HONOURING AN ACTOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 May 1908, Page 4

HONOURING AN ACTOR.

RECEPTION TO MR. HARRY ROBERTS. AN INTERESTING FUNCTION. . -Ono of-the happiest littlo social gatherings that tho Grand Hotel has given roof to sinco proction- was tho reception accorded,,to Air. Harry Roberts, the.talented, actor, who: iy''-; ' after, sonio l years' . absence in 'America: and' i/England-rettirris-to his-.native country,with Vtlie' gratif^ng-knowledgeVthaii liis unburiod i j;.;-;. ; ;.:; ,-; talents havo' been put,' to a- good ,uso in ; .those' - : placc's where people most-do'congregate, and f that his efforts in the broad' field of theatn-. 1 v . cal endeavour aro recognised by .his brothers .• v.-ho 'havo stayed at home. v";it-J' function was unique as -'far : as' Wellington ' is concerned, m that although there was a : largo gathering * of. representative . city';' folk, ' . the profession w ; hich.. Mr; "RobertTs!'adorns g'Vv'..., w-as well represented, by. the. members of -the - , iWilliaruson Dramatic Company, tlio ""Princo Chap?*• iComjpany, and the.Rickards AU-Star .' 1 Vaudovillo Company,' which two latter Vom- , v.- panics happened to be passing through, Wel- ■• ' '.. lington,. and it was pleasing; to note that 11 tho honour accorded to Mr. Roberts 110110 ;'wero moro;enthusiastic;than,tho players pre : - _ Tho reception, which was held in tho din-; . -- ing-room of, the Grahd Hotel,; was. presided | over by His Worship the Mayor (Hon. T.,W. Hislop), who .remarked, .in■-.\ proposing '..the - ; health of Mr. Robort's, that lie was particui: ... . larly. .pleased to. bo ■ present on . the . occasion , ' '.p.'■}-ff. \of Mr. Roberts's return to .Wellington, more i;-r■'particularly,bccauso ho, was a native of Now Zealand,- and, was tho son of. Mr. Roberts, who some forty.iyoars ago used to afford him ■ - •; such pleasure in .'Dunedin.' That .'wis.'.-many ; years ago. He remembered Mr. Roberts's ■.--- father very well, and also Mr. Clarence Holt, ; - . .. at tho old Princoss:Thoatr,o at Dunedin. He. :■" ;■ also recollected Miss Polly (Mr. Rob- . erts's mother), and. others 'who had made an - impression on him at'-anvimpressionable ago; • - and lie could not do bettor than hopo; that ■ '.the public would .find''-'the'.'samo delight in ■ the performances of . their guest as lie had in thoso of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts in the old , ' days, and that their -.experiences...in. the - futuro would bo as plea'sant: : as''his;v,e'rb inrt'lio', past. (Applause.) 1 , They' were assembled,. 1 1 howover, to honour Mr. Roherts,' and he had f -f. much - ploasuro on behalf of - his (Mr. Rob--/..v.'ierts's).;friends in. Wellington 'in' conveying (/ - '' to him their congratulations after his ,nino years' oxporionco and conquests abroad. Mr. s■' ■ Roberts ■■ had left Neiw ,Zealand nino years v -..agOj- and -during, that: timo.'lie 'had raised; ; himself -high in his profession, and. was a ;• >•' credit to a profession, that ministe/e'd to tho .'. - . public's enjoyment and'' helped- sbdal' life along.. New* Zealand had turned out somo remarltably good actors. ..(Loud ; , • -. applause.) There was. Bland Holt, whom they wero always pleased ;to see, and-.there were -" others within his recollection, biit for tho ■■■■■< present they .wero,assembled to; congratulate 'A'■■■ 'V Mr". Roberts (and .at ■ tho same,, time -;tli9.v • desired, to remember :,Mfs. Roberts). He was a 'worthy , member of an-honourable !profii,fession, and ho trusted that liis success Would ■ bo oven greater in-; the-' futuroi, than;in; tho past. ■ . ' ■■ His Worship then proposed Mr. Roberts's health, which was enthusiastically drunk with ; : musical honours. .. — - • Mr. Roberts, who was hailed.with applause,; ,; oonfcsse<l that 110 was really overwhelmed by. .-if':tho greeting.' 'It was so ! ' unexpected.; His .''.... , natural, joy on roturriing to ,his.native coun- < . : : became an enhanced'.' pleasure,-, even if -his tiniest achievement :had been; held in memory. He had only dene what all his brother and sister Artists .strived; to Ills pur twcll. 1 -Somc'ii mc s they were, cast' for ..' bad parts—or what; thoy in their profession called, bad parts—and-'there; wero- many good ' ' actors playnig' bad 'prirts—good actors that •t ' never rose to popularity.: Tllis greeting ;rso-much for him;.'asit'was an,honour, to all' his brother and sister artists in Australasia; .. ;It .was oiily :in -such ways- that they'coiilcl -.. exalt' the. profession—it was all so much bet- ! .; ter than it was a- few years peoplo • L:'.. } - did not reason 'as they' did to-da"y.'. ' (Ap-' i- >. plauso.) He must be'a foreigner, if ho could >. . . not say much more. •He .was a bad speaker 1;' . (STo! no!)'—they; had ' t'o depend ' so; inuch' on • .the. words of others; that his own did. not ' como as quickly, as they might. In conclusion, 110 repeated the'gratification he. felt at -;f - :bomg so honoured, and -Returned his sincere ;V •' v.. : ; thanks to 'tho Mayor and all present.;' Tho only other toast proposed wcis- that of. ■ -the Mayor, proposed in a by. / . Mr.. Goo. Butler. Mr. Hislop suitably re- * .. • sponded. , . "• iy,;:;: ".' A particularly 'pleasant; -atmosphere was f :'K maintained throughout tho (.unction by means I- of a bright musical"prograinine-'by-'artists ; of .exceptional.:talent.;'. Mr. ; Jack- Garryjlayed [;■■■■■ j.■-. a violin solo; Miss Hose -Hiolman (Knighti ;Humphrey's Company).exhibited ■ a.', tuneful -'s'mezzo soprano;' Mr. ;C. Callow, a pleasing .tenor, sang Blumenthal's ."Evoning;Song"';. - Mr. J.-Dykes sang of.tho doings of M'Clusky; . ■ . Mrs. Trueman - (Kuight-Humphrey's . Co;)' : sang the "Flower Song" 'from Faust" in" 'a' j-' 1 ;-'finished manlier, and her daughter, Miss j . - Trueman, gavo-a charming/rendering, of', tho , pathetic ballad, "Three-Green Bonnets.".Mr. ,V.;. /.; ;,Androws (Knight-Hnmphrcy's Co.) exhibited v fine .baritone into .'tlio latest, sotting of"From Oberon in Fairyland." An orchestra S;,;.;" (under Mr. Diederichsen) rendered appropriato music. " - - ' ■' i . \ Among the mombers of tho theatricarpro-- | : ; fession prosent were: Mr. Juliu3 ICniglit, J[r. t-. Harry Plimmer, Mr.; Dudley Chntoiij Mr. 1- l Loslio Victor, Mr. Reynolds Denmston, Mr. j'.. . Stanlov Walpole, Mr. :Richard Stewart,- Sir. I. ' . -Bert Roylo, Mr. Geo. Dean (Rickards Co.); '■ . Miss Mary ICeogh, Miss Redfern. Miss ReK. meo, and Mr! Charles ;Lamb (of tho'"Prince r;.'-' Chago" Company).' ... fcV'i'- ■ ;- v-^i'c.