McGREGOR FUND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 80, 16 March 1936, Page 9

McGREGOR FUND

Concert Given in Hastings

ABOUT £4O RAISED People of Napier and Hastings filled the Hastings Municipal Theatre last flight and as generously applauded the items which formed the concert organised by the National Service Club to raise money for the McGregor National Memorial Fund. As the result approximately £4O will be credited to the fund for the wife and four small children of the late Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor, who was fatally injured at the Rongotai (Wellington) aerodrome a few weeks ago.

The programme opened brightly with a light sketch entitled “The hewing Macnine,” contributed by Messrs. Leon Kail and J. le Comte, and from the viewpoint of the audience the remaining numbers, placed in their appropriate sequence to give balance, were very enjoyable. It said much for the organising ability of members of the young National Service Club, which for the most part is made up of ex-service men, that the entertainment value ot the performers should be so high in the estimation qf the audience, and that the club should see fit to lake a prominent part towards making Hawke’s Bay’s contribution to the McGregor Fund as large as possible. The orchestra, under the baton of Mr Cedric White, had the following personnel: Piano, Mr W. Lord; violins, Messrs. Errol Smith and J. Warren; cello, Mr J. Marsicano; bass, Mr T. Albiston; clarinet, Mr T. Brathwaite; bute ami saxophone, Mr S. C. Hill; trumpet, Mr F. C. Wilkinson; trombone, Mr H. Cottell. They played the overture, entr’acte and incidental music, and the accompaniment lor two trumpet solos by one of their number, Mr F. C. Wilkinson. Mr Vaughan, with his songs at the piano, the majority of them old and tuneful folk songs and ballads, was well received. Then came an amusing sketch “References”, contributed by Misses Zoe Fryer, Mary Rainbow and Margaret Nutter, followed by a cello solo by Mr J. Marsicano. Then a skittish burlesque “Tell England” by Messrs. E. E. Rivers, Leon Fail, M. Clifton and R. Caro, Misses Nutter, Fryer and Rainbow. The rest of the programme was equally well balanced and enjoyable. It introduced songs by Madame fiercer, accompanied ,by Mrs A. J. Barry, songs by Mr A. B. McDonald, violin solos by Mr J. Warren, “Hells Bells” a burlesque by Miss Zoe Fryer and Mr R. Caro, a sketch “The Play’s the Thing,” with Misses Fryer, Nutter, Rainbow, Messrs. Rivers, Caro, Fail and Clifton and another sketch “The Yellow Peril,” given by Messrs. Rivers, Caro and Clifton and Miss Nutter.

The trustees of the McGregor National Fund desire to thank all those who in any way contributed to the success of the concert, including Messrs Christie, who lent the stage furnishings.

Towards the close of the first half of the programme, Mr E. E. Rivers, president of the National Service Club, briefly addressed the audience. He said there had been a generous response throughout New Zealand to the appeal for which the concert was organised. This nation-wide appeal prompted the club to organise the concert, the public response to which had been a fine tribute to a very gallant gentleman, Squadron-Leader M C. McGregor, and the club sincerely thanked the public for its support. .Air McGregor was a man who came into great prominence in the Melbourne Centenary air race, but those who knew him in the war years as “Mac”, knew his sterling integrity and his high reputation in the British Air Force. He was a much-loved man, and his friends deeply mourned him. Mr W. T. Eyre said he took the opportunity as an executive of the Wellington Aero Club and the McGregor National Fund trustees of thanking the public for its generous patronage, and everyone else who contributed to the success of the concert. It was not possible at that stage to make public the full amount which would he credited to the fund as the result of the concert, but it should be approximately £4O at least.