ARMY CHILDREN'S WELCOME

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7046, 7 February 1910, Page 4

ARMY CHILDREN'S WELCOME

COMMISSIONER. HAY. GIRL CHORISTERS AT THE CITADEL. Their plaudits set to measure, their little feat and hands moving in unison, and the play of their baby ieaturcs. and the tuneful lisping of their baby lips reflecting—as only baby lips and faces could reflect—tho sentiments of thoir simple songs of welcome, the children of the "Army" spoke their word of greeting to Commissioner and Mrs Hay in the Vivian Street Citadel on Saturday night. Ranged along a, raised platform, the young choristers, nearly a hundred in number, and in ages from three to thirteen, threw themselves with all the ardour of happy childhood into the performance of what their instincts clearly told them was a privilege, and the spectators, taken by storm, applaudedto tho echo. It was a memorable "chtldreni's night." Colonel Knight directed the proceedings, -whilst Brigadier Holdaway (who was largely responsible for the schooling of the choristers) commanded tie chorus. The opening song of welcome—a delightful medley of Maori and English, concluding with three ringing British cheers—having been given,, the Children's Home Brigade, the little blossoms saved by the Army ere too frost-bitten, and now unfolding almost as Naturo intended, lined out on tho platform, tand went faultlessly through a pretty action song, the first of quite a number in which they appeared. A detachment of the city Young Peoples Corps followed with a rehearsal, in char acter, of domestic operations, and another detachment with a poi dance, which, not being Maoris, they performed but uraiiferently well. Then came a pretty little Bong by Ada Barker, and after that a series of evolutions with decorated hoops by tho Petone Young Peoplo's Corps, who received quite an ovation Then, the tiniest sailors that ever were (the Children's Home Band sang of the sea, and hauled ropes and swabbed decks, and raised rainbow visions before grizzled faces. Next, the whole band sang in um. son, "The Music of the Army.' A well-spoken recitation by Ada Moeller, of tho South Wellington corps, and a tastefully rendered pianoforte solo by Joyce Lankshoar, of the same corps, several other action songs, a "play drill, ' a dialogue, and a. fearsome Maori haka <in which Brigadier Holdaway spoke and acted the traditional Maori welcome), completed that part of the programme. The speeches were few. Colonel Knight told how delighted he was to welcome their guests on behalf of the young people, and how impressed he had been by the discovery, during the past week, of the intensity of the Commissioner's devotion to juvenile work. He had shown them his desire that they should put all the strength and energy they could command into this work. Men and women, such as their guests, who were willing to spend themselves for the young, in evolving schemes for the sake of:the young boys and girls, were indeed worthy of their homage. _ _ Mrs Hay and the Commissioner both acknowledged the heartiness of the welcome. The former, after contrasting the lot of the little ones here and in the slums of London, spoke of the recompense in joy and satisfaction, which rewarded those who devoted themselves to the interest of tho children.