SCOTS' BIG NIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 133, 2 December 1935, Page 19

SCOTS' BIG NIGHT

WELL-DIVERSIFIED PRO-

GRAMME

No one can accuse the Scots of lack of patriotic feeling, and the St. Andrew's night concert in the Town Hall, held annually under the auspices of the Wellington Association of Scots Societies, is fitting proof of the love of the Scottish community for their native land. There were few vacant seats at the concert on Saturday evening. This was the second annual function of the association. The audience included the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) and Major Purvis, military-secretary of the Gov-ernor-General. In the official party, which was piped into the hall by PipeMajor W. Fraser, were also Messrs. J. G. MacKenzie, J. G. Aitken, and G. Lauchlan.

A wealth of talent was available for the concert from among the Scots societies of 'Wellington and others. The Circassian Choir, under the conductorship of Mr. Thomas Wood, gave some delightful numbers. This well-balanc- £•?. choir sang the national songs with true musical appreciation and feeling. The numbers by the choir were "Scots Wha Hae," "Hail to the Chief," "Robin Adair," "The Campbells Are Coming" (which was given a special encore), "Ye Banks and Braes," "The Hundred Pipers," and in response to persistent applause, "Will Ye No' Come Back Again.". Especially enjoyable were "The Campbells Are Coming" and "The Hundred Pipers." The accompanist was Miss Barbara Bannister. The Caledonian Society's pipe band was applauded for its playing of the "79's Farewell to Gibraltar" (march), "Munlochy Brig" (strathspey), "Sleepy Maggie" (reel), "Athol Highlanders" (march), "Arniston Castle" (strathspey), "Struy Lodge" (reel). This band and another composed of players from the Scots College, Battalion, and Gaelic Club bands marched to the Town Hall prior to the concert. Perhaps the most popular items of the evening were those in which the association's dancers, organised by Mr. W. E. Boyd, appeared. The first number was the seann triubhais, in which Misses J. O'Connor and G. McKay and Messrs. C. Stewart and W. Macrae were the dancers. Then a sword dance was done by Misses D. Marshall, P. Clements, P. Tovey, M. McKenna, R. Smithers, A. Boe, and P. Smyth, and Masters, D. Young, P. Currie, and A. McLeod. Some of the dancers were very small but all were talented. As an encore Messrs. Stewart and Macrae did a sword dance. A Highland fling was warmly applauded, but the piece de resistance was the grand reel. This aroused the audience to great enthusiasm.

Two elocutionary items were on the programme. The first was "The Depootation," a humorous number by Mr. J. B. Thomson describing a Scottish deputation to the Minister protesting against the playing of the violin, and as an encore Burns's "Address to the Toothache." Mr. Thomson was accorded ' hearty applause, as was Mrs. E. Greville Wiggs for her number, "The Pipes of Troon." Her encore was "Bairnies Cuddle Doon."

The Gaelic Club's Orchestra, which was specially augmented, played a selection of Scots airs, and in response to the applause part of it was given again. The conductor was Mr. P. Cole.

The. association was fortunate in its choice of vocalists; All were artists of merit and' the songs warmly appreciated. Mr. Ray Trewern sang "Mary of Argyle" and""Annie Laurie"; Mrs. Wilfred Andrews "Jessie's Dream" and "My Am Polk"; Mr. Angus McKay a gaelic song, "Am fiadh" ("the deer") and "Mairi Bhan" (Clydeside love lilt); Mr. Trevor Thomas "Oh for the Bloom of My Own Native Heather" and "Eriskay Love Lilt"; and . "Hame o' Mine" and "Hail Caledonia" by Mrs. F. Crawford. Some of the vocalists were rather unfortunate in haying to put up with the squawks of disagreeable infants during their numbers. The official accompanists were Miss V. Mcßain and Pipe-Major W. Fraser. In the .course Of his remarks the Mayor expressed appreciation of the programme and hoped the growth and progress of the association would continue. :;

The evening concluded with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."