AROUND THE WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 51

AROUND THE WORLD.

(From Otago Witness Specials.)

Hokitika, April 28. Dear Bis,— Bates and Fitzpatrick's Rotophotosco'pe (another "Kiney") Company are somewhere about Coalopolis. They were billed at the local Princess the other night, but evidently the " 3000 ft of film shown nightly " was too large a contract for our railway engines, for the show didn't presolve. The talent supporting the "SOOOit of film shown nightly " (think of it!) includes C. Evans, billed as "the" silver fceiiuer, ' (that's a double fiver), Criss Hansen, "just the plain comedian"; C. Brocklethurst, *' coajurer and illuaionist " ; M'G-ee and M'Grath, "in their marvellous double Irish tuins." t By the way, this makes the tenth " Kiney." show now travelling Moaland.

Wanganui, April 5. Dear Bis, — Airived here last week, via New Plymouth, and I again take up my cudgel to write to the only one. Wanganui has had a visit from Broncho G-eorge and his Wild " Worst " ! Show. It swooped down upon the town tent nnd baggage (the one horse required being duly • borrowed from the livery stables) and it took Broncho G-eorge all his time to lasso sufficient shekels to get away from the town decently. To describe the " drama fails me, but can 3-011 imagine a man filling himself up with Pink Pills, M'Kay Rum, Vitadatio Whisky, and Seigle's Beer for a month? Well, what he would see and be at the end of that period would convex some idea of life in the dismal per-rye-ei-ree, as depicted by Broncho George and His satellites. It is a pity to see an artist like Miss Polly Robertson (Mrs Harry Crawford) with a show, of this description.

Britannia throbs once more with life,

Her foes you've helped her to o'erthrow; A token that in future strife, Where'er hei foes are, you will go. The Wanganui Garrison Band received a complimentary concert last week, and had a good house, considering the wretched weather. The iiucas-Huddleston combination is playing round the small towns to smaller business. On the day o£ my arrival here I dropped into the Municipal Opera House, and met "the genial and couiteous manager, Mr Charles Voss, who is looking better aad thinner than ever. Charles ocasionally gets a slight twinge of the gout, but he says that he doesn't mind it, as it keeps him awake for business ! The following are the bookings at the Opera House for May : —

Cornwall Bellringers — May 8 and 9. Cooper's Kinematograph — May 11 to 13. Walter Bentley— May 18 to 20. Eev. Charles Clark— May 21 to 25. Wanganui Liedertafel — May 31. Several others are pencilled in. The above dales prove the genial Charley's good management, and furthermore hs is ever forwarding the interests of all companies visiting "Wanganui. Mr Voss intends shortly to stage '-' The Octoroon.'"' I wish him good luck, and thank him on behalf of "the Old Reliable" for his courtesy. George Harpur and Brandon Cremer have, I notice, joined the Henry Dramatic Company. Bob Henry should find them very useful nicni■foera. Mr Charles Lennard Naylor, " the cuckoo," with the John S'tofel Moustachio, is playing up and down this coast "to varying business. They have' the plague here— not the bubonic, but the-patriotic-song-author variety. Here is the latest sample, signed by W. "R. Taylor, M.A., music by J. Patterns Mninmg, and dedicated to his Excellency the Governor!

COLONIAL PATRIOTS

They left the Southern Hemisphere, The land of Southern Cross and sun. From Queensland came wjthout n, tear

And aimed themselves with sword and gun. From Canada they came by =coies, Exchanging cold for burning heat, IteFolved to fi^ht on Afric shores,

, To &avc then Motherland defeat*

CHORUS. No p?y they asked, no reason why, Unselfish to the Flag they came, They knew 'twas theirs to do or die, Their Mother's foes to put to shame.

They left New Zealand's sunny land, They bade farewell to New South Wales, And history in language grand Shall tell posterity the tales, How in their mother's direst neec 1 , Her loyal sons came flocking round, And how they wrought a noble deed, And Maddocks's name shall long resound.

Oh! Greater Britain's greater sons, O daughters of a Mother dear, No dastards ye! You faced the guns And shells, without a thought of fear

Mr Ancelon's Dramatic Company, headed 105' Walter Bentley, should do big business here, as Wangsnuites have had 110 drama since the departure ot Bland Holt. They are also looking forward to a visit from the Henry Dramatic Company

Mr Charles Holloway has already booked for March-, 1901. Wishing ycm (the only Bis), and " the Old Reliable, ions of luck, — Yours truly, JIBLET G-ULLIVAN, ESQ.

Kxtmara, West Coast, April 25

Dear Bis, — Since I wrote you last we have been having a bad time with the weather. It took five days foi the s.s. Haupiri to land us in Greymouth, from Picton. So far we have, I am pleased to say, been doing excellent business in spite of the weather.

It is with regret I heai of the death, three weeks ago, of Digby Andrews, the well-known hotel proprietor ai-cl caterer for the profesh at his popular eptobii-jhrnent, the Coach and Horses Hotel, Nelson.

Felix Tanner, the one-time fasting man, 'is hereabouts, interested in the dredging boom.

The Corrick family of talented musicians had a packed house at Hokitika on Friday last. 1 am making a hit v/ith a song, written by Will Watkins, of Fuller's Waxworks, — Yours tmly, ,

HARRY BAXTER