SAVAGERY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 7

SAVAGERY.

"LADIES' NIGHT" AT THE TOWN HALL. A BRIGHT AND BREEZY SHOW. ' • With rare exceptions-Ravages have always hold the reputation among! civilised people of never being backward in exercising a certain compelling force, born of might father than right, in urging their women folk to listen to and applaud their tales of prowess in the hunting or fighting field; and whatever their women thought, they made a virtue of listening and t applauding with the discretion that attaches to woman. The Wellington Savages are no less domineering than their woad-stained; forbears, for annually they give it out that they aro going to display their art and . talents, with rare and wondrous gifts the' civilised person wots not of; and with graceful duty the ladies deck themselves in frills and furbelows and otherwise prepare themselves to be siing and talked ,at foe a couple of hours. Saturday overling was the date of this year's ceremony, which exceeded in brilliance every previous "ladies' night" givon by. the Savage Club, which has .developed into tho chief of social amenitios, and certainly the jolliest of the season. The Savages never do anything by halvos—their kainga was tho Town Hall, •which in/this case means the whole of the . hall, small hall, 1 dressingrooms, Mayor's room, artists' rooms, .corridors—and then , thero did not seem any too much'room' for tho number present. The de- « corations "wero artistically olaborate. The cold clattering tiles wero covered with soft crimson carpots, which made blazing avenues through groves of'palms and fern-trees to tho various entrances, and up the grand stairway to tho Concert Chamber, where tho entertainment was held. This was the guesthouse for. the evening, and here the Savages :l/ad well-nigh exhausted the decorative art by surrounding tho /vails with an array of coloured sketches caricaturing the chiof entertaining members ■of tho tribe. Some of tho sketches woro very clever indeed. The " back cloth " represented Chief i Savage (Professor) Easterfiold in- prehistoric garb, concocting b potion calculated to bring out talent, of any kind like a rash, while round, him leaped devils and winged skulls doubt-' Io9S to remind tho audience of tho fate that indifferent 'sitigers atid entertainers might expect at tho hands of the tribe. Relies of :real sa&igery —war clubs, spoars, mats, land strange'gods—mado appropriate panels botweon tlio 'quaint tapestries, and the .tomtom, ahd'snered Bkulls and shhi-bono of the tribe, wero thoro to remind all to be morry whilst life lastß, becauso death >is a long time. ■ 'After'-;tho Primo Minister and Lady Ward and. the. Hon. Dr. Findlay had bean escorted to the~ir seats'bv tho Chief, Savage, a score of ovoning dressed warriors sang their way to a half-circle round tlvoir Chiof, when the Wioldor of -the Split Bono and Beriy Juico (Savago Dykes) invested him with his tiki'of'office. A bright and snappy programme, sparkling , with , quips and quiddities, .'onsuon. . A capital orchestra played a lively selection with,'splendid dash and precision, save for a wrigglo at tho tail end; Savage Ernest Partes, a baritone of duality "far richer than all his tribe," sang Maua Valerie White's " Devout • Lover," with violin obligate, by Mr; ■ Alfred Hill, and had to prolong the sweet sound in • anßWor to much hand-clap-ping. Savago Von Haast prefers songs of his own writing, and by tho roars that greeted his smart topical illusions ho may bo regarded as the W. S: -Gilbert of local savagedoirt. With tho modesty and soul of a groat artist Savago Ngata, M.P.; recited his fine poem "Scenes from _the Pasib," gesture,, voice, pose, and oxpression (vocal and facial),; all contributing to a perfect recital , of a| perfect,poom. • 'Savage' Sir. Joseph';-Ward,-having left thatcares of Stato and tho prico of wool in . another placo, displayed • his. genial personality on the stago, .but never .a word epako he.. ' War',clubs; were: too handy for a political speech, eve'n from aPrimo Minister, so,, as a delightful alternative, Sir Joseph lifted up a serviceable tonor in song; two songs, ;as. £ matter of fact, for so delighted was; the audience with tho topical song (written for the occasion by Savage ICillick) that mora was insisted on, and Sir Joseph obliged with his old favourite, "Thore's Bound to bo a Row," a ditty which dwells on the delights of .domineering domesticism. The classic quartet, "When Father Didn't Lay the Carpet on'tho Stairs," was, vocalised by Savages A. Newton, D. Kenny, F. Twiss, and ;H. Widdop. Tho turn , should find ' tlioso singers ; ready engagements breaking stones. They woro. 'brought back to warble a humorous pastorals of tho gleo ordor—a' screamer I - Tho singon of a serious quartot ivero hardly 'so sue. cbssful; Mr. T. R. Cooke demonstrated how Kubolik ought to play by tho display of technical and oxeeutivo brnlianco rarely, mot with in an' amateur.... A Brown savago showed how' a really excellent work of art can be turned out by smoking a white enamel - plato, and removing with fingor. or shaving brush such soot as was not required by tho subject. Savago Wilson told the tala of "A 'forriblo Shipwreck" to Savage Nowton, who told it to Savage Konny,-.and all threo told it to Savagd Marcus Marks. The talo was as rough on shirt-fronts as oik tho risible organs. A Btring quartot mado weird music on ' violins, 'cellos, and guitars made out of cigar boxes and biscuit tins. ■ It must havo boon an unknown Wagner selection they played, as no ono understood tho mossngo it convoyod. Savages Watts and Macbeth (who woro responsiblo fo'r tho novel wall friozos) did some clever lightning sketches, both working on tho samo picture together. Savages Dykes and Kenny draw■led tho due,t, "Groat Scott," humorously, and responded with'/'Chestnuts." Savage E. J. Hill sang a pretty baUad, and Savago Ear. cus Plimtncr and a chorus intoned "My Bungalow in Porneo" as a bright finalo to a uniquo programme. During tho evening Chiof Savago Easterfield made a neat speech on'serio-comic lines thanking the ladies for "thtf dimpled cheek- and laughing eye", that make life endurable. Messrs. I). Kenny and H. Hunt asted as accompanists.' ' , •: At the conclusion of the entertainment fiie guests .adjourned to Fairyland (transferred for tho occasion to the big Town Hall), and after light refreshments fight hearts tripped on lighter toes through "ronuiy" lancors and mazy .waltz until tho midnight hour. Among those present wero tho Hon. Geo. Fowlds, Messrs. W. Massey, A. L. D. Eraser, F.' Baume, and Ngata, M.P.'s, and other mcmbors of tho Legislature.