The World’s Wonderland.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 25, 25 September 1894, Page 3

The World’s Wonderland.

Our readers will be pleased to learn that Mr Herbert-Jones, F.R.Q.S., who has been drawing crowded audiences in Auckland with his brilliant lectures on “ Our Country, the World’s Wonderland,” will visit Opunake on Monday, October Ist. Mr Herbert-Jones’ lectures on the British Colonies are well known in England, having attracted much attention, and called forth golden opinions from prominent men and from the press, he having lectured for leading societies from New-castle-on-Tyne to Plymouth. No dioramic lectures for many years have attracted so much interest as those delivered by this gentleman recently at Auckland; the papers there describe them as among the best ever heard in the city, and they are beautifully illustrated by 200 limelights views, which are described as the finest and most repretentative collection of New Zealand views yet exhibited. His Excellency the Governor presided on the first occasion, and the City Hall, the largest in Auckland, was crowded with an audience that expressed its delight with the lectures and the pictures by enthusiastic cheering. This was followed by other phenomenally successful appearances at the City Hall and the Opera House, the chairmen being the Mayor, the Bishop,

and Mr C. E. Button, M.H.R., respectively. Mr Herbert-Jones has tiavellcd over New Zealand very extensively, few men more so probably, bis object being to acquire as thorough a knowledge as possible of the colony for tbe purposes of his platfoun and journalistic work in Europe. It will be interesting to hear the impressions he has formed of the colony, and what he is going to say about it in the old land. Of his abilities on the platform, the North Devon Journal speaks thus: “Mr Herbert-Jones’ lectures are fine examples of word painting. He has a fascinating story to tell, and he tells it in a manner that cannot fail to delight his audience. He is a vivacious, attractive and versatile speaker, with a fine voice, and a store of rich, racy Saxon speech.” Mr Herbcrt-Jones gave two dioramic lectures in New Plymouth for the Taranaki Scenery Preservation Society in July, and is giving two more this week. He is at present attending the funeral of King Tawhiao. A treat of an unusual order is evidently in store, and we venture to predict a very large audience. This will be the first time that a powerful limelight exhibition has been given in Opunake.