LOYAL orange INSTITUTION

Southland Times, Issue 17784, 13 July 1916, Page 5

LOYAL orange INSTITUTION

ANNUAL CELEBRATION. The annual celebration of the Jx>yal Orange Institution took the form this year of a grand patriotic concert, which was held in the Municipal Theatre last evening, the proceeds of which are to bfe devoted to the Red Cross and Navy Relief Funds. The Tlieatre was crowded In every part. 1 The Chairman (the Rev.’ S. Henderson) in the course of his opening remarks, said that the qualifications required of a man before he could become a member of the Institution gave an indication of the kind of men which the Orangemen comprised. They had got to be good, true and loyal men, and he could truly say that in no paVt of the British Empire that day were, there more loyal subjects than the members of the Institution, and they might be perfectly satisfied that Orangemen were loyal and true to their King and the Empire. In the present great struggle they knew that the Orange Institution stood by the King. Many of them were fighting, and those who were not able to go to the front were doing wliat they could in other ways. He referred with great pleasure to the progress made recently by the Allies, and said that he believed that the day was not far distant when we would have a great victory, and would pay the enemy back in their own coin. He welcomed those present;, and hoped that they would spend a profitable and enjoyable evening. The only other speaker was the Bev. R. C. Hunter, M.A. Mr Hunter quoted the meaning of a patriot, viz., “a man who loves and serves his country.” They must not, he said, fall into any narrow conception of the meaning; let them avoid narrowness. Surely it was a wise providence that had implanted in the heart of everpr man a hunger for his native land, it mattered not where a man was horn, there was the hunger, and no matter how far one might travel that feeling would come forth. Speaking of patriotism, Mr Hunter said that it had frequently been used as a cloak under which depredations of every kind, including murders, had been committed. That was because they loved but did not serve. He took exception to the statement that a man should stand by his country right or wrong. It was far better that a country should utterly die, provided it died for liberty and in defence of its pledged word, than that it should live by trickery. He would be a bold man who could say that Britain had always been in the right, but in the struggle to-day we were in the right. (Applause.) Therefore, the call was more pressing to-day that we should serve and love. It was typical that we should quarrel amongst ourselves —brothers always quarrelled—but let any outsider Interfere with us, and they would see wliat would happen. He hoped that they would always stand shoulder to shoulder and rend the oppressor; that long might, the union be preserved, and that the Hag would continue to Hotter in the breeze. Britain was strong today, because she was united. There were many other ways of serving one’s country than with sword and gun. They could do so by sacrifice, and the money subscribed that night might go a long way towards bringing to a successful issue the present frightful war.—(Applause. ) During the evening a Union Jack was auctioned by Mr G. C. A. Todd, the following being the purchasers; — At 12 2/-. —The Mayor (Mr D. McFarlane), Mrs D. McFarlane, Messrs \V. Couser, G. W. Edwards, Nolile, Toung, and Mrs S. Lawrence.

At £1 ]/-. —Messrs Thompson, .las. Smith, D. Brown, Geo. Munro,W. Agnew, A. Cameron, Compton, .7. McNeece, Freddy, Moore, Judge, Wallace, and Mrs Boyce. At jo/., —R e v. S. Henderson, Messrs Meredith, Todd, Douglas, Mrs Ewart, Mrs Hires, Messrs 11. Burgess, Brungot, Barnes, Gordon, Brass, *l. Mitchell, Young, .1. Burgess, and ••Jimmy” (.Chinamao). At —Mr Agnew, Mrs Hamilton, Mrs Colbran. Messrs Lyons, (Jordon, A. Campbell, Mrs ’Thompson, Mrs Gordon, and Mrs Black. The Hag was finally purchased by Mr T. Patterson (Hokonui) at £4 15/-. In addition a liberal "shower" of coin was experienced, £9 fi/3 being obtained from that source, so that altogether, apart from the admission money, the Bed Cross and Navy Relief Funds will jointly benefit to the extent of £52 3/3. Apart from the worthiness of the object the entertainment was one that was cheap at the prices of admission charged, there not being a. single weak item on a. lengthy programme, and encorses were the order of the evening. Prior to the concert the Bth Itegimental Baynd played through the principal streets, and also rendered a selection in the Theatre veri finely. The following contributed items; Song (“Song of the Bow”;, Mr F. Cooper: song ("Carnival”), Mrs Thompson; song (“Comrades Side by Side"), Mr John Murray; humorous recitation, Mr J. D. Gilmore: song (“Ireland”), Mrs J. Pentman; song (“Drake Goes West ), Mr Howard C. 7<'oster: Dutch song and dance. Miss D. McClatchey; song (“Not Because Your Heart is Mino”), Miss L. Officer; song (“Homeland”). Mr Howard C. Foster; song, Mrs Thompson; violin solo, Mr Inglis Todd: song( "Till the Boys Come Home”).Miss M. tSkipworth. Miss N. I Jay, A.T7C.L., acted as accompanist in her usual accomplished style, and an efficient orchestra under Mr Inglis Todd rendered two selections very pleasingly. A decided feature of the entertainment was the ve.ntriloquial interlude by Mr A. Credgington and ids marionette "MeGJnty." This was a really clever and enjoyable turn, and "McGinty" had the audience in paroxysms of mirth with his quaint witticisms and local allusions. A capital entertainment was brought to a conclusion in the usual patriotic manner.