AMUSEMENTS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 98, 27 April 1911, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

BRITISH PICTURES

Last night the new programme at the Town Hall was greeted by a full house, despite strong counter-attrac-tions. The programme, taken as a whole, was as varied as could be, and the several effects to enhance the quality of the pictures were well managed by the operator. Each picture was well worth its place, and they were blended and arranged "so that each appeared to the best advantage as part of a harmonious whole. There were no scenics screened, but this defect was made up by the extra quality of the educational and. comic films. The first picture shown was that containing scenes of the retired life of that equine wonder, Carbine, who, at the age of 26 years, is now earning a well-deserved rest in the stables of the Duke of Portland. This film was viewed with great interest by the audience, by reason of the fact that Carbine is a New Zealand-bred horse, being born and receiving his early training at Auckland. A picture, the like of which has not been shown for a long time, was that entitled "The' Man wBo Learned." The scene is a large dairy farm outside New York, from which part of the supply of the metropolis comes. A young man remonstrates with his father-in-law, the owner, about the insanitary conditions prevailing at the farm, even from the food the cows eat,to the bottling of the milk, and after an altercation the son-in-law leaves the home, accompanied by his wife and little son, making their home in the heart of New York. There the child becomes ill, and the mother, seeing a milk shop, where milk from her father's farm is sold, buys some and

feeds the child, with the result that the child becomes worse, and is dying when the doctor is called in. The grandfather hears of this, and, almost prostrate with grief, goes to his daughter's home, where he is informed by the doctor that the milk from his farm is the cause of the illness. : However, 4 . the child ; recovers, alid 'a few months after, the family, at the invitation of the father, visit the dairy farm, where they see all the improvements, the latest appliances for the handling of the milk being installed. Jules Verne's "Michael Strogoff" has been read by most people, and the story of the sufferings he endured as courier to the Tsar was rendered still more familiar by tabloid representation. The Broken Doll 1' was a tragedy of the Indian Reservation. This picture is effectively and clearly staged, and the scenes in which the vengeful Indians rush on the forewarned village are well managed. "A Heaven-guided Heroine" is a stirring dramatic of fire, out of which a little girl emerges successfully, and after being kidnapped, joins her parents, and everything ends happily. "Pathe Gazette" recorded in picture form what has already been told in the cables. There were several other pictures of great interest, while the comics were highly I novel and original, the best being "Love and Marriage in Poster-land." Picton will be visited to-night, and the programme will be again screened to Blenheim audiences on Friday and Saturday nights, with a matinee for children on Saturday afternoon. •; SKATING. The Town Hall rink is becoming a popular rendezvous on Thursday evenings, and rinking is establishing a firm hold in public favor. The busy whirl of wheels at each sessio-p proclaims that patrons are taking Up the recreation in earnest. To-night the rink band will render suitable music, which should materially add to the enjoyment of r>atrons. ' The Olympia rink will also ue open to-night at the Grosvenor Hall, where patrons are assurred a pleasant time.