NOTES FROM ALEXANDRA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14359, 31 October 1908, Page 12

NOTES FROM ALEXANDRA.

(Fr.on Our Own ConKEsrnNDF.xT.) ALEXANDRA, October 30 Mi !!" n "i m > altorS 'nthiscHstrict arc quiet. All the dredges on the Moiynoux are work, ing steadily. , Tlie new pumping apparatus for supply. ln t water for tlio Alexandra Lead patklccki anil sluicing off the overburden is nearing completion. .Mr l'ayno (consulting cnyinoor for tlio company), under whose supervision the pumping plant, is Ik-she: installed, visited (he claim yesterday, ami made a trial rim of flic machinery. Although it is not. completed, Mr l'ayno expressed himself well pleased with IJio new plant. The Chicago dredge k working in tlio oJrt course of |.|io river bed oil the cast side of the river, ami, as the ground now being oparatod on is highly payable, good returns may be expected for sonvs time. The Enterprise dredge lias been engaged m widening the cut, and this having new boon accomplished, and a wide ait made available, it in anticipated that payable returns will be forthcoming. The pumping plant en the Perseverance Not 2 dredge is working splendidly, although some difficulty was first experienced jii ckainng the pipes of big stones, This has now beei l, overcome, and in the course of a week or so dredging into the high face will be commenced in real earnest. The Sandy Point dredge is working through old tailings at the bottom end of the claim in order to reach the ground on the insido of the old cut, where it is intended to commence opautiens with a view of taking tip another cut inside tlio one previously worked.

AtMa-takanui oil the sluicing claims iiro working under a. full pressure of water, of which thcro is a plentiful supply. The crcction of the Manorburn dredge is Hearing completion, ar.d tho contractor expects to lake a run out of tho machinery in a week's time.

WAIHI GOLD MIKING COMPANY. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 30. The Waihi Gold Mining Company has declared another dividend (the sixty-third) of 4s per share, payable on December 1 next. This will afceorb the sum of £99,181 Bs, and make tho total disbursements To (shareholders to tho date named £3,317,6H 2s Bd.

HALLOWE'EN.

BURNS CLUB CELEBRATION.

Hallowe'en was fittingly celebrated atilie Burns Ilall last, night l>y'an excellent concert given under Uie auspices of .the Dunodin Jiurn.s Club. Mr U. Sandilakls (president) occupied tho chair, mid wits supported on tile platform by Mr A. Bai:i (vice-president) and by Mr, l)ugald M'l'hcrson (Chief of the Gaclio Society). Tho President, in the course of an interesting speceh, had something to tell liis hcarer.i concerning the '' Aukl lirig of Ayr," and the determination of tli.e Scottish pcoplo not. to accept tho Tcmpleton bequest. Tho sum of £i 476 5s lid ;had been raised locally to preservo the old " brig," which was now considered. by experts to be safe, and would be safe in every way for como time to come. The new president, of the society was Dr Wallace, editor of tho Glasgow Herald. A fund of £20,0G0 was being raised for lite purpose of establishing chairs far it'ho teaching of Scottish history and literature. A sum of £5000 kid hlreadjbeeii' contributed, and if any of his hearers wished to contribute, I)r Wallacc would 110 doubt, bo glad to' receive their subscriptions.

Tho concert commenced with a selection by the Dunedin Pipe Band, followed by a part song, " I.ass o' Ballochmyle," sung with capital effect by tho choir. Mr J. Jago's contributions to the evening's successes were "0' a' the airts" and '"Green grow tho rashes, 0." "There grows a ixmnio briar bush" was sympathetically sung by Mrs F. Wakefield Holmes, who, however, did h'ersolf greater justice in tho song " I lo'od iii.e a. laddie but. anc." Mr W. H. Mackenzie's tendering of "My lovn is like a..red, red, rose" was credilabln alike to liimself and his subject, and his singing of " Afton water" was better still, ilrs Monkman-Dempster's successes woto "My Nannie's awa'" and "Doon tho Burn." An admirable rendering of that pathetic picce of Scottish minstrels]', " Oh, wert thou in the eauld blast," waa given iu the duet, by Mrs .Monkman-Denipslci' and Mr Mackenzie. Tho Highland l!eel was tho joy of <ill beholders, and the choir concluded a powerful programme with the part song " Gloomy winter's noo awa'." Mies E. Wright was tho accompanist, and Mn A. M. Ilraik musical director. A feature of the evening's entertainment was an address on tiho " liovc Songs of Scotland," by tho Rev. J. Aitken, M.A.

Mr Aitken said he lmd not much sympathy With those v:ho said tliey. could not enjoy ari Italian eons bucauso they could not understand the language. Often in hearing English song.? people did not listen /to the words. It was tho music they 'wanted. Tltc words iu some of the English songs wore of vory littlo value. On llio other hand, when Ihey heard Scottish songs (hey often forgot the music in tho words.' They might have two opinions as to the wisdom of the Jacobite movement, but 'they could have no two opinion as to the lovo of.country and freedom that hod produced that wonderful collection, the Jacobite songs. There they got tho songs of patriotism, battle, travel, and all tine interest of life. Scottish, song also dealtwith tho common interests of every day, and from every conceivable point of view. Lnt them Jcok at tho subjects, and sec their vast variety; noto how the same subjects were looked at from different angles. The Scottish pcc-ts' characteristics wore three—observation, tenderness leading to truth, ar.d sympathy leading to humour. Lovo claimcd the ■largest number of their songs. Scottish poets oxcellc.d themselves in praising their loved ones. The lecturer Chen read "Annio Laurie." They would not find a sweeter song thai> this, or a tenderer on-o than "My Effie, my jewel." In praising their loved, Scottish pools never becamo rhapsodic, or sang of love in tho abstract. Of course, there was " Green grow the rashes, 0," and "When tho kye como hanie," but even hero {ho writers gave themselves away badly. They somctimcs did not praise the maiden herself, but something associated with her. Tannaliill tliought the bush and briav bloomed bonnier at Craigilcs (in Renfrewshire, ho believed) than anywhere olse, simply no- : causc he had won "his Mary" there. Tho speaker then spoke of the long twilight evenings in Scotland, known as tho gloaming. That was just what tiho lads and lassies wanted. That was why tho countryside, and not the homes, had becojnc associated with tho love reminisoenocs of the' Scottish people. It was characteristic of the national genius to say, when you asked him ihow lie was, "A carina complain." Tihey never got him to say things very directly. A Scot eonld speak straight whom ho felt deeply. -Scots did not often jet impatient. 'JRliey were a long-suffering race. They had the faculty of •' biding." Tho song "Wilt thou be diy dearie?" touched the pathos, the pain of lovo that was smcariain. The very sweetest 'son* that ever mother sang to Jicr child was " 0 wert thou in tlhc cauld blast on yonder lee." Tho Scottish love poet was a long time in coming to the point, and often got to it in a round about manner. Just as the lad went round the bush, so in Scott isi' poetry the lass did not always say quite what she- meant. She kept tho lad dangling, dangling—sometimes too long. She sent him away every night hoping yet fearing, sick with anxiety. He dared say that some of the old fellows .lie jaw there could remember 30, 40, 50 years ago how long they had had to wait, but, it had all come at length. It did not matter how old or how juvenile, or how beautiful tho lassie was, the answer was always, "A'm owro young to marry yet." Posts had taken this to heart; witness "My lovo is but a lassie yet." There were some fine songs descriptive of men who, witlv no personal attractions, hoped to win the lnssic by the wealth they could give her. Tho tong " Auid Robin Urn" ho disliked intensely. It did not ring true, somehow. Most of thevewold Scottish songs of before tho Reformation had been forgotten. The lecturer went on to speak of tho young people's culties through parents who ''glowered, and of the popularity of the "poem": ' Oil, whilst !c and 1 wull come to ye, ma lao. — (Applause.) Then there were tho pathetio songs of parting. A Scotsman's tonguo could be very teasing sometimes, and tho tempers of bonnie lasses sometimes turned. Not every lover was (.rue, ar.d Jennie \v;u left lamenting. Hie different way the two ssncs took a disappointment was n von' interesting phase in Scottish poetry. The men tcok it very bitterly, exccpt the man who did r.ct get Roy's wife. Tho lasses in Scottish minstrelsy never had au angry, unkind word to say even when hearti were breakin'. 116 d:d not know all tho English songs, but lie wondered where in all'the world there were songs with tiho motive of '' Hunting-tower," and if there wore any people so cautious as Scottish love-re in testing each other's nfTec-tion.

In the course of his address the speaker recitcd a number of well-known Scottish solids, and generally sueoceded ill dclj-giti-inj a. JLarfio autUeuoa.