MESTINGS AND AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5657, 5 January 1880, Page 2

MESTINGS AND AMUSEMENTS.

The committee of. the Mount Roskill School, Three Kings, entertained the children r.n the 22nd of December, in the school ground*. The school, which was opened in May list with a roll of 35, now numbers Go, al! ot whom, with their friends, were preEcnt. and thoroughly enj&ycd themselves with game?, 4c. A substantial dinner and tea was provided, to which ample justice was done. A concert in the evening afforded pleasure and enjoyment, thanks to kind friends from town who gave tVir services. Afterwards the room was cieared, and about 30 couples kept the floor for a few selec", dinees, Mr. Sewd, jun , acting as M.G The chairman (Mr. J. W. Carr) give a shirt account of the progress of the school, and referred to the labjurs of the teacher (Miss Barns) who is giving every Fatis"action, and proving herself to be the right person in the rinht place. S ltijxined 13 the programme that was gone tiiroughPiano duet, Mrs. and Miss Carr; soon, " God bless the friendship, Love," Mr. Little-wood ; song, "The Brave Sailor Boy," Mr. Littlewuod f sons, " Apart," Miss Wal tot ; annif, "Jessie's Dream," Mies Gribble ; . oiy, "And eyes will watch for thee," Miss Bishop; song, "Kiss me, Sweet," Miss Vau-e ; soug, " Little Si3ter gone to Sleep," Mi-s Bishop ; song, " La?t Hose of Summer," Mrs. J. G. Carr; duet, " Hunting Tower," Misa Gribble and Mr. Carter ; recitation, "Tamo" Shanter," Mr. Boyd; piano solo, Miss Hayr; " God Save the Queen." On December 23 a soiree and concert were held in the Temperance Hall, Otahuhu, in aid of the fnnds cf the Scripture Gift Association. The tea was tastefully laid out, anil heartily partaken of by a !ar->e circle of friends, the ladies who presided vieing with each other to- promote the comfort of the cninpmy. After the tabl=s weri cleared away the concert was opened with a pianoforte nolo by Mrs. Sutherland. The quality of the local talent engag-.d was rath-r above the average, judging from the round of applause that greeted each effort. At the annual meeting of the Hamilton Choral Society, held oi 9, the balancesheet showed an expenditure of £"29 16s Id, and receipts £43 10s Cd, leaving a b ilance in hand of £14 143 sd. Captain Xorthcroft, R.M., was elected president, Mr. Gywnne vice-president, Mr. Culpan conductor, an.i Mr. C. Laishley secretary and treasurer. On Friday evening, sth December, a concert in connection with the English Church was held in the new school-room, Kawakawa. The principal performers comprised the Kussell Tonic-Sol-Fa Class, which tlw R-;V. Mr. Efawbe3 has lately organised. A soiree, in connection with the openiagof St. Stephen's Chureb, Ponsoubv, took place on Deo. 30, in thePousonby Hall, which was comfortably filled with a large.and respectable assemblage. Four large tables were placed lengthwise in the hall, at which those assembled sat down to a bountiful tea. The following ladies presided at the trays : —Mesdatr.es Patterson, Parsons, Gray, A. Stewart, Runciman, Wood, McKenzie, and Miss Barton. Justice having been done to the good thiols provided, the company adjourned to the new and beautifnl church, the opening of which the meeting commemorated. — The Kev. Mr. Runciman (pastor) presided. He reviewed the operations of the past year, and complimented the urehitect (Mr. Mahoney) and the builder (Mr. James) —the one for the handsome design of the church, and the other for the faithful manner in which he had carried out lii 3 contrict. He also expressed the thanks of the congregation 13 Mr. W. Aitken, for selling the site at so low a rate. As to his (Mr. Runciman's) promise to raise the money for the ground from his friends at home, he had the satisfaction to announce tbafc the last instalment arrived by last mail, and the whole of the money for the site was now pa : d. Interesting addresses were delivered by the Revs. David Bruce, R. F. Macuicul, Monro, Carrick, R Taylor (Free Methodist), and his Worship the Mayor, but owiog to pressure upon our space we are UDable to give them. Among the Presbyteiian clergy present were two from the country, namely, Rev. T. Norrie (Drury) and Rev. Robt. Somraerville (Whau), —Mr. Barton proposed a vote of thanks to the clergy and others who had addressed the meeting, which was carried by acclamation.—On the motion of Mr. Runciman, a similar vote was passed to the ladies who provided the trays, and to St. James's choir, under the conductorship of Mr. Joseph Rees, for their musical services.—The Benediction, by- the Rev. Mr. Monro, brought a pleasant and agreeable evening to a close.

PRESENTATIONS. A very pleasing ceremony took place on Gth December, in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms, when Mr. H. G. Oswald was presented with an address and a handsome souvenir from his late co-employees, in the firm, of Messrs. W. McArthnr and Co., in whose service he had been for upwards of ten years. The presentation was made by Mr. Utting, and consisted of a handsome frame, surrounding the photographs of 29 members of the above firm, who had all signed the address. At the bottom of the picture, a silver shield contained the following inscription : — " Presented to H. G. Cswald, as a token of friendship and e3te?m, Auckland, N.Z., 14th November, 1879." Mr. Oswald suitably replied.

At Mangere, on the 17th December, an interesting presentation to the Rev. G. Brown was made. The members of the Mangere choir and friends assembled together in the Presbyterian Church. Mr. James Robertson, sen., presided by invitation, and said he was happy and proud to take part in assisting the choir in affectionately taking leave of their esteemed and rev. choirmaster, and presenting him with a simple souvenir as a token of regard. Mr. James Anderson, inafewwell-chosen words, begged the Kev. G. Brown to accept from him, in the name of the choir, a silver bouquet and fruit vase, as a remembrance of the kindly feeling always displayed to its members, and returning to him their sincere thanks for his excellent tuition and the tioublo and time taken in forming and musically educating them. Through him, the choir was now an institution of the district, and generally appreciated; and Mi-s McCrae, the fcarmoniumist, with hor confreres (the voices) sympathised and regretted very much his removal from amongst them. The ltev. G. Brown thanked the choir for their very unexpected present. He was enthusiasticilly fond of psalmody and music, and it was a pleasure to him to assist to mould this and' such like kindred institutions; he kindly and feelingly spoke of their aims and fut ire. Thanks to the chairman was given, which concluded the proceedings.