ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1904, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

THE FULLER ENTERTAINERS. The Musical Johnsons and other clever entertainers appearing at His Majesty's won the applause of the audience again last; night. A holiday programme is announced for this evening. THE DIX COMPANY. The Dix Company performed at the Theatre Royal as usual last night. The "Jolly American Girl," Miss Duprez, closes her engagement at the theatre tonight, when there will be a holiday bill. ST. PETER'S JAPANESE PAIR. The Japanese Fair held under the auspices of the Ladies' Working Party and organised in aid of th« fund* of St. Peter's v Church was continued last evening in St. Peter's Hall. The saleswomen entered enthusiastically into their work, and extolled their wares with a glibness worthy of the most expert professional. A capital programme was gone through during the evening, but it suffered soniewihat through the delay between the items, and the effect of the tableau was lost on the audience at the back of the hall owing lo the prevalence of "matinee" hats and the fact that a section of the audience stood up to see over these obbtructions. The programme opened with a pretty chorus and solo for ladies' voices, "Nature and Love." The soloists were Mrs. F. P. Wilson and Misses Maudesley and* M. and T. Marshall. Herr Max Hoppe conducted, and Miss Gill prtsided at the piano. Four well-arrauged tableaux won well-merited applause, as did the Japanese dances, which were arranged by Miss Estelle Beere. Miss Randall and Mr. Cattanach contributed a. pleasing duet, and Mr. J. F. Jones was applauded for his singing of "Father O'Flynn." Mr. Harold Plimmer gave two recitations. Another pleasing item was a ladies' chorus with string accompaniment by Misses Ronayne and Maudesley, Messrs Rowley, Jack, Palmer, and Gilhe». The fair will be continued to-night and to-morrow night, and attractive programmes have been arranged. GOVERNMENT HOUSE FETE. Last night's gale dealt severely with the tents and marquees erected on the lawns in Government House grounds for the purposes of the Veterans' Home Fete, which is to be opened to-morrow afternoon by Lord Plunket. The Governor .and Lady Plunket, their staff, and a large number of assistants have been working early and late in preparing for the fete, and all that is now required to win success is fine weather and public patronage. A most entertaining programme has ben prepared, and the sideshows organised promise to prove most diverting. The Haunted Chamber, which has been constructed off the southern wing of Government House, provides an eerie sensation, as can be testified by a member of our staff, who survived the ordeal this morning. The search for discs representing hidden treasure will also prove entertaining to the many, and profitable to tne lucky finders. The fete fairly teems with novelties, and music will also be provided. Some very handsome prizes have been allotted to the various raffles, competitions, etc. A handsome official souvenir programme, witty in its composition, and illustrated with reproductions pf photographs and original drawings, is being published. A very successful rehearsal of the dramatic entertainment to be given to-morrow and Friday evenings was held last night in the ballroom, which has been specially prepared, and makes a cosy theatre. Further particulars will be found in another column. An illustrated lecture (arranged Dy Messrs. Yerex, Barker and Finlay) was delivered in the Sydney-street Schoolroom, last night by Mr. Cedric F. White on "Welfare Work" as carried out at the National Cash Register Company's factory at Dayton, Ohio. Mr. White recently went over the company's works, and was able to furnish the audience with very interesting particulars of what , he saw. He stated that the company employs 3500 hands, and has a factory with a floor space of 24 acres. Each department is governed by a committee formed of some of the most competent employees from that department. Suggestions and complaints from employees for the advancement or impiovement of existing methods or registers are eagerly sought after, and prizes to the value of several thousand doliare are given away yearly to those who make the best suggestions. In order to give salesmen, clerks, and other employees a better insight into the business and thus make them more fit for their respective tasks, schools are arranged for instruction in different courses. Another method of widening and improving the minds of employees 13 to send them to different manufacturing centres in th* States. For example, the company recently spent £5000 in sending some of its people to the St. Louis Exhibition. District managers and salesmen meet periodically and discuss new fields for registers and new methods of selling. All the abov« courses are indirectly..

beneficial to the employers, as they reap the benefit of the employees' wider knowledge. Every step is taken to brighten and improve the conditions of all concerned. Large, well ventilated and welllighted buildings have been erected. Employees' dining, rest, and bath rooms have been established throughout the plant. Believing tha* cleanliness, beauty and order in surroundings are essential for health and good work, the company have employed celebrated landscape gardeners to lay out and beautify the grounds. For mutual help and to aid working people all over the world, a "Women's Century Club" and a "Men's "Welfare Work League" have been formed by the employees. The children of the employees are particularly well cared for by the company. Mr. (J H. Carr, the company's Australasian manager, spoke eulogistically of Mr. J. H. Patterson, the builder up of the organisation. Mr. H. Beauchamp was in the chair. The members of the Swifts' Association Football Club held an enjoyable "smoW at Mm son's Rooms, Cubasfcreet, last night. Mr. J. N. Isaacs, one of the club's Vice-Presidents, who filled the chair, congratulated the club on annexing the junior cup for the ensuing year. Mr. B. L. Salmon, when replying to the toast of "Tho Swifts," stated that the lady friends of the club had headed the sales of' the stall-holders at the recent bazaar. Vocal selections were rendered by Messrs. R, Duff, H. Graves, H. M. Salmon, H. Mayer, and A. ■C. Stephenson. An enjoyable concert was given before an appreciative audience in St. Andrew's Schoolroom last night. The part songs by the choir were sung in a manner which indicated very careful preparation. Solos were sung by Mrs. Rose, Miss M. Burnett, and Miss Olive Farmer (encored), and by Mrs. Gooder, Miss Lambert, and Messrs. Blair, Fletcher, and Martin ; very effective recitations by Mr. Reid (encored.) ; accompaniments, etc., by Misses Pringle and Farmer ; and a. violin solo by Mr. K. Farmer. After the usual votes of thanks the meeting closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." After the lapse of several months Mr. Maughan Barnett gave his fifty-second organ recital in St. John's Church last night before an appreciative audience. The programme, which was interpreted with Mr. Barnett's customary taste and skill, concluded with a brilliant improvisation. .The way in which the contrapuntal answer was maintained, combined with the brilliant execution of the stretto, and the facile pedalling, made a Bach fugue particularly noticeable. The full power and richness of the organ was heard to advantage in the Cornelius march, and the inarch by Guilmant on the "Lift Up Your Heads' " theme from Handel's "Messiah." The delicate and charming solo stops were equally well represented in the "Aye Maria," "Chanson d'Ete," "Am Meer," and '"Cantilene Pastorale" The Ngatiawa Ladies' Hockey Club's end-of-season ball was held in ihg Petone Oddfellows' Hall last evening, and proved a great success. The hall had. been tastefully decorated, and excellent arrangements had been made by an energetic committee, of which Miss V. Isherwood was secretary. The members of the Petone Ladies' Hockey Club have made a presentation to their patron, Mr. F. Pirani, to mark their appreciation of his services. In the same club, Miss L. Fleet was awarded the trophy for the most consistently successful player.