QUEENSTOWN BRASS BAND.

Lake County Press, Issue 624, 27 September 1894, Page 3

QUEENSTOWN BRASS BAND.

FANCY FAIR. The rauchtalked-about fancy "fair in aid of the uniform and instrument fund of the Queenstown Brass Band came off on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and the management may feel not a little proud of its success. Some four months ago the idea was mooted and circulars were sent to ladies in Queenstown and district, asking for their co-operation and assistance. Most nobly did those ladies respond. Two nights a week were set apart by them in making up the different articles displayed for sale, and besides many of them devoted a considerable amount of time at home, and in collecting in different parts of the district There can be no doubt that tho success of the fair was largely due to these fair workers. Thursday was the opening night of the fair, which was held in the Garrison Hall (kindly lent for the occasion by the lessee, Mr J. v. d. Walde). At half-past seven His Worship the Mayor, in a few words, pened the fancy .fair, saying that he hoped that the visitors would contribute largely and thanking the ladies who had done so much to bring it up to such a state of _ perfection. The

hall was well lighted -and tastefully decorated. There were four stalls nicely laid out with really beautiful goods—works of art, cushions, needlework of every description, and many useful articles, to name which would take more space than can be afforded. Here we might state that in future it would be well for the management to appoint some competent persons to value the goods and mark them at a saleable figure, as most of the things were marked ridiculously high, which precluded would-be purchasers from buying. The result was that many articles remained unsold and fetched little or nothing at the auction sale afterwards. For instance, a picture was marked at £3, and at the auction sale fetched only ss. There were two Christmas trees —one with 6s articles on, and the other with Gd articles ; also a kiosk nicely fixed up, where a cup of tea or other refreshment might be obtained. We noticed this was well patronised by the young people. The refreshment stall also looked very nice, being well decorated with flowers and amply supplied with good things. There was also a fishing pond, which did good business and was the delight of the youngsters ; also, a Gipsy’s tent, which was presided; over by Miss MTnoney, whose fortune-telling created an immense amount of amusement. A shooting gallery (under the management of Mr Albin Green) was a good idea, being the means of drawing a few pounds together. At about eight o’clock things were in full swing, the hall having a very animated appearance. Over 350 people must have been present. The fancy costumes of the ladies presiding at their several stalls and their assistants did much to add to the brilliancy of the scene, and many a poor fellow was bewildered with the beautiful things all around and the bewitching appeals of the young ladies, who, with book and pencil waylaid him with, “ Won’t you go into this rafflj—only 2s?” What could he do but yield. Thus victim after victim was made to comply. The first night’s takings amounted to over £73, Friday night it was not so well attended, but a good crowd gathered, and some £l7 was the evening’s takings. One pleasing feature of the evenings was the musical portion, given by the Queenstown Band, assisted by Miss Kate Robeicson on the piano. Saturday night the hall was thrown open free (6d admission being charged for the previous nights). Again the interest was somewhat surprising. Mr Bell, acting as auctioneer, disposed of the remaining goods, but the prices realised could not be said to have been good, most of the articles being knocked down much below value. The total amount of the takings was the respectable sum of £175. There will be little or no expenses to speak of, as most of the expenses have been met out of moneys given as donations. The Queenstown Brass Band will have a large amount to procure their new uniforms and to buy the fresh instruments they need, and we hope they • will- -not now be behindhand in coming out and giving the public a taste of their musical abilities—more frequently than has been their wont. The following are the names of the ladies who presided or at the various stalls, togeiher with the fancy costumes they wore ; Mrs Firth (“Queen of Clubs”), Mrs A. P. Green (lady of the eighteenth century), Mrs Halliwell (“ Night ”), Mrs G. F. Gibb (Master of Arts, New Z -aland University), Mrs Jones (Highland lassie), Mrs Sutherland (Shepherdess), Airs Black (Eastern Night), Mrs Pierce (Spanish dancer), Mrs A. Fraser ( u Music ”), Mrs Doswell (“ Red Riding Hood ”), Miss Firth (girl of the eighteenth century), Miss Campbell (flower girl), Miss M'Dowell (sailor lass), Miss Reid (“ Ace of Hearts ”), Miss Geisow (“ Patience ”), Miss Mooney (Red Cross nurse), Miss Mulaghan (“ Harvest ”), Miss Connell (“Little Bo Peep”), Miss Olulee (“Spring”), Miss Wcodrow (“Red Cross nurse), Miss M. Keay (“ Falko”), Miss MTnoney (Gipsy Queen), Miss Fraser (“Ace of Diamonds”), Miss Casper (“ Buttercup ”), Miss Williams (daughter of Erin), Miss A. Curno (forget-me-nots ).