ... *. Chas. W. Craig Fred Gay ... ■ A. J. Campbell Mr Brief „. ... Owen Westford Juggins , ,». »,. G. Burton Jenny Temple «. Alice Linnard Cherry Spirit „, ... Ethel Adele Mrs Jawkins , ... Mrs Fitzwilliams Other pieces played by the Lingards in '82 were "Betsy." Betsy ... ... Alice D. Lit) gar d Dawkins W. Horace Lingard "The Old Love and the New." Lillian Phipps Alice L'ngard Mr Brown W. Horace Lingard " Heart and Croavn." Marie Stuatt Alice Lingard Lord Darnley W. H. Lingnrd " Old Bachelors." Millie Craig Alice Lingard Prof Spirt W. 11. Limpid ' " Charity." Mrs Van Burgh Alice Lingard Fitzpartington W. H. Lingard "The Vestal." Ophimia (the vestal) Alice Lingard Vestapha (the slave) W. It. Lingard "H.M.S. Pinafore." Josephine Alice Lingard Sir Joseph Porter W. H. Liugard Mr Luscombe Searelle was the conductor The fame of Alice Dunning Lingard was world" wide. Her genius delighted and entertained audiences in England, America, Australia, Maoriland, India, China, and Japan. Wheravcr fchc English drama penetrated *ho did her share towards it« ; illustration on the boards. It would We useless ft.r me to recapitulate the many imccessas of Mr and Mrs Lingard haie. Suffice it to say that wherever they appeared their performances installed them permanently in tho playgoers' hearts. Alice Lingard was oue of the most beautiful | wtaien whoever trod the stage. Iv stature she was | of medium height, wilh an admirably develrped ! figure ; her every movement was grace itself. Her • features were of the essentially luiglish typp, hey [ expression intellectual, and her inauuer bruk anrl ' vivacious. She was possessed of iar<i gilts as a. conversationalist, and her cultivated intelligence [ rendered her an agreeable conipnuion to all | classes of society, tfiqually at homo in the draw- | ing room as oa the stage, no wonder bho won the ' social success that accrued to her. i Miss Lingara's artistic forte was the emotional j drama. Hot* raoge of characters included all ' pay's in T,hnl line, and her performances in them ! are too well remembered to need comment here : [n the lagitimaUs drama she !*lao garnered envsabl? i laurels. Titr oaaracterisations of the heroiues of | Shiikeap'&re huv"e sh'iwn that she had a'j fow [ rivals in the tragic as in the emotional dramt. I Poverty Point, June 26. Bits.