TAIERI BURNS CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 13

TAIERI BURNS CLUB.

The Taieri Burns Club held its anniversary concert on Thursday, and was greeted with a large and appreciative audience, about 400 .persons being present. Mr D. Reid (president) occupied the chair, and there were also on the platform Mr D. Reid, jun., M.H.R., Dr Gordon Macdonald, the Mayor of Mosgiel (Mr T. Aitken), Major Andrew, and Messrs W. Brown (secretary Dunedin Burns Club), F. Marshall. A. Callender, W. Jaffray, W. Kirkland, and G. B. Anderson (representing the old identities), L. Langlands (secretary Early Settlers' Association), and J. J. Ramsay (&ecr&tary (Taieri Burns Club). Dr Gordon Macdonald was the speaker of the evening. He commenced by congratulating the town of Mosgiel on the possession of such a fine Burns Club, and then referred to the fact that Mosgiel was redolent of Burns, and the Burns Club there ought to be the premier chib of the colony. — (Applause.) He next made reference to the qualities they had received from their ancestors — patience and perseverance, — and from their patron saint Robbie Burns — everything necessary for sociability. He felt sure the men and women of the Taieri, who had converted the bogs and quagmires of the Taieri into smiling homesteads, were nob the people to fail in establishing a lasting and live Burns Club. The doctor then referred to the value of such a club as an educative factor, especially in encouraging the young to put to tise their talents, musical or otherwise. Had there been no Robert Burns there woiild have been no Taieri Burns Club, and Mosgiel would have been the poorer. Burns had taught us to love the beautiful in everything. He taught us to admire what was pure and true, as was lr. stanced in his poem "My Nannie, O." Pie (the doctor) challenged anyone to find in the English language anything givirg a nobler idea of woman than these lines. — " Her face is fair, her heart i 3 true, As spotless as she's bonnie, O! The opemn' gowan, wat wi' dew, Nae fairer is than Nannie O. ' Then Burns had taught us love of patriotism, for what Scotsman could read " Scots Wha Has" and not feel his bosom swell? He had also written the very finest ode for personal independence — "A man's a man for a' that." Bums also taught us to love the good, for no poem breathed nobler lehgion than " The Cottar's Saturday Night, ' and no man had been more denunciatory of hypocrisy, whilst none was readier to recognise his own weaknesses, nor was anyone more repentant when he had gone astray. Burns had all the best qualities of all our best men. The poet had given a true definition of love. The lealm of love embraced the whole of Natuie, and Burns had given it voice. Bxirns was the best teacher and the noblest man that Scotland had produced. — (Applause.) Scotsmen never forgot their patriotism, go where they might. Dr Macdonald brought an excellent and interesting address to a close by quoting Sir Walter Scott's verses in the " Lay of the Last Minstrel," beginning "Oh Caledonia stern and wild."

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the doctor on the motion of ths president, who said the address \\?s an excellent one, and deserved the plaudits of the audience, and these were heartily given.

The musical programme was opened with a Scottish selection, " Meet me on the gowan lea," by the Taieri Bums Club choir (conducted by Mr Thomas N-sil). Mr Foster (Dunedm) sang in a spirited manner " The battle of Stirling," being loudly applauded by the truel'earted Scotsmen who had "gathered" there. As an encore he sang " Come into the garden, Maud." Needless to say Mrs Lemon, who is a favourite with a Mosgiel audience, leceived a well-deserved round of applause for her rendition of "Ye banks and braes.'' Mr Htigh Wright followed and sang with much effect " Kings of the road." As an encore he repeated the last versa. Hiss Jean Dunsmuir's sing-

ing of " Doon the burn, Davie, lad," was a rare treat, and no doubt brought back happy memories to the old identities present, nor was she less successful in her encore numbar " I wonder wha'll be my man," Mr Musker's rendition of " The deil's awa wi' the exciseman" was also loudly applauded, and he had to submit to an encore, in which he was equally successful. Miss Emily Duff secured the vociferous plaudits of the audience for her eiriging of '' Here's a health, bonnie Scotland, to thee." Mr A. "Wright's splendid rendition of

spirited close. The following items wcrs given "Scotland yet" brongh. the first part tc a in the second part- — "Loch Lomond," Mr Musker; "Bide a wee," Miss Dunsmuir; " The bugler," Mr H. Wright (encored) ; " Jock ©' Hazeldean," Mrs Lemon (encored) ; " Tha Macgregors' gathering," Mr Foster (encored); " Jessie's di-eam," Miss Duff. After hearty votes of thanks and an item had been given by. | the choir " Auld lang syne" brought the conI cert to a close.