AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8693, 9 October 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

AMUSEMENTS.

Afteu a lapse of more than seven years, N. W. ■ Gade's " Crusaders " was reproduced by the Choral Society at the Choral Hall on September 15. There were of course many changes in the caste, but a presentation of the beautiful composition was given to the crowded audience which satisfied everybody. There was' not a single seat vacant, and the passages were crowded. The theme was an exciting one, and the Choral Society was placed on its mettle in producing it. There was an orchestra of 36, 57 sopranos, 29 contraltos, 10 tenors, and 27 basses. Miss Harding was pianist, and did hot- portion of the work in the most faithful and conscientious manner, and Mr. H. J. Edmistohi the hon. secretary of the Society, had ' left no stone unturned to make the . concert a success. Herr Tutschka, as leader of the orchestra, was as usual an fail in his work, and kept his department in thorough accord, and Herr Schmitt, as conductor, had a thorough •success in the difficult task allotted to him. The principal soloists were Miss Alice Rimmer (Arreida), Mr. George Reid (Rinaldo), and Mr. H. Brett (Peter "the Hermit). The latter gentlemen .was taken at signal disadvantage, having to take the place of 1 Mr. Hudson, incapacitated by illness, almost on the last day, and that he got 011 so admirably, with a difficult and trying piece of music is highly creditable to him. The concert was in every respect a thorough success, and a credit to the conductor, Herr Schmitt, Herr Tutsch leader of the orchestra, and all connected with it.

Tho Birkenhead and Northcote Fruitgrowers' Society held their annual social evening .on • September 10, at the Wesleyan school-room. It was well patronised by the members, their wives, and friends. After tea the chair was taken by Mr. C. E. Button; who gave a short address, pointing out tho advantages of the Society. A varied programme of music, songs', readings, and • recitations was gone through, and a very pleasant social evening was spent.

"It is rare that a treat of such musical merit is given to the public of Auckland such as was afforded on September 17 in the Choral Hall by the Orchestral Union, and happily it is still rarer that so first-class a performance is so meagrely patronised. Though tho Orchestral Union, in a generous endeavour to assist a deserving effort of charity, came quite out of its: way in promoting the concert in aid of Mrs. T. Sibbin and family, all those who are supposed to be directly interested in furthering this object were conspicuous by their absence, while the poor attendance of the general public would give one a very mean impression of the love of Aucklandors for sterling music. Mr. G. Paque conducted with his accustomed aplomb, and had an efficient leader of orchestra in Mr. C. Hemus.

The entertainment given on Sept. 17 by the ladies of the Beresford-street Mutual Society, was a pronounced success. The hall was filled to the aisles and doors by an appreciative audience. Miss Kolsey presided. All the itoms were well rendered. The tableaux, especially, delighted the spectators. Miss Maxwell, in the whistling solo, received an encore. On Sept. 17 at the Tabernacle the Row Thomas Spurgeon delivered a lecture on The Conquest of tho Congo" and "Mission Work in Bengal," in aid of the Baptist Home and Foreign Missions. There was a good attendance. It was illustrated by a splendid series of limelight views, Mr. Morton, photographer, efficiently manipulating the oxy-hydrogen lantern. A very large audience assembled at St. Stephen's Church, Ponsonby, on Sept. 18 on the occasion of a lecture by the Rev. T. F. Robertson, entitled " Tho Battlefields of Scotland." The lecturo was handled in a very able manner, the lecturer showing every sign of being thoroughly at home in hi« subject, and the audience were' kept interested throughout. Before the meeting terminated a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Robertson for his pleasing and instructive lecture.

On Thursday, September 17, the Tuakau Wesloyan Chapel was comfortably filled by an attentive audience, who for close on two hours listened with rapt attention to Mr. S. Pegler while he gave them an interesting account of "A Trip Round the North," illustrating his journeyings by some fifty clear lantern views.

A subscription ball, fancy and dress, promoted by the Misses Scott, took place in tho Choral Hall on Oct.. 7, and the popularity of the lady principals and their pupils was manifested by the thronged audience present. The gallery was crammed to its utmost capacity, ho also was the orchestral gallery, and the floor was filled with about 100 couples, whose gay attire and charming costumes fascinated the eye and enlivened the scenes.

A lecture was given on Sepb. 30, at the Devonport public school, to the pupils of the upper standard, by Mr. \V. I. Robinson. The subject was " The Early Steam Engines ana Modern Improvements." At the termination a voto of thanks was proposed by Mr. Benge, and carried with acclamation.

Ox September 19 the First Spring Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club took place. The attendance was quite as large as anticipated, there being fully 2000 persons present The meeting throughout was admirably conducted. As usual, Mr. John Kirkvvood officiated a s judge, and, owing to the absence of Mr. George Cutts, who is at present on a visit to Australia, the stewards elected Mr. E. 1). Halstead to fulfil the duties of starter. The selection was a happy one, as th popular veterinary surgeon acquitted himself throughout with much success. The totalisator arrangements were under the direction of Mr. W. Blomfield, and during the afternoon a sum of £3954 was passed through the instruments, which is quite as satisfactory a result as the club anticipated. Since its inauguration the Auckland Trotting Club has generally been somewhat unfortunate, as far as the weather is concerned, on the occasion of its race meetings, and .September '20 was no exception to this rate. All those elements, over which the committee of management had any control, that go to make up the success of a meeting, were all that could be desired; but the committee could not control the \voathe'\ At the totalise tors 10s tickets were issued, and a considerable amount of business was transacted, the sum of £2380 having been put through the machines. There were, however, no abnormally large dividends paid, the highest being £2 ISs on the winner of the Tramway Handicap. Mr. A. R. Harris gave every satisfaction as judge, and Mr. Thomas Brown: worked hard as clerk of tho course. Mr. E. D. Ilalstead, as starter, and Mr. C. F. Mark, as secretary, had plenty to do, and did it well. Mr. F. W. Marks was the clerk of scales, and Messrs. S. C. Caul ton, E. I). Halstead, A. R. Harris, and J. White were the judges of the trotting.* An exceedingly interesting lecture on " Irish Eviction Scenes" was given in St. James's Hall, Wellington-street, on Sept. 11, by Mr. J. R. Cox, M.P. for County Clare. Mr. J. A. Tolo presided. There was a very large attendance of ladies and gentlemen. Before the commencement of the lecture an efficient choir of boys from the Marist Brothers' School rendered in a highly creditable manner a number of delightful Irish national airs, under the leadership of Brother Phillip. These were heartily received. : Ths sports promoted by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club and Rugby Union conjointly, for the purpose of raising funds to send a team of athletes to England during tho autumn, took place at Potter's on Saturday, October 3. 1 here was but a moderate attendance, and the events were not very exciting, those meeting with most appreciation being the football tourneys. The hist event was the 110 yds Handicap, for which over a score started in the four heats. The final hea, resulted L. M. Myers, 1 ; A. Kilfoyle, 2 1 - J. C. Hutchison, 3. The win of Myers, though unexpected, was very popular. In the 110 yds handicap for non-amateur footballers a good race ensued, which was won cleverly by R. Kecnan (scratch), with S. Roberts (7yds) second, and J. Cole (4yds) third. The two-mile roadster bicycle event brought out a field of eight. Solby, the scratch man, cut his men down very easily, but could not stay in the heavy yoiii;:, and N. P. Aitkin (00yds) and W.M.Service (100 yds) both passed him in the second round, the former winning easily, Selby a fair third. A large number or competitors came out in the Steeplechase, which was over a fair course of about two miles and a-luilf. The limit man, Atkins, kept the lead for about a mile, when H. Burton, owing 155., passed him, and going strongly to the finish, won by about 15yds from C. Speight, owing aaec. For the 110 yards Football Championship, in which each had to carry a ball, five started. A. Kilfoyle and T. Whiteside made the running for more than the half-distance, when T. Roberts, who had got away badly, and afterwards been partially blocked, came with a rush in the last thirty yards, and won by a yard or two.