PALMERSTON AND SHAG VALLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 14

PALMERSTON AND SHAG VALLEY.

(FROM OUR OWN CORBSBPONDHNT.

The Bbnbvolbnt Institution. — The annual concert in aid of the funds of the Benevolent Institution to >tc lUce on Friday, 6th inst As is always the case with respect to local entertainments, the public turned out in large numbers from this and the surrounding dist -lets, for, as our worthy Mayor remarked at the close of the entertainment, there are probably few distiicts in New Zealand which respond more warmly to the appeal of charity than we do. But if the large audiunco thvj gathered in the town hall was viewed with much satisfaction ltom a financial po'nt of view it wa3 also the cause of a good deal of inconvenience as regarded sitting room. At a quarter-past 7 sharp the do >rs wero opuned, and in le a than a- quarter of an hour the Committee were at) their wits' cad to find nests for the crowds who continued to pour in, and in the long run lots had to be content with standing roam. Those whose exrerienceof this feature of local concerts had taught 'them the value of punctuditv regarded tho position of their mare dilatory friends with much complacency from their Beata at the fron*, and many a Job's consolation, " Didn't 1 tell you so ? ' was to be heard. A number of reaerved seats at 6s were disposed of. The curtain rose at a-quarter to 8 o'clock, and it was nearly half-past 12 before the conclusion—an exvesslve time being takep up by a gift distribution which followed the entertainment From the gift distribution between £15 and £16 was realised. In this part of the programme the liberality of the country people was eminently displayed —bags of oats, potatoes, carrots, &c., pairs of fowls aad ducks, and other articles of agricultural produce being distributed with astonishing frequency. The number of hotels in the town was shown by the auantity of bottles ot ale, potter, &c. that the stage displayed, and owing to the length of tine that the audience was detained several ot tho recipients of the said b -ttles found it necessary to make an adj aurament to the ante-room and exterior of the hall, from which they returned wi' h vlsib'y increased cheerfulness. The contribution of the -shag Point dial Company and their employeß deserves special mention. Ten tons of coal, delivered at Palmerston, were given by the Company, the miners bringing the coal to the surface and tracking 'it gratis. This will raise the gift f Un<i to about £20. As regards the cone rt itself, it was decidedly creditable to all concerned. After an overture by the band, which Was well appreciated", the comedy "booing In Jest "was proceeded with. Mr and Mr Halliwell did thorough justice to the parts of Uncle arid nephew respectively, Mr Qrowo acting as Thomas, and the part of Mrs Witchlngton being well filled by a lady amateur; this being her second appearance before a local aqdienoe. ?or

variety a short programme of ronga, recitations, Ac. wau then gone through. A reading from Shakespeare by Mr Halley was given in a manner that surprise I a grecit many, and '•be applause ituvrked wan thorouirhlv genuine ILr Hjghes <-avu the " Lit'le Brown Jug" in character, and Mr Maxwe'.l earned a good reputation by hi* soog " The Anchor's Wiighed." A pianoforte solo by Mfcs Jeatett wss lib tuned to with an attention that was in itself a decided compliment to that Udy'd uxtcu ion ; and a stump speech by Mr Summer.-, as a '• burnt corkist" created som-i arauuomeiit, though not in the way iha? gin<leman in tended. After soma eled-ions by tho baud, the farce. "My Turn Next" was brought on, aud created unlimited uproar. To Mr Lcvi was entrusted the pa t of TAraxicum r witters and he proved h mseU indeed the rtgnt man in the rl:ht plaea. The pieacncoof Mr A. Lawson a3 Tom Boiua made thingij almoat too funny. The other gontlemen— Mensrs Crowe and Guthrio were good expoiients of their parts, and tho ladien who represented Lydia, Cicely, and Peggy fulfilled the beat expectations of their friends, la some places a little unpleasantness waa engendered by the action of the Committee in making all those who took part pay for tickets of admlss on - a decision Ido not tnink they were justified in. The cause of charity is a poweiful one, but to make perfor.uern pay to be allowed to perform gratis seems far-fetched and absurd, and one cannot be the least surprised thot some of the porformew v ere somewhat aggrieved at such a strange proceeding. I think the Committee allowed their eagerness to get a larga sum to override their discretion in this matter. About £75 will be handed over to the Benevolent Institution.

Our Band.— The audience in the Town Hall on Friday nigaC was not slow to recognise a great improvement in the local band. The bind is now in a very creditable state cf efficiency, thanks to tho diligence of the members and the unremitting cars and attention of the bandmaster, Mr Tweedie. A number of the old players hive drifted away, and as thtir places tuva been filled by several "nev beginners" there has evidently been a lot of steady werk gono through. Our band haa mvre than once aiready died a natural death, and I am afraid tho reason is we do no) appreciate or enoourasre it wheu we possess cue. The outside public grumble if they are asked to contribute a reuny to its hupport, usteriy forgutting thai* it is they and not the members who benefit by its existence. Siirely if the bandsmen give their services— and that is no mean gratuity— tho district- should supply the lands to delr&y necessary expenditure. , , Football.— A fairly strong football club has been ' urbanised in the district, ijome of the members make a mule turn greau with envy- at kickiug.