RIVERLEA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 27 March 1915, Page 8

RIVERLEA.

(From Our Own .Correspondent.) SPORTS CONCERT.

The concert and dance in connection with the local Belgian fund sports took place on Thursday evening, and both were a most pronounced success. So far as the concert was concerned it is absolutely certain that such a treat has never before been given to the inhabitants of this district. Every item was a winner and all were encored by ■the large audience present. Mr Gormley scored tivemendously with his humorous songs., as also did Miss Kelly Avith hers. . Mr Hooker was in good, voice, and his rendering of "The Trumpeter" was very fine. Mrs Beesley, as usual, held the audience in her songs. She is especially captivating in such little serio-comic songs as "Tit for Tat," and always receives great applause. Two very fine items were the quartettes "Who will o'er the Downs" and "Softly fall tli© shades of Evening," and the final duet, "Starlight on the river," was beautifully rendered by Mr and Mrs Ching. Their voices blend very finely, and personally I thought this the best item of the whole evening. Certainly it was so from the point of fine music. Mrs Ching also sang very well in her two numbers the "Relief of Lucknow" and the encore "Scarlet and Blue." Mr. Briggs's powerful voice w.as heard to good effect in ' 'Good old New Zealand," and the three Foster boys gave a very good instrumental selection on the piano, violin and piccolo. Appended are the full items of the programme:—Overture, pianoforte duet, Mesdames Ching and • Casley; song, "The Trumpeter," Mb Hooker, and as encore, "Youth"; quartette, Messrs Casley and- Chiag and Mesdames Beesley and Ching, "Who will o'er the Downs," and as encore "Softly fall the shades of evening." These were two very fine numbers; song, ''Until," Miss Dixon;. Miss Dixon has a very sweet but v" not very powerful voice, and her song was a very hard one to sing, but she sang it well. Song, humorous, Mr Gormley, "O'Reilly," and as encore "0 father, don't you know the game?" instrumental trio, piccolo, piano and violin, "White wings" and "Yankee Doodle," Messrs Foster Bros. Mrs Beesley, song, "Every man a soldier," and as encore, "Tit-f or-Tat"; song, Mr Casley, "An evening song" ; song, humorous, Miss Kelly, "A little love, a little kiss," and,as encore, "It's got to be someonel I love"; song, Mr. Beesley, "The sleeping camp" ; song, Mrs Ching,. "Relief of Lucknow," and as encore, "Scarlet and Blue"; song, Mr Briggs, "Good old New Zealand": song, Mr Hooker, "Off to Philadelphia in the morning"; song, humorous, Mr Gormley. "It's a long way to Tipperary," and as encore, "Something in the seaside air," and as second encore, ""Tsh ; ,Tsh, Tsh" ; song, humorous, Miss Kelly, "I love the ladies," and as encor.9 she recited a short humorous sketch entitled. "Specially Jim"; vocal dxiet-, Mr and Mrs Ching, "Starlight on the river," \ a very beautiful rendering; "God save the King," by the performers and audience. The accompaniments were played by Mesdames Casley, Ching and Misses Kelly and Dixon, whilst Mr Gormley accompanied himself in his final encore.

■ At the conclusion of the programme, Mr. O'Neill, president of the club, thanked the performers for their fine entertainment, and the audience for their attendance, and on his suggestion, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the performers for their assistance to a good cause. A large crowd remained for the dance, which, with the' excellent music provided by Mr and Mrs Beesley, was a most enjoyable one.

On Sunday evening, at Kaponga Methodist Church, the Rev. F. Rands will conduct his final special service for men, taking as his subject, "Marked Men." A large gathering of men especially is expected. The Awatuna harvest thanksgiving services will be conducted to-morrow by the Rev. F. Rands, at 2 p.m., and the Rev. R. Gordon Kirgan at 7.30 p.m. Mrs Rands will sing a solo at the afternoon service. The social and sale of produce will be held on Monday night.

The harvest festival in the Irormanby Methodist Church to-morrow is gning opportunity for very effective decoration. Two large arches span the sides of the church between the piupit and either wall, and 'lend' an imposing appearance to the whole .decorative scheme. Three services will he held. In the morning and evening the Rev. C. H. Bridgman will preach, v^hile in the afternoon Mrs Blamires w';li conduct a musical service. On Tue^-iv evening .a, programme of recitals will precede the harvest sale.

The Chronicle understands that an old and well-known resident of Wanganui is claimant to a large and valunble estate at Home, and that his claims, which would appear to have prospects of success, are being investi-. gated.

In a letter to the Wanganui Educatioh'Board, Sir James G. Wilson, president of" the Board of Agriculture, says: "I am glad to hear that it is the intention of the Board to continue the work of agricultural education on the lines laid down by the late Mr Braik, and your Board can rest assured that anything that I can do to further this work will be done. I was extremely pleased to see in Mr Grant's report a few days ago that no less than forty pupils attended the plots at Marton Junction. I hope that this good work will be extended as much as possible."