VALEDICTORY AT WAREPA.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2040, 21 August 1906, Page 5

VALEDICTORY AT WAREPA.

♦ ! PRESENTATION TO MRS J AS. SHEDDAN. Thursday night proved a tine one, and consequent onThis and the important nature of the meeting, there was a large attendance in the Warepa Hall for the purpose of ma/king a united farewell to Mr ano .Wis Jus. Sheddan. Ihe proceedings took the form of a concert and social, and the Rev.- Jlr On- presided. In accordance with the expressed wish of Mr Sheddan there were no valedictory speeches. ' Music, vocal and instrumental, and dramatic sketches, tilled in the evening. For some forty years Mr James Sheuidan has taken a leading part in the development of native industries, but only on rare occasion has taken any part in public affairs. He is known and esteemed as a business man of probity ami for some years back has contented himself attending to his various interests, a i«l at the same time doing something in the sheep-farming way. Mrs Sheddan has been idnntilied with the life of the district ever since her advent to it and has by her kint.ly and practical assistance in all movements which made for its welfare won the deepest respect and esteem of the ncighljourhood. Her musical talents have always been ungrudgingly given for any object making for the social pleasure of the community and therefore it was only deemed fitting on the occasion of Mr Sheddan's retirement from country life that some small acknowledgment should be made of Mrs Sheddan's manv acts of kindness.

The proceedings were purely informal, and the audience was representative of the older residents in the district as well as fie latest comers to it. t'x-Wurepa residents were there in force, and the ladies of the district had provided edibles in choice profusion for the occasion.

The first part of the programme, after the Chairman's words of welcome to the assemblage, was opened by Mr MeUardy, who gave a selection of bagpipe music which set things going merrily. .Miss Jessie Ayson sang sweetly "The auid .Scotch songs," which called to the mind of desccn!ands of Scottish ancestry the music To which they were cradled, and th« mi'inory of early days came back when the Scottish lays were first heard and learned to V,c loved. Italian trills are tame compared with the sweet rendition of some Scotch "crooning" song. Mr dohn Wright, jun., read as he always readi with interest in the subject and satisfaction to his hearers. Mr ('has. Russell, a recent comer amongst us, sang "The Hielanman's toast," that song which is redolent of th<j heather and patriotic in every, line. .Miss Stewart, Balclutha, played a' selection of airs on the violin with her usual technique and expression. Miss Jloperaft sang "The maid of Malabar" —a song new to most of the audience, and. the item was a most acceptable i • Mr Alex. Walker told in good style with 'every appreciation of the text the description of Rubenstebi's piaao playing as related by Jud. Browning. Mr Walker told it as well as -)ud could have done himself, and. that is saying a good deal. Miss Oeggie and Mr G. 15. Somerville a <_i'ood rendering of the duet " The Crookit liawbec." This evergreen duet illustrates the simple lixity of the Scotch girl's love for one who has given her the crooked penny in token of plighted troth on his departure fromi his native glen to seek his fortune in the world. On his return unknown to' her he pleads for her love as a stranger, ,but, until she finds he is her old lover, her heart is adamant to his advances and promises. .Miss McOallum from Waitapeka, a new-comer to that district, played a violin solo with; expression and clever instrumentation, and her contribution was warmly received. Mr Oeorge Slieddan's solo " Sing me to sleep,''' was full of expression. Mr Sheddan sings all too I'areiy now, so his selection was appreciated to a degree of enthusiasm. iMiss B. Ayson sang with effect, and Mr R. Ayson rendered " The Lowland Sea," in his usual excellent style. Mr Mcflnrdy's second selection on the bagpipes was lively and tuneful, and Miss llopcraft again favoured the audience —this time with the song " Rags and Tatters," a sweet little contribution. In " Maid of Athens" Mr G. 13. Somerville had a song from far away from the Highlands this time, but he sang it with all the expression he had formerly put into the one couched in his ancestral dialect. Mr -las. Christie slave a selection from a dramatic au*hor, which has not been heard in the i Wan-pa district for over 20 years, and j must have taken the older generation I back to the old times when in the old schoolroom he and Mr William Don ! first gave the dialogue. [ The Presentations. The Chairman in making the presentation to Mrs Sheddan, as representative of the parish, of a handsome case of silver-backed hair and clothes brushes and mirror, referred to the fact of the pleasure, it had always been, to have Mrs Slieddan's services in musical matters. The contributions to the happiness and pleasure ,of the residents, wliich Mrs Sheddan had been ; able to make hy reason of her talent had been appreciated ve?j much and therefore it. had been deemed (itting that, now Mrs Sheridan had removed to Balclutha, that some little token of esteem should be given. ' On j,!mlf of the Warepa residents, there-' I fore, he had much pleasure in handing

to her the dressing case, whicK wasr inscribed, "To Mrs Sheddan from her Warcpa friends, I (5/8/06. "--(Loud applause). Mr Sheddan, in responding, warmly thanked the friends in Warepai'for theitj kind appreciation of Mrs Sheddan's work amongst t'lem. Mr John Murray,On behalf of; the young people of Warepa, presented Miss Minnie Granl r who has been a resident with Mr and Mrs Sheddan for several years, with a lady's carrying purse. Mr Sheddan suitably responded on Hiss Grant's behalf. Tea was then served, and after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the first part of the ptogramm* closed with all joining hands and singing " Aul I Lang Syne." A dance was afterwards organised, and Messrs Smith and Sarginson played the music for it. Before leaving on t,he return journey to Balelutha, Mr Sheddan was induced to accept, on his own behalf, privately, a gold-mounted walking stick, inscribed. The whole function proved a very sociable and harmonious one.