ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20427, 2 December 1929, Page 12

ST. ANDREW'S DAY.

ONEHUNGA CELEBRATION. NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. St. Andrew's Day wan celebrated at Onehunga on Saturday by a Scottish concert in the evening, when the Presbyterian Hall was crowded. Interest in the function was quickened by the presence of the Auckland and Suburban Highland Pipers, who played a number of national airs in the street as a preliminary to the concert. Undoubtedly the •feature of the evening was Mr. J. W. Shaw's address on "Scottish Humour," for he succeeded in proving to the satisfaction of the Scottish section of the audience that a good many of the prevalent ideas regarding tho national characteristics were duo to a want of understanding of the true position. Contrary to the common impression that a Scotsman could not see a joke, the Scottish people were really Iho most humorous in tho world. Speaking in serious vein, Mr. Shaw refuted the impression that the Scottish nation was mean, for Scotsmen always figured largely in any subscription list. Ho explained that (ho idea originated from the fact that Scotland had been poor from its earliest times, and it was so hard to make a Jiving that peoplo were compelled to bo thrifty, as they knew the valuo of money. The virtue of thriftiness, however, should not be mistaken for meanness.

Tfio Rev. D. D. Scott, pastor of the church, thanked tho performers who had assisted to make the concert a success, tho result being that tho proceeds would go to the church improvement fund without any deductions. A Highland reel and Highland fling were given by Scottish Cancels, und Scottish songs, duets and quartets by Mesdames J. Craig, Rattray, Mitchell and Wyness, Messrs. McConochia ("Star of Robbie Burns"), Duncan Black ("Hail Caledonia") and J. McDougall ("Mary of Argyle"), concluding with the part-song \'Wi' n Hundred Pipers," by the Royal Oak quartet.