COUNTRY VISITORS

Evening Star, Issue 21828, 18 September 1934, Page 7

COUNTRY VISITORS

EDUCATIONAL WEEK VISIT TO D.I.C. Yesterday afternoon the girls who are participating in this week’s educational and cultural course visited the D.1.C., where they were shown over the various departments for half an hour, after which they adjourned to the Somerset Lounge, where they were the guests of the D.I.C. at afternoon tea. They then listened to an extremely interesting talk on ‘ Art Needlework ’ by Miss J. Tuck, of - the D.1.C., who found that her subject was one very near the hearts of her hearers. Miss Tuck dealt with national embroideries, explaining the type of work done by the people of different countries, and traversed the customs in this respect of people from ancient times until the present day, her talk being made the more interesting by the display_ of examples of embroidery from various countries. She then spoke of different kinds of needlework, and gave some advice to the girls as to the manner in which they should apply themselves to such crafts. At the conclusion of her talk Miss Tuck was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Miss Avis Southgate, of West Taieri. TALK BY DR GALWAY. From the delicate points of Needlework, the girls were transferred to another subject not without its intricacies —that of the Town Hall organ. They were received at the Town Hall by the city organist (Dr V. E. Galway), who first of all explained the complicated working of the instrument, and then played a short programme of items, which were obviously enjoyed. Dr Galway amazed his hearers by stating that the organ with its 3,500 pipes—the largest producing a dull rumble and the smallest an almost inaudible squeakoccupied 700 square feet of floor space, possessed 18,000 contacts, over I,OQO electric magnets, 1,500 miles of electric wiring, and 100 stops. He explained fully the working of the instrument about the console, and also the manner in which the organ was powered, and surprised the girls by playing a short solo with his feet alone. Dr Galway then presented an enjoyable programme, demonstrating the works of various composers. The Bach ‘ Toccata in D Minor ’ was a typical example of the work of the great master, and the organist then played an Ave Maria, a simple, serene melody by Archadelt, a sixteenth century Flemish composer. The ‘ Spring Song ’ of Alfred Hollins, the blind composer, found a ready appreciation, as did Dr Galway’s rendition ot ‘The Londonderry Air,’ and the programme was concluded with Elgar’s majestic march ‘ Pomp and Circumstance.’ which illustrated perfectly the unusual volume of the organ. The vote of thanks which Dr Galway was enthusiastically accorded was moved by Miss Dorothy Thompson, of Middlemarch.