MEETINGS AND ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11058, 9 May 1899, Page 6

MEETINGS AND ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE GAIETY COMPANY. -Jg| The Gaiety Company is still drawing goo j houses to the City Hall, tho repeated change,, in the programme and tho good character of the entertainment being respoj, siblo for the company's long and run. Another new item was presented m night, when the Howard Sisters made theb first appearance. The sisters are a decided acquisition to the oompany, and should prove, an attraction for some time. They appear in song and dance, and for their clever daniyt ing especially they are entitled to high praise, Last night they were heartily encored at both' appearances, "In Town" and " Daisy M ac .. intyre," and on the recalls thoy treated the audience to some smart skirt-dancing. They bring with them new and lively music, anil their turn is altogether equal to anyttrinrff tho Gaiety Company havo yet brought before the public. Tho other artists received, £v/ usual, tho hearty appreciation of the an. dionco. 'if;) ERNEST TOY CONCERTS. 'M The programme of the opening perform' anco of tho Ernest Toy Concert Company whioh will tako place at tho Opera Housa ; to-morrow evening, is announcod in our ad- ' vortising columns. With a view of appeal.-X ing to all classes of tho musical community tho management havo included a number of' highly-popular items, which will no doubt bo greatly appreciated. Special interest at. '"'■ taehes to tho appearance of the young, b'„t already famous, violinist, Mr. Ernest Toy' who will make his debut in several well'' known test pieces for the violin, amongst ; which tho allegro from Mendelssohn's "E ; ' Minor Concerto," Sarasate's paraphrase on:' Guonod's " Faust," a fantasia on that popular § song, "The Old Folks at Home." The young pianiste, Miss Renee Lees, besides playing the pianoforte accompaniments to'?. Mr. Ernest Toy's soli, will play Lis2tV'.--transoription of Mendelssohn's "Wedding:;: March," Moskowski's " Valso in E Major," and Liszt's " Rhapsodic No. 8." Miss Alice Simmons, the soprano, will sing "Tony's "Queen of the Night," and Ganz's "Sing, Sweet Bird." Miss Maud Dalrymnle, contralto, will sing Stainton Dolley's " Out on tho Rocks," Blumenthal's "Sunshine andRain," and Molloy's "Home, Dearie Home," while Mr. M. Marcus will sing, hy, I conjunction with Misses Simmons and Dalrymplo, Leslie's trio, "0 Memory." Mr. A. liartloy has been engaged as accompanist. The box plan, which opened yesterday morning, is filling up rapidly, and altogether thai ■ season promises to be a very successful one, "'£ PONSONBY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE,!" The ordinary meeting of Ponsonby Schooli Committee was hold last evening in tha Church-street school, there being present:' Messrs. Rees (chairman), Parr, Taylor, Tin,* ner, Swales, Dcarsley, Rainoy, and Court. Mr. Turner 6aid there was the question of homo lessons. If the children were punished for not doing them properly, tho lessons had : better bo done away with. It was decided, after some further discussion, that the head, masters of the schools should bo asked to furnish reports, giving their views upon homo lessons, and to state what punishment, if.' any, was attached to tho non-performance of ■ ! the tasks. Tho school reports for the month' ■ showed the attendance of tho pupils to be as follows:—Ohurch/-6trcot school, number doroll, 701; average attendance,; 608. Richmond Road school, number on roll, 445"*'average attendance, 372; Bayfield, numbs on roll, 274; average attendance, 207.1. 'Ha > statement of accounts submitted showed credit balanco of £35 13s 9d at April 7 1?school funds received since that date, £61 k'i l total rocoipts, £96 18s 9d; expend diture, £20 6s 8d; balanco in hand) £66 12s Id. A sub-committee consisting cf! the chairman and Messrs. Taylor, Turner,: and Swales was appointed to meet Mr. Mitchell on tho Church-street playground, anil I authorised to take such steps as they considered necessary for keeping the playground■'. in a fit condition for tho winter months. '