MEETINGS AND ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11162, 7 September 1899, Page 3

MEETINGS AND ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE GAIETY COMPANY. Last evening there was a crowded attendance at the City Hall, when the Gaiety Company presented a partial change of programme. Amcng the chief attractions was Mr. Manuel Woodson's new act, " Mercury,' in which ho was assisted by Misses Mario and Ethel Keziah. This is a mythological conception, and as Mr. Woodson came living through the clouds, the sisters, arranged as goddesses, did some charming posing, aftr which Mr. Woodson did a number of marvellous contortions. The audience testified their approval by a tumultuous rour.d of applause. In the first part of the programme (" The Aerial Garden Party") Miss Miriam Lewis sang " Old Madrid'," and Mr. Shepherd gave a splendid rendering of "The Holy City," both artists being heartily recalled. The songs and jokes of the endmen were excellently given, and Mr. Will Leslie's grand finale, "The Arrival of the Governor," fairly brought clown the house. The Keziah Sisters received an ovation for their graceful and daring act on the silver ladders. The Leslie Brothers convulsed the house with their clever musical sketch. "Fun in a Bar-room." Messrs. Collins and Browne were most successful in their comic specialties, the burlesque oil "The Georgia Magnet" creating great fun. Mr. Fred. Leslie's "Ninth Battalion" was a good item, and the concluding farce sent everybody home laughing. The same programme will be presented this evening.

BAINBRIIKJE, THE RACONTEUR. At the Opera House last night Mr. Oliver Bainbridge related some of his experiences. The lecturer, whose personal appearance is somewhat remarkable, related many marvellous escapes and startling experiences that elicited the loud applause of the audience, principally composed of school children. Air. Bainhridgn may have passed through these thrilling experiences, but his descriptions of the Russian dungeons and other unattractive spot? to which he alleges lie was at intervals confined were crude in the extreme, and gave a careful listener the impression that tho whole narrative was but nil oral reproduction of a book lesson badly learnt. Mr. Bainbridge, perhaps quite unintentionally, was delightfully vague in his references to foreign parts, and carefully dealt in general terms of impressions formed when in France, India, Russia, and Tiirkoy. Perhaps the most interesting and genuine portion of tho entertainment was the blackboard drawings, wh'eli were rapidly and cleverly sketched.

PONSONBY BAPTIST MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.

On Tuesday evening tho Ponsonby Baptist Mutual Improvement Society held their fortnightly meeting. An address on Japan, illustrated with limelight views, given by Mr. C. Peak, was tile chief item. Recitations wc-ro given by Misses Over ("Ask Mamma") and Robinson ("The Child and President") The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr. Peak and the ladies.

A TEMPERANCE MEETING. An address was delivered last evening by Mr. Richardson, temperance lecturer, at the Seventh Day Advcnlists' Church, Mackelviestreet, Ponsonby. His address was on the general question of prohibition.