The Leeston-Killinchy Patriotic Concert.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXII, Issue 3788, 5 April 1916, Page 3

The Leeston-Killinchy Patriotic Concert.

£700 FOR THE PENINSULA AND ELLESMERE QUEEN. When the Ellesmere County 'Council recently decided* to make a straight-out grant of £4,500 to the Patriotic Fund it did so feeling quite confident that the residents of the county would rise to the occasion and subscribe the balance required to make up the county's quota of £5,500. Comparatively few j people, however, entertained any j idea that the quota would be exceeded by a very substantial sum, yet,' although there is nearly a month to go, before the big North Canterbury Election will be decided, Wesmere has already exceeded the amount it was pledged to raise by a" level y^2,000, which amount will, be further added to during the next few weeks. It is, of course, well known that few districts of the same I size in Canterbury, or for that! matter in the Dominion, can com-! pare with Ellesmere for wealth an&i prosperity, so that in subscribing \ such large sums to the Belgium, h Red Cross and Patriotic Funds the ! people are merely striving to live I up to the reputation the district has : gained. : The fifth big effort in support of the Peninsula and Ellesmere Queen was organised by the combined districts of Leeston and Killinchy and was brought to a successful conclusion at the Leeston Town Hall on Saturday night. It took the form of a patriotic concert and flag auction. The seating capacity of the hall was taxed to its utmost: capacity, the building being packed j to the doors, while many people had ! to be content with standing room. ' The concert, which was given by a party from Christehurch organised by Mr F. C. Raphael, was one of the best given in the district for a very long time. The items included songs by Mrs F. O'Brien, Miss Stella Murray and Messrs C. ; ; Joll and H. Gill, a duet by Messrs 1 Joll arid Gill, violin solos by Mr. Vere Buchanan, monologues and stories by Mr Sydney Brett, ballad horn solos by Mr Raphael, a humorous duet by Miss Dorothy Davies and Mr Brett, stories by Mr Raphael. Mr Brett made an admirable accompanist... The items were all thoroughly enjoyed and' hearty cheers were given for the performers at the conclusion of the concert. J Miss Birdling, the Queen, was , present and was introduced to fhe \ audience by the chairman of the , Leeston Patriotic Committee, Dr j Volckman. She was presented with two handsome bouquets,, one by Miss Nellie Holley on behalf of the Leeston people, and the | other by Miss Rewi Donald I on' behalf of the residents1 of the whole county. The Queen was! greeted with three ♦ tousing cheers [ IJgro the audience, after which she . expressed her thanks for the welcome and said she hoped the function would prove to be a great •financial success. Miss Birdling next presented patents to three leading residents of the district Conferring upon them the honour of Privy Councillor. The recipients Were Messrs W. H. Jamieson (a prominent worker in connexion with War relief funds) and W. G. Lunn (for forty four years county clerk), •nd Cr. F, J. Lemon (Ellesmere County Council); '■',*£' stirring recruiting address— the best so far given in this district—was delivered by Mr E D. Hoben, editor of the " Evening News," who was present as representative of the North Canterbury Recruiting Board. The speaker referred to the recent fighting in France and asked the audience if they could picture what was going on at Verdun ; could they realise that in the Argonne the streams were running reef with blood ? Could they picture those British destroyers and cruisers slipping up along the Coast of Schleswig-Holstein and the airy men flying from their decks in a blinding blizzard and snowstorm and flying inland amidst a very hell of gunnery from the forts and shore batteries in order to drop explosives on the Zeppelin sheds ? Had they ever*,slopped to think of the sufferings of the Belgians and Serbians and of the hardships and sufferings borne by the men in France who were offering themselves a living sacrifice for those who remained at home, so that the farmers and business people of Ellesmere could go on with their farm work and business as usuatf A crisis had. been reached in connexion with this war. He was confident that we were going to win this war, but only because we were going to put into it our whole resources in men, brains, money and guns. The war was going to be won by the side that could put the largest number of properly equipped men into the field at the crucial hour. New Zealand could not help to any exteftt in the matter of munitions, but she could help with men and mojpy. The time. to help with meP^was now—it was no use waiting until it was too late. Every available man should take up arms and be ready to assist in inflicting a crushing defeat upon the enemy when the crucial mo* --fluent.'-arrived. Mr Hoben was / loudly applauded at the" conclusion of his address. The main business of the evening was the auction of a fine silk Union Jack given by Mr W. H. Jamieson. Mr F. W. Johnston, of phriitchurch, made a most cap« |Me auctioneer, and. during the Mjjim ti ft* **»• mrtt fi* 1

name for himself as a punster. The total value of the bids received was the final purchaser being Miss Amy Chamberlain, of Leeston, who gave 100 guineas and afterwards presented the flag to the Leeston Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club. Mr W. H. Montgomery, chairman of the Group, was present, and congratulated the people on the financial success of the concert. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Messrs Broadway, H. H. Cook, F. W. Johnston and Kesteven for motoring the party out from town. Supper was provided for those who travelled long distances to attend the concert. Mr Robertson apologised for the absence of Mr A. S. Nicholls, of Christehurch, who regretted his inability to be present. He had, however, generously sent a donation of The announcement was received with applause. The following amounts were received for the flag : ! £100, Miss . Amy Chamberlain ; £50, Canterbury Seed Company ; £ 15, A. S. Nicholls; £20. John Nixon; £25, W. H. Jackman, Dr and Mrs Volckman, McClure Bros, F. and L. Lemon, W. J. Lemon. £13, A. L. Joseph and meat buyers ; j£io ios, A. Willey ; £10, Leeston Fire Brigade, B. C. Jacobs, G. W. R. Osborne. £5 ss, H. McLenaghen, A. Quigley and family, John Rennie, Dean Hills, J. Anderson, Farmers' Co-operative Association (Leeston Branch), Sims* Cooper, Leeston Bowling Club, Mr and Mrs J. F. Donald, John Lowery. £5, John Barnett, W. H. Jamieson, Mr & Mrs Webster, S. Graham, Mrs P. Smith, W. H. Montgomery, Archie Kendall, H. Matson aIH Co, Fred Amor, J. H. Prosserj John Chamberlain, Mrs J. Halliday, .Mr and Mrs S. Johnston, Mr and Mrs T. J. Gilbert, F. Birdling, Mr and Mrs Robertson. £3 33, J. S. Boag, J. Webster, J. Cunningham, W. Cooper, Mr and Mrs Townshend, Mrs Jamieson, R. Patterson, Mr aud Mrs G. Hampton, Mr and Mrs R. G. Power, Mr and Mrs J. C. Free and Master W. Free, Rev» Jones. £2 39, Ellesmere Brass Band (collection open«air performance at Springstott* &* 2s W. G Marshall, W. Webster, Mf and Mrs G, McLachlan, J» A- Scott, Mr and Mrs Jecks, Mr and Mrs D. Millar. Mr sod Mrs Carter* Mr and Mrs 3. Hurford, Mrs Geo* Hartnell, Miss Nixcm, John O'Boyle (Lakeside), Miss Jftmicsoo, Wi Scott, Mrs J k Prosser,

Mrs Hubbard, W. B. Cunningham, J. P. McEvedy, Jas Quigley, Ellesmere Golf Club, Mrs j, Barnettj E, R. Winter. F. Rowell, A, Ev Withell, F. B. Clausen, R. Taiarqav H. T. Barker, Leeston Band of Hope, Doyleston Sports, \\f. Parkin F, Quigley, Baxter Bros,, Jas. Stapleton, J. J. O'Boyle, E. J. O'Neill.

£2, W. Hurford, F. Barnett, Mr and Mrs T. A. Stephens. £1 ios, Mrs Cairns (Southbridge.) fi is, R. T. McMillan, Mrs Mansell, W. Fussell, Miss Parkin, Mrs P» Slattery, Miss Glanville, Mrs G. Brown, E, Oppenheim and Son, J, T. Walker, J, Oliver, C. H, Piper, Jas. Holley R. Glassey, W. Holley, Mrs J. Chamberlain,, J. D. Campbell, W. Chappell, B Brown, J W. Austin, L, Prosser, J, W. A. Walker, Mrs W. Johnston, W, Johnston, J, Prosser jun., P. Greenan, J. Russell, J, H McPherson, P. F. O'Boyle, F. G. Frampton, Mrs W. Lochhead, Mr and Mrs Fisse, W. Lochhead, Mr and Mrs Purser, Mrs Wi O. Rennie, Alan Rennie* Mrs W. H. Jackman, M. Slattery, D, Treacy, O. McMillan, Mr and Mrs Young, J. F. O'Brien, Mr and Mrs H. Chappell, F. Graham, T. Dixon, Mrs McCormick (Lakeside), Mrs Quinn, McCormick Bros., T. Free, W. Abbott, J. Maxweli, F. Woodard. Miss Derrett.

£i, B. Greenan, W. G. Lunn, L. Rapley, Mrs Logan, Jas. Leahy, T. B. Howson, Forbes Taylor, D. Aitken.

LOs 6d, A. Brown, L. Oppenheim, L. Lunn, A. McMillan, J. Purser, F. Anderson, Mrs Seaton, A. Gillespie, R. Lambie, Mrs J. W. A. Walker, W. B. McMillan, Mrs Piper, Nancy Power, Mrs F. Coe, Miss Coe.

ios, Mrs Emms, Miss McMillan, Miss Oppenheim, Miss Halliday, Miss Webster, Oppenheim family, J. Tod, Miss A. Halliday, H. Rapley, S. Truman, Miss Bohan, C. Tod, C. Mercer, Misses L. and C. Donald, C. Halliday, R. Johnston, Miss Parkin. ss, Miss Rapley, G. Bailey, Miss Joan Mansell, C. Quigley, Miss Jackman, Miss N. McMillan, R. Gilbert, J. O'Boyle (Doyleston), Miss Muriel Jackman, Mrs A. Baylis, Mrs H. Schnelle, R. Barnett, Miss G. Halliday, Miss M' Johnston, Miss I. Halliday, Roy Jackman, Nellie Holley, Kathleen Holley, Mr Chain, Mrs C Campbell, Russell Barnett, Lance Garter, G. Harper, Miss-Hibberd, lack Donald, Jan., Miss Lemon, Miss Ramsey, Tharsen, J. Carter, P. Redmond, Miss Rewi Donald, Miss Siermis, Fred Cooper, j 2i 6d, Jack Pickering, Joe Jack-