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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 300, 25 November 1889, Page 2

The Payne Family hnvo had a remrrkably successful eea-son in Blenheim, aud our exchanges speak iv glowing tirms of their performances, whioh are described aa wonderfully " finished." The whole thing is the produot of colonial training-. The family aro natives of Ballnrat (Victoria), and their musioal education waß all obtained iv Victoria. It is s>fe to say thut sinoe the Mendelssohn QuiutPtle Company no troupe of such merit hoa ever appeared in tho colony. The Family will opon in the Provincial Hall to-morrow evening. We understand that they have given up tbe idea of performing at Brightwater &s previously arranged, but will confine their country tonr to Richmond and Wakefield. The next meeting of the Nelson Church Union will be held in the Bishop's School this evening at half-past seven, The subject j will be " The lives of Athanasius, Ohrysoslom, and Ambrose. " In connection with the anniversary of the Stoke Sunday School, a tea and Christmas Tree will be held in the Publio Hall in aid of the sohool library. The ohildren's tea will commence at four o'ciook, and for adults at Six. The Spring Show of the Motueka Horti-> cultural Society will be held in the Institute, Motueka, on Thursday next. The b.b. Waitapu will leave JNelson in the morning, ! returning the aame evening. We bad, to-day, the opportunity of inBpeuticg the collection of pictures, the work of Miss Harris' brush, which are to be exhibited in tbe Sbelbourne-struet Bchool-room on Wednesday next and tho two following days, a small charge being made for admiafion. The paintings, most of them wat'r oolours, consist* principally of vory faifchlul representations of New Z;aljcd scrubs aud flowers, and for tbis reason they pjsßfsa a peculiar interest, not only for residents in the colony, but for those in other parts who may be deßirous of being acquainted with ihe beautiful flora of this couutry. We will name a few of them in order to show tihat Mias H'.rris' search for subjects has not been conferred to any one particular locality. Oae of the most striking ia a specimen of the mountain cabbage treo in blossom, which was brought to h* r from Collingwood. It ie a boautiful picture, and moreover represents a rarity, bb tbe plant is very seldom found in flower, miners who hava resided in tha district for twenty years never haviug seen it before. Tbe " Voice of the Morning," representing the pretty little bell bird feeding on a magnificent sprig of clematis, is a very attraotivo picture, ds is aleo a " silver eye "' visitiug its ness in a manuka bush. Two groups of riohly coloured native fltwers form a couple of very attractive companion piotures. Then there is a mountain lily from Mouut Cook ; a very faithful pioture of the spear gress, wiiich is very much better in a painting than as a travelling compauioa on a mountain expedition ; \he mountain mos?, which has many a timo bren t>ken lor sheep on a hill side, and caused an inexperience! shepherd a long aud useless wnlk j and a peep at a pretty littlo fanbail imd her nest. Alpine flowers and feros in gro.it variety are moat carefully represented, and it should be mentioned that every flower and sprig and shrub haa, so to speak, sat for its portrait, none of the pictures being copiea, but all taken from the original, A table top wreathed with lycopodium and flowers in oils, and panels, and soreens similarly treated add variety to the exhibition, whioh should be visited by all lovers of art, who will gee much to admire, and probably will not be satisfied until they have become the owners of one or more of the faithfully exeouted pictures. A lecture oa the " Pliatory and Principles of the Orange Institution, and the need of some Buch organisation " will be given to« night by the Key. T. G. Brooke, Past Grand Master of the Loyal Orange Institution, in the V.M.C.A, Eooms. All are invited to attend, and no oharge will be mado for admission. Entries for tbe Quoit Handicap Match closed on Saturday ovecing, when rhe following handicaps weru made :— Bradley, scratch ; Flstt. T. 11. Hall, and Lorimer, two points ; Creeswell, threa ; Martin, Hounsell, R. HaU, and Pollock, four ; Neal, five ; Wigzoll, J. Naldu 1 , Bird, H. Nalder, and C. Nald.-r, six ; Vause, seven ; T. Baigent, eight; Reynolds and Gay, nine. Ths mitch will commenoa this evening, and will be watched with much interost*. The Sale of Work in connection with St. Thomas' Church Ladies' Guild will be held in the JMotueka schoolroom the same day as the Horticultural Show. Mbs. Sealy's annual Sunday School tea party will be held in Victory Square ou Wednesday next. There will be a muster parade of the Naval Artillery to night, wheu every member, including recruits, must be present. Fines will be strictly enforced on. all absentees. Messrs Sharp and Sons will sell by public auction to-morrow morning at 11 o'clock the whole of the furniture and effects of Mr J, JK. Little. As the things must be sold, there will probably be some good bargains obtainable. Summer has come upon us very suddenly, and the heat yesterday was at times quite oppressive. An unusually hot summer is predicted by the Maoris, who base their anticipations on the extraordinary quantity of flax blossom, whioh, they say, is an unfailing sign of exoessivo heat. ; Frequent complaints are made of the excessive thrift displayed in the application of gum to the postage stamps now in use, whioh causes great inconvenience to the public. Economy is all vevy well, but it is playing it rather too low down to endeavour to make a saving in this partioular item. Now that prospects are brightening it is to be hoped that in the matter of gum the Department will see their way to the exeroiße of juat a little more liberality. We are glad to loom that two pupils st tbe Nelßon Oollego and Neve) have been successful in paaaing their first term examination after mutriculati-u-, in connection with the Auckland University College. The examinations for matriculation and junior scholarships in connection wi';h the New Z. aland University oommenop on the Oth December. The Government Inspeotion Parade of the City Rifles is ordered for to-morrow evening, at half-past seven. We remind those of our readers who have been anxiously awaiting the commencement of the bathing season, that the Marine baths are now open. The Baby Ogden Dramatic Company, who will make their first appearance in the Theatre on Wednesday night, oome to Nelson with exoellent recommendations from the press in the towns they have already visited. Speakinp of "'Jo," a New Plymouth paper Rdye:— 'The drama was staged admirably, the characters wero well sustained, and the audience were kept interested in the production from beginning to end. The more pathetic pcenes in the drama aroused the emotional susceptibilities of the audience, nnd the humorous portions never failed to bring into play their rißible faculties. Baby Ogden (a pretty little obild, by the way) appeared in the title role, As the crossing sweeper*****-'' ver;: muddy, very ragged, with

no father, no mother, uo friendp, knows a broom's a broom, nnd that Wa very wioknd to tell a lie," — thia infant prodigy fairly aptonished the larg*» audience, and enlisted their sympathies the moment she appeared on the stage. She acted with wonderful force for a ohild, and every word she uttered could be distinctly heard in every part of the house. Her grief at the loss of her friend "Nemo" was extremely realistic, and the mnnner in which she repeated the plaintiff refrain "He was werry good to me, he was," was really touching. The final scene, in which poor " Jo," now always " a-movin' on," lies down, too tired to keep in motion, was most realistically pathetic. Baby Ogden is certainly a wonder." The other principal characters in the drama are spoken of equally highly.