HAWERA CHORAL SOCIETY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 84, 29 January 1881, Page 3

HAWERA CHORAL SOCIETY.

The first half-yearly meeting of the above took place on Wednesday evening, at the Town Hall. There was a fair Attendance, the chair being occupied by Mr. W. G-. "White, the president of the society. REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. *•' " "Your committee have great pleasure in laying before you their first report, being for the half-year ended 81st December, 1880, and in doing bo, they may with fairness congratulate you upon the success that has attended the society since its formation. To give a brief history ot the society, we may state that at a musical practice for the benefit of the Institute on the 21st June of last year, it was suggested & Choral Society should be formed in Hawera, the result being twenty-four names were at once put down, and from this list a provisional committee was ■elected to draw up rules, &c. This committee met on the 24th June, and drafted rules for the guidance of the society, ■which were submitted to a general meeting, held in the Town Hall on the 29th June, and were, after a few alterations had been made, adopted by the meeting. Officers were elected, other preliminaries arranged, and the society may then be said to have got fairly underweigh. For some time it was doubtful what should be done with regard to a practice room, but this little difficulty was, however, soon overcome through the exertions of one or two members of the committee, by securing the Town Hall, at a rental of £12 per annum, the society to have the use of the hall for practice purposes one night a •week, and on concert nights one guinea extra was to be charged. Our next requirement was a suitable instrument, and after some little delay and trouble the -committee were fortunate enough to secure a piano from Messrs. Collier and Co., of Wanganui, which has, up to the present time given every satisfaction. On the 29th October, the first concert given ty the society took place, and was financially a great success. Every effort was made, considering the short time the society had been in existence, to place before the public as pleasing a programme «s lay "within the scope of the society, and although their efforts may not have given as great satisfaction as they would ■wish, the failure may, we think, be fairly placed to the juvenility of the society. Since then the members have been untiring in practice, and we have no doubt their labors will meet with the reward they deservedly merit. Since the formation of the society, thirty-two hon. members have been elected, and forty working membra have joined the society. Of these, five working members have resigned, and five have been disqualified for non-compliance with the rules of the society. We think the society may he congratulated on having secured the services of so talented a musician as the pianist is; and with the skilful training of their conductor, we feel sure that the Hawera Choral Society will ere long be able to hold its own with any provincial I .society, even those of longer standing." ] The balance-sheet showed the total receipts to have been (including a loan of £20) L 76 7s 6d, an.d the expenditure L 66 6s 5d (including L 52 10s, the cost of the piano). The outstanding liabilities amount to L 26 10a 2d.

The report and balance-sheet, as read, were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

Before the election of officers was proceeded with, the Chairman expressed his determination not to stand for re-election, but would act until such time as his successor could be chosen.

The following oflicerswere then elected : — Conductor, Mr. Leslie Charles (at previous remuneration) ; deputy-conductor, Mr. S. Dixon ; hon. secretary, Mr. W. J. Chancy; treasurer, Mr. Win. Dingle; librarian, Mr. Gower; Messrs. Parrington, and R. Dingle were elected working members of the committee.

Cordial votes of thanks to the pianist of the society and the chairman having been carried by acclamation, the meeting terinuuktedt