OAMARU NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2650, 28 December 1904, Page 22

OAMARU NEWS NOTES. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

OAMARU, December 21. Handel's oratorio, "The Mesjiah," has been given twice in Oamaru in tlie last fewdays. On Sunday evening St. Luke's Church choir, under Mr F. C. Burry's leadership, gave a pleasing rendering of it. The solo 9 were taken by local \ vocalists, and the choruses, supported by the organ, were particularly well renderedThe Oamaru Musical Society, strengthened by Misses Amy Murnhy and Agnes Wilson, Mr R. F. Foster, and the Rev. A. Mitchell, who sang the respective solos, held iis concert in Wear Street Hall on Tuesday evening, the performance being generally regarded as equal to anything ever given here in oratorio music. The soloists were all in good form, Miss Murphy and! Mr Mitchell particularly so, and of the choruses th© " Hallelujah," " For unto us," and " Worthy is the lamb" were generally regarded as Oamaru's high water mark. The members of the Musical Society, after Tuesday evening's rendering, presented theii* conductor, Mr W. EL Rose, with a. silven t-e-a ■service and salver as a testimony to their appreciation of his efforts on behalf of hig-h-class music here. The Oamaru Chamber of Commerce is going to^take the sense of the shopkeepers) of Oamaru on the subject of holding the weekly half-holiday on Saturday or Thursday. There is a movement afoot in 'favour of Saturday, and hen.cc the poll is to b» taken. The offices are already in favour of Saturday. The recent bazaar in aid of the new volunteer hall realised £955, the art union J8194-, and other entertainments and donations £116. The committee will Le c-Wv to place £I?QQ ©p, fixed deport tali it is required.