The Highland Society of Southland.

Southland Times, Issue 15034, 31 August 1901, Page 2

The Highland Society of Southland.

The fifth annual social gathering was held j m Ashley's Hall yesterday evening, when the building was completely filled by Highlanders, and the 9ons of Highlanders, from all over Southland and even from further afield. The local Society is in a flourishing condition, and this annual re-union is one of its most important functions. The sougs and the stories and the lilting of the pipes recall to those who have long left their native hhores cherished memories of home, of the storm-beaten mountains and rocks, of rippling burns and the scent of the heatherladen hills and glens. The Society is doing worthy work and is helping to instil into young New Zealanders a love for the literature, music, and proud traditions of the old land of the heather and " the lang yellow broom.'' An enthusiasm was infused into the event that delighted those who would 3ee with pain and anxiety any sign that the Society was losing its power, or that the young people wore careless and indifferent to the history and traditions of the land of their ancestors. Happily the gathering was a complete success, and must have gratified the hearts (rf those most devotedly attached to grand old Scotland. 'Jke Chief, Mr Arch. MeKellar, occupied the chair, and representatives from kindred societies were also present. Apologies were read from the Rt. Hon. R J. Seddon, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Mr J. A. Hanau, M.ri. R., kindred societies who were unable

to send representatives, and 21 others, who regretted their absence and expressed the heartiest good wishes towards the Society. During the evening very able and interesting addresses were delivered by Mr W. G. Mehaffey and the Very Rev. Dean Burke. The Rev. J.^A. Luxford was also on the programme for an address on " The Highland Temperament," but illness prevented his being present. Mr Mehaffey contributed a most enjoyable address on "Highland Humour," and the nuniorous stories recounted were admirably told. He said that the Rev. Sydney Smith had put it ou record that there was nn humour north of the Tweed. This was hardly correct, and the reason was probably because the humour of the Cockney was uot the humour of the Highlander. The humour of the latter must have in it something of the intellectual, or it had no effect. It was of the quiet kind. There was nothing boisterous about it, while the English humour was boisterous or nothing. Yet when Donald was angry his humour sparkled enough, and it was as well to keep out of his reach for his hand waa heavy, his eye keen, and his tongue— well, a hurricane. Mr Mehaffey illustrated the various phases of the Highlander's humour with excellently selected stories, which lost nothing in the telling, and his address was punctuated with roars of laughter and load applause. The Very Key, Dean Burke said writers j on rhetoric told them that wit was i'ldetinabl.-. It was a thing that could not be j c.iughi and Celtic wit wns inexhaustible. W nters on the subject placed wit, humour, the comical, the ridiculous and tho ludicrous under the general heading of humour. But there was a distinction. Wit had in it always something that was conscious. ,t was a conscious exercise of the mind playing upon some incongruity which it saw. Humour, oftentimes, was unconscious. There was also the distinction between wit in books and popular wit and popular humour. The English were regarded as people without wit or humour, and yet English literature was full of both, as in Chaucer, Shakespeare, Addison, Fope, Thackeray, DickeDa and many others. There was a vast distinction between the wit of the Irish and the Scotch. Tbe wit of the Irish was droll, cutting, satirical ; it came in a flash ; a kind of inspiration. Scottish wit was cool, critical, analytical, grounded on common sense ; its root and soil was logic ; it had sagacity and the power of taking in surroundings. The speaker illustrated each point with a telling story, and he kept the audience in a simmer of laughter, while he spoke in a graceful, fluent manner that made his address a pleasure to listen to. j

The Rev. Father O'Neill, president of the Milton Gaelic Society, delivered a short but eloijiiont and witty speech. He spoke of the revival of the Gaelic tongue that had commenced, and he thought it was a shame that such a language should have been allowed to L'raduafly die away. Gaelic was equal to Sanscrit or ('reck or Latin for its genius, its flexibility and its completeness. There uere 4UOO young people in Ireland today who could speak tho tunguo, aud 200 schools were now teaching it. The authorities, in their effort to foster the language, were al>o offering a capitation of 10s tor every child who could speak Gaelic up to the necessary standard of efficiency. He hoped that the movement would be taken up hero, and already he waa leaching some of tho boys under him the rudiments of the tongue. Ho had proposed to his good Norman friend the 1 .e\\ Dean Burke, who was more Celtic

than tho Celts, that lie should take up this movement and be had consented to do so. (Loud applause.)

A few rema-ks were also made by his Worship the Mayor, Mr C. S. Longuet, Chieftam Dugald MoPherson (Dunedin), Mr John McDonak. (Otago Gaelic Sooiety), and Mr Donald MoLennan (Oamaru Caledonian Society).

The concert programme was a very heavy one, and pcrlnjis a fault that should be remedied next year was the length of this part of the proceedings. The items were all got. Unci will gi.-en. but the audience was plainly wearied before the close. The Society's bard. Mr A -eh. McArthur (Woodlands), contributed a couple of Gaelic songs which afforded delight to thoae who understood them, and the number who joined in the chorus showed ihat the language w«_ not ao dead a.t many thought. Mr T. C. Irving sang "Tbe iigblandman's Toast" capitally, anc in " Tho Silent Toast" Mr G. ('.Branson was lv. ard to fine advantage. Mr W . Ferguscn wan loudly applauded for his laudable vie lin solo, which introduced a number of rrelodies and national dances, which set the e!d people stamping the floor. Mrs Blue sang "The Garb of Old Gaul" with fine effect and in her other number was equklly successful. Miss Annie Smith sang <• noun the burn, Davie Lad' very prettily, and pleased equally in her second item. Miss D. MeKay (longbush) _ng a Gaelic song, and Mrs John Frasor (Waimatuku) gave a Gaelic reading, whilt a piano solo by Mrs W .. c T 11 .*- h \\" 4 %vie '- 1 " 0 * Pleasing item. Mrb. W. Wright supplied the humorous element with great .access and created roars of laughter md applause. The ripe Band under Lieut. Kenneth Cameron played two stirring selections which were an enjoyable feature that was much appreciated. Mrs Wood aoted as accompanist and fulfilled her duties to the satisfaction of all. The floor was toon cleared and dancing indulged in till m ,_rly hour with great zest, when tho lusty singing of "Auld Lang Syne •; brougl t the happy «< gathering of the dans to a .uccess ful conclusion. The ball music was s ipplieo by Mesdames Wood and Blue s bam , and the music for the Grand March by the Southland Pipe Band, whilo the catering, in th . hands of Messrs Kingsland and Son, was ali that could be desired.