BAND OF HOPE UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9027, 4 November 1892, Page 13

BAND OF HOPE UNION.

The musical and elocutionary contests under the auspices of the Auckland Band of Hope Union were commenced in the Foresters' Hall, Newton, on October 24, and continued through the week. These competitions, ever since their inauguration, have held a very prominent place in the estimation of members of the various Bands of Hope, and of temperance people generally, and judging from the large and enthusiastic audience which assembled on October 24, their popularity is by no means on the wane. Mr. D. Goldie presided during the first portion of the evening, and Mr, T. Mac Master during the latter part. There were three competitions, namely, violin solo, vocal solo, and temperance address. The judges in the various competitions are as follow :—Elocution, Rev. J. Chew, and Messrs. F. W. Greenwood, and T. U. Wells; music, Rev. J. Chew, Heir Tutschka, and Mr. S. Frith.

The second of the series was held on the 25th of October. Mr. C. G. Hill, vice-president, occupied the chair. The following awards were announced :—Section 2, vocal solos, females over 12 and under 15 : First, Emilie L. Butler, Ponsonby Wesleyan, " Eternal Rest." Second, Lena Smythe, St. James', "I Have No Home." Section 2, vocal solos, males over 12 and under 16: First, Silas Marson, Christian Standard, " Poor • Child of the Drunkard." Section 4, temperance addresses : First, Harry R. Cook, St. James', and Julia Carter, Tabernacle, Section 6, violin solos, males and females over 16 : First, Hettie Clough, Pon&onby Baptist, " Landler." Section 6, violin solos, males and females under 16 : First, Lizzie Mansell, St. James', " Deh ! Von Vol a Costrin gere." Section 5, temperance tale : FirstJohn Kendall, Church of Christ.

The audience which assembled at the Foresters' Hall on Oct. 27 was "decidedly the largest that has yet been in attendance during the present series of the Auckland Band of Hope Union contests. The programme was a very interesting one, and the audience extended the kindliest) sympathy to each of the performers. Mr. W. J. Mac dermott, Secretary of the Union, presided. The competitions comprised recitations, impromptu speeches, solos, and duets, the Union solo selection being "The First Violet." The judges were:—Elocution, Rev. J. Guy, Messrs. Webber and F. W. Greenwood; music, Messrs. V. E. Rice, R. Walton, and Thomas Cranwell.

The following awards for the previous evening's competition were announced :— Section 1 (pianoforte solo), Home, Sweet Home," Ist, Ethel Boulton, Pitt-street Wesleyan. Section 2 (vocal solos), Ist, Annie Crafts, Ponsonby Baptist, " The Drunkard's Child ;" Ist, Charles F. Garratt, Church of Christ, " Hurrah for trie Pump." Section 3 (reciting, males under 16), Ist Silas Marson, Christian Standard, "One Niche, the Highest." Section 3 (reciting, females over 16), Ist, Kate Reynold.-!, Pitt-street Wesleyan, "The Legendof St.Christopher." Section 11 (action songs), quito an attractive novelty (three entries), Ist, Christian Standard Band of Hope (No. 2 Company), who performed and sang, "It's Got to Go."

The fourth of the contests was hold in the Foresters' Hall on Oct. 28, Mr. George Aldridge presiding. There was a large attendance. The judges were Elocution, Messrs. J. L. Scott, R. C. Whitham, and J. L. Innes ; music, Herr Tutschka and Messrs. H. F. Edgar and W. Impett. The following awards were announced :— Section 2, vocal duet (females over 16) : Ist, Alice and Dora Edmonds, Beresfordstreet, " The Elfin Call." Section 2, vocal solos (females over 16): Ist, Alice Emonds, Boresford-street, " Vashti" and " The First Violet." Section 3, reciting (10 female competitors, over 12 and under 16): Ist, Jennie Pollock, Christian Standard, "Habit;" 2nd, Felicia A. Robinson, Ponsonby Baptist, "Lengthen the Ladder;" 3rd, Alice M. Spedding, Tabernacle, " The Brave Bugler Boy." Section 10, impromptu speeches on subject "Looking at the Bright Side of Band of Hope Work" : Ist, Andrew Kelly, Christian Standard.

The Foresters' Hall was crowded on Saturday, October 29, when the fifth and lasb of the Band of Hope Union musical and elocutionary contests was held. The Rev. R. Ferguson, of Onehunga, occupied the chair. The judges were : For elocution, Messrs. R. C. Wnitham, George Plummer, and T. W. Wells; for music, Messrs. C. B. King, J. P. Hooton, and W. F. Forbes. The awards of the judges for the competition on Oct. 28 were announced as follow : —Section 1: Pianoforte solos (females over 16), Ist, Ida McMaster, Pitt-street Wesleyan, " Theme de Carafa;" pianoforte duets (females over 12), Ist, Harriett and Maggie Cooke, St. Stephen's, " Westward Ho;" pianoforte duet (females over 16), Ist, Ida and Elsie McMaster, Pitt-street Wesleyan, " Morning Pearl." Section 3: Reciting (males over 16), Ist, Robert J. Entrican, St. James's, "Nail Your Colours to the Mast ; 2nd, Louis E. Falkner, Church of Christ, " The Lifeboat." Section 6 : Pianoforte and violin duets (females over 16), Ist, Ida and Elsie McMaster, Pittstreet Wesleyan, "TheAuld House';" flute solos (males over 16), Ist, Arthur Mansell, St. James's. Section 7: Sight-singing, Ist, Bertha Souster, Pitt-street Wesleyan. The following were the awards for Saturday night's competitions: — Section 1,

pianoforte solos (females under 12): Ist, Maggie Williams, St. Sepulchre's Band of Hope. Section 2, vocal solos (males over 16):. Ist, Harold Walton, St. James's, "Queen of the Earth" and "Alone." Section 3, reciting (males under 12): Ist, John E. Macdormott, Christian Standard, " The Fox and the Crow ;" 2nd, Charles P. Garratt, Church of Christ, " The Golden Cup:" reciting (females under 12): Ist, Edith M. Brewster, Church of Christ, " The Chosen Tree."

The winners of the shield cannot be announced until the 9th of November, prize night, as there is the " spoiling bee competition" yet to count.