ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH BAZAAR.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1888, 6 November 1874, Page 3

ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH BAZAAR.

Yesterday a fancy bazaar, in aid of the funds of St. George's Church, was opened in the Academy of Music, Brown-street, and, if we may judge only by the happy faces of all present, both old and young, the exhibition was a great success. The hall of the Academy had been obtained for the occasion on terms very satisfactory to the managing committee, and it tastefully, although only sparingly, decorated for the occasion with evergreens, flowers, plants, &c. The bright colours of the stalls, with the different ornaments or articles thereon, aided by the gay dresses and bright faces of the ladies who were to be the sellers of the various articles arranged, had a very pleasing effect. We congratulate those whose duty it was to prepare the hall on the result obtained by their diligence and good taste. It was very gratifying that the greater portion of everything displayed on the various stalls was a freewill offering, so that each was an evidence that many kind hearts and willing fingers had been working away to add their contribution to the good cause contemplated by the inauguration of this fancy fair.

There were a large number of persons present at the hour of opening, 3 o'clock. By wquest Mr W. Bowe addressed those present. He said he had been requested to say a few words on the opening of the bazaar. He had no idea of doing so until he entered the room, and therefore he had really nothing to say. They would perhaps congratulate him on that account He always believed that in any speeches of that kind brevity was one of the best qualities, and his speech would possess that, if it had nothing else which was good. He was very much pleased to see the splendid display which was made there He hoped the bazaar would be successful, beyond all their anticipations. He regarded church debts as one of the greatest possible eviis, and he believed it to be the duty of everybody who attended those churches to endeavour to clear away_aDy-iebt-as-spefldily as possible He hoped that this bazaar, if it did not wipe away the debt altogether, ffould have the effect of reducing it to a very small amount indeed, and that if it was required to get up another that those who were immediately interested would labour as earnestly as they had evidently done in connection with this bazaar. He trusted that those in connection with St.. George's Church would use every effort to set their minister's heart and mind at rest, and that their labours would result in much good to the whole community. He was not a member of the Church of England himself, but he had sympathy with it so far that he hoped the debt on their church building would be speedily cleared off. Proceedings had actually commenced even before this formal opening of the bazaar by Mr Howe, which, by the way, was an afterthought, tho Bev. Mr Lush not deeming speechifying on such an occasion at all a necessary concomitant. Some of the leading spirits of the bazaar, however, thought differently, hence the request was preferred. We say the fair saleswomen had begun their day's pleasant task even before the entrance o ■ Mr Bowe and the opening proceedings, b ;cause our reporter was blandly appealed to for change for a note, and, in an evil moment, obligingly supplied it. How ho rt grcts that mistake. No sooner was the clUnge given than the recipient commenced an onslaught on this junior reporter, whom we have hitherto credited with a much keener sense of his own frailty than this foolish act of his evinced. That change passed from him as

nipidly as the Wizard Jacobs himself could command it, and there seemed no blip for it. Poor fellow, he earnestly biitpos these bazaars will be like angel's visits, although they by no means leave pleasant recollections behind, for before ha quitted the hall the-fair duns had succeeded in divesting him of the few pounds he possessed, and even accepted his name as security for further payments on account of some little swindles. Of course wo do not use the latter word in its ordinary acceptation, but it is admitted that "if you go to a fancy bazaar swindled yoiu always are." We have indeed known oci visions of the kind when the fair stallkeepers only dealt in bona fide little swindles, and made it their business to ".' lell" you at every turn, and the bazaarof last evening was only a trifle removed frc m these. They made no secret of theirinteiW,?,,rad itJfiast deserve cmdit for their candour. It seems, in fact, incredible that bazaars should succeed without resorting to such pardonable practices as these, and yet there are those who tell us they do not approve of such things, and are sure they may be made successful without it. Well, we will not dispute the point with them, but will say we do not think it possible that a bazaar could be got up on the Thames without such an adjunct. We havo come to regard it as essential that at least the weaker ones among us should bo fleeced on these occasions, and that there would not be half so much fun in attending if it were not carried out to its fullest extent. After all, it is a pleasant thing to allow yourself to be fleeced by a good-looking lot of young ladies. There is, in fact, something about it so fascinating as to make it irresistible to many persons, who make up their minds to be cajoled out of all their surplus cash without a thought of the consequences, as the dear saleswomen buzz near their pockets. In spite of your protestations that the articles are unsuited to your wants, you are, however reluctantly in the case of some, compelled to pay your money and look pleasant, in order, if possible, to enjoy a moment's respite from their assaults. You have no sooner satisfied the blushing request of the fair darnel who asks you to " put in " for the booming bride she so tenderly handles, than you are assailed by a giggling brunette with a doll's frock and an Hthiopian youngster, and compelled to fork out again. Of course you are a bachelor, and before you have fairly turned round on your heols a modest-looking lady, of sweet sixteen, aided and abetted by a few others, insists that you should take a ohanco for the bassinette so elaborately got up for the occasion, and without knowing even the use of the article your hand fumbles in your pocket in search of the wherewithal to satisfy the demands of the bevy of beauties who are thus quietly enjoying the joke at your expense, and bringing grist to the mill at the same time, this is only a sample of the " ways that are dark and tricks that are vain" indulged in on such occasions, and admitted to be the pardonable transgressions which the end sought to be accomplished sufficiently justifies. You could have your fortune told by another trio of young ladies for tho small fee of a shilling, and. if the result was not quite to your mind you wero favoured with |a&e,cqnd.uiti,UiC your luck.a,t Rwdiuoed

cost, perhaps with an equally gratifying result. There were Manukaus in galore in store for you, if you paid the fee and looked pleasant. No doubt the same good luck was predicted for many customers. What was most required was that you should pay the fees demanded, when you could be suited even with all that the most fastidious could desire, and have it as often repeated on repayment. If the dark girl dressed in lilac was not the object of your choice, the matter was very easily remedied; a blonde in pink was quite as readily supplied. As to the fortunes so lavishly dispensed—well, we hope they may be realised. At present the calls are too pressing to give much hope of this very desirable consummation, but it is said that every cloud possesses its silver and if only half the good fortune predicted last evening by these fair story-tellers comes true the silver lining will not be long hidden from view. Manukaus and Queens of Beauty were the predominant characteristics of all their good fortunes, and some of the fortune ■ tellers were themselves (no flattery intended) Queens of Beauty, whoso charms the bashful young men could not withstand, and so the story was oft-repeated, to the no small benefit of the exchequer. We hope all the good fortune in store for the young men of the Thames was not dispensed la«t evening, and have no doubt more remains to be purchased on the same terms at to-night's bazaar. We commend the story-tellers to the notice of those who had not the pleasure last night. But it is time our attention was turned from the young ladies -who are, of course, so great an attraction on these occasions—to the stalls which were presided over, for the most part, by the more sensible and matronly patrons of the bazaar. The first stall to which our attention wa3 directed was that furnished by Mesdames Lush, Eraser, Spencer, and Tyler, situate on the right hand as you enter the hall. It appeared to be weighed down with the mass of innumerable useful and ornamental articles all wanting purchasers, and all ticketed at a very reasonable rate. Connected with this stall there were what may be considered the most ornamental articles the bazaar contained. The first was a large aquarium, with a fountain enclosed in a glass pillar, and indiarubber bail floating on the water thrown up. The whole was the workmanship and gift of Mr Thomas Spencer, of Parawai, and was a very handsome present. The aqujarium was elaborately furnished with grottos, water lillies, and other aquatic plants, besides numerous gold fish. ]t was an object of great attraction throughout the evening, and is to be disposed of by raffle. There was likewise a smaller aquarium on the stall, equally well finished, and supplied with fish, plants, grottos, &c. This was also presented by Mr Spencer. The other most ornamental article connected with the stall was a miniature mansion manufactured of kauri, and most elaborately furnished with all that the most fastidious nobleman could desire. It 'contained six apartments, in one of which could be seen the inmates dining together, and in another the servants industriously employed. In the hall the porter patiently awaited the' commands of the visitors, and each room indicated by its furniture to what use it was assigned by the occupants of this palatial doll's residence. There was one fault. The building is three-storied, but after you enter the ground floor, there appears to be no means of ascending to the other apartments on the second and third storeys. However, this is a pardonable oversight on the part of the inventive genius, whose patience aud ingenuity must have been sorely taxed in its construction and equipment. There are such a host of model articles of furniture, each perfect gems of manufacture, that the visitor is amazed, and the youngster claps his hands with glee at sight of it. We understand it was presented originally to Lady Bowen, and by her given to a bazaar in Auckland, where it fell to the lot of Mr Lush in a raffia, and it has beeu handed over ;o the bazaar for disposal. At the reverse end of the table on which this house is erected, and so placed as to meet the sye of the visitor as he advances towards the centre of the hall, we noticed an illuminated card with the suggestive 3ouplet— Then come, my friends, and do not let St. George's Church remain in debt. There are also other illuminated pieces, the work of Miss K. Spencer, very tastefully done. There was a wedding ring displayed on the stall, which we were told was the workmanship of Mr Thomas Spencer. The ring was mounted on a card bearing the following lines: — This ring is here for you to buy When marriage you're inclined to try. We were not informed of the authorship of this telling rhyme, and so cannot reveal to our readers the name of the poetic genius whose effusions graced the bazaar. The words were neatly illuminated. Whilst on this subject we may allude to another specimen of illumination on card, which is extremely creditable to the artist, both in workmauship and sentiment. It ran as follows :— Can you sit here all day idle And the Master at the door ? The fields are white to harvest, And the day is almost o'er, Areyoudreamiug? Are you dreaming? Time is gliding fast away; See! The eventide is waning! Soon shall break eternal day, At Mrs Lush's* stall we also noticed several excellent specimens of illuminated card by Miss K. Spencer, besides those mentioned. There was a most elegant set of croquet, turned out of New Zealand and other woods by Mr Spencer, and got up in a style adapted to grace the furniture of a gentleman's hall instead of his lawn. The mallets are fixed in a stand, and the balls rest on cups which surmount the stand. There is some exquisite amateur wood carving by the same gentleman, ornamenting the frames of engravings, a fender stool, and a scrap book with mottled kauri covers. The patterns of these carvings have all, wo understand, been designed by the amateur artist, who has likewise been under the necessity of making his own tools to work with. At this stall are elegant firescreens, footstools, ottomans, smoking caps, drawings, views of St. George's Church, dress pieces, antimacassars, fern baskets, fender stools, dolls' houses of cardboard, bassinettes, &c There are a set of bracelets, necklace, and ear-rings made up of Fiji shells and linked with Thames gold manufactured by Mr S. Wells in flower pattern. The shells were given by Mr Lush, and the set are both novel and elegant, calling for special mention. Another gem, said by the connoisseurs, the ladies, to be the chef d'eouvre of the bazaar, was a large frame for an engraving, worked in leather by Mrs E. K. Tyler. The patterns ol'flowera whioh constitute this elegant piece of work were most perfect The visitor could distinguish the ro<e, tulip, convolvulus, aud oilier fbral ornamentation of whjojufi was qomuemd., Tiw su.bje,qti of

the engraving was Scriptural, "The arrival of Bebekah."

The next s' all was furnished by Mesdames Puckey, J. B. Macdonald, Kilgour, and Oox, and was also well supplied with goods of a most miscellaneous description. As a proof of the latter, during our visit to the bazaar in the early part of the day, a learned legal, gentleman of the Thames came walking up to the stall propelling a large wheelbarrow, which he had himself dug out for the benefit of this stall. He vouched for the labour it had caused him by exhibiting his seared hands. In driving home the nails, or hammering the parts together, he had evidently jammed his fingers and his hand as many times as he had hit the material; but he accomplished his task, and there was an air of satisfaction and triumph about him as he trundled it along the hall and deposited it in a corner near the stall. There was still a difficulty. The ladies declared it would capsize some of them if left there, and one of them nearly suited the action to the word by stumbling against the handles which would stick out in a most disagreeable manner, to the imminent danger of their limbs and their muslin. However, it was at length weighted down with coal scuttles, ottomans, and other fancy goods, which it served to display to the best advantage, although somewhat to its own detriment in a saleable point of view, as it was nearly hidden from view. We dare wager that lawyer will never turn his hand to wheel-barrow-making again. There were two elegant wool-work chairs, one worked by Mrs Last and given to Mrs Oox, and the other worked by Mrs C. Pye. There were neat illuminations in Oxford frames, an illuminated piece won by Mr,f ox at Mr Jefferson's art union and presented to the stall, music stools, ottomans, toys, ocean treasures skilfully arranged, &c. Mr Noble had presented to this stall two cases of ferns, very well finished. One of the novelties of this stall was a model cottage and garden, fenced and cultivated, and enough to make any youngster's mouth water to look at. It had a most attractive appearance, and on closer inspection was found to be skilfully made out of lollies, nuts, kernels, candy, &c, most artistically arranged. We understand it was the work of Mrs Hopcrafr, who kindly presented it to this atall. Another ornament of ,a no less novel and attractive character was a miniature greenhouse, complete and perfect in every particular, the work of Mrs J. E. Macdonald. It was greatly admired by the visitors. There was also a real duck of a bonnet at this stall. It is perhaps indescribable because there is so little of it. A small crimpled display of pink silk ribbon with two long streamers, compose the principle parts of this article, meant to expose the wearer's flowing tresses or marketable hirsute adornment, as the case may be.

The opposite stall was furnished by Mesdames Binney, Sandes, A. Curtis, and Krrington. At this stall there was a large collection of toys, besides a most liberal display of very serviceable and saleable goods. Some articles wore very cheap, too. You could be supplied with a monkey on a stick for the small outlay of threepence, and we heard, a facetious customer remark that these were not the only monkeys with sticks displayed at the bazaar. A young swell within hearing looked daggers at the purchaser, and passed on. There was a very handsome antique chair, covered with blue velvet by Miss Erriogton. on this stall, and two elegant leather-worked frames, very neatly made by Mrs A. Curtis. There was also a handsome yacht, in full sail, presented by Mrs Hazard, besides numerous smaller craft. Space will not permit a description of their fine lines, &c. At this stall there was a mignificent Christmas tree, loaded with gifts of every description, and in the evening illuminated with wax candles of every hue, giving it a very attractive appearance. Misses Belcher, Wiseman, and Erriagtoa occupied the positions of saleswomen at this treo.

At the next stall, which is on the left as you enter, Mesdames Marshall, Jefferson, and Airey presided. It was also crowded with goods of a useful and ornamental description. A very attractive feature was a bride and bridegroom, most elegantly and fashionably attired. The toilet of the bride was a study for all the young ladies, who might be seen quizzing and heard keenly criticising it. There was some doubt about the manliness of the blushing bridegroom, who was certainly of a juvenile and some thought feminine appearance. Some thought him a doll and a fop, with his silk hat, made to order, but all were agreed as to the elegance of his bride. We understand the pair were imported from Melbourne to the order of Mrs Marshall, and kindly given to the bazaar. There was an elegant imitation mica cabinet, very neatly finished, also given by Mrs Marshall, and an 0! tomaa and cozy by the sams lady, which were certainly the best we saw in the bazaar. There was an elegant woolwork chair, kindly worked and presented by Miss Hanley. We also noticed a curious illustration of the home of the old woman who lived in a shoe, and had seventeen children. Poor thing, she didn't know what to do, but she certainly knew how to handle the birch, if Miss Powell's illustration is from real life, and it certainly looks natural enough. Mr tilator's illumination was conspicuous, mounted in a leather - work frame, made and presented by Miss S. E. Jiichards. Mr 3 B. Hudson's model villa residence, with elegantly laid-out grounds, was much admired, as well as the banner screens, the sleeping beauty, the toy-bed and drapery of the most recherche description, tb.9 gift of Mrs Marshall. 'J here was a Christmas-tree in connection with this stall, and a rustic chair for a garden or summer-house, made and presented by Mr Nicholl, the carrier. It is constructed out of pieces of wood aeleoted from his stock of firewood. The place was visited by a large number of people in the evening, and about £100 realized by the stallkeepers, including £9 for admission at 6d per head. To-night Mr Bull will be in attendance with a telegraphic apparatus, and office for the despatch of Uupid's messages. We are requested to state that the Thames Scottish band will also perform at the bazaar this evening, and for this purpose they are to appear in uniform, with their instruments, at 8 o'clock.