Feilding Returned Soldiers’ Association

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 3

Feilding Returned Soldiers’ Association

SUCCESSFUL ANZAC CONCERT STAGED The Tivoli Theatre was packed to capacity on the evening of Anzac Day, the occasion being the presentation of a concert of an appropriate nature by the Feilding Returned Soldiers' Association. The programme opened with the National Anthem, played by the Feilding Municipal Band, which followed on with the march “ Ravenswood’’ and as an encore “The Donkey's Serenade." The popular Feilding quartet, Messrs. J. McDonald, H. Kendall, O. Jackson and T. Donaldson, with Mr. E. S. Abrahams at the piano, pleased with their rendering of “The Deathless Army," an encore being warmly demanded. Miss Freda Whittaker, of Palmerston North, appealingly delivered Lawrence Benyon’s “For the Fallen" and as an encore demonstrated clearly that making a speech was not as easy as it appeared to a society lady called on to open a flower show. The Feilding string quartet, Mesdames E. D. Warburton and A. B. Farmer, Miss B. Eliott and Mr. A. B. Farmer, was heard in “Molly on the Shore," by Grainger, their encore piece being the popular “Annie Laurie.’’

Mr. H. Geard, deputy-bandmaster of the Wellington Salvation Army Band, scored a warm reception with his cornet solos, the first, “Fossalar," being a championship test piece of difficult execution but wonderfully weir rendered, and “The Stranger of Galilee" was a popular repeat item by Mr. Geard. A bracket of vocal solos was pleasingly given by Mesdames W. A. Sandilands and A. L. Dixon, “I Would That My Love" and “O Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast" (Mendelssohn). As an encore the performers rendered ‘ * Who Knows 1" Mr. W. Bray, of Feilding, was popularly received in two xylophone solos and Mr. G. M. Whitelock, of Palmerston North, a well-known performer on the concert platform, was heard in “A Perfect English Rose" and ‘Not Understood." The humour of the evening was provided by Mr. G. Houston, of Palmerston North, in his characterisation of a village cleric appealing for a collection, this being followed by “You Know What I Mean," an elocutionary item of au intensely commonsense nature. Miss M. Diederich, also of Palmerston North, revealed herself to be a singer of charm and appeal, her second number, “I Hear lou Calling Me," scoring enthusiastic approval. The “Prince" party, from Palmerston North, three piano accordeons and a saxaphone, was one of the popular items of the evening, their medley of popular airs followed by a selected number, “La Golondrina,’’ drawin" spirited applause. Air. H. J. Dewe, of I eilding, in his well-known expositions of the troubles of one “Sam Small," a member of the Duke of Wellington’s Army, in doing his musketry practice and falling foul of the sergeant when he dropped his musket, provoked much merriment and applause. The programme concluded with the male quartet rendering “Richard of Taunton Dene" and “The Border Ballad" the audience again demonstrating its approval. At au appropriate juncture Air. B. McLeod, president of the Feilding R.S.A., thanked the performers for thoir generous services and the public for tho wonderful support given the initial concert of the Returned Soldiers’ Association.

During the programme Miss M. Garrett, F.T.C.L., acted as accompanist and Mr. F. Allen as announcer.