THE CALEDONIAN ENTERTAINMENTS.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1655, 29 July 1873, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE CALEDONIAN ENTERTAINMENTS.

The entertainment given by the Caledonian Societyon Wednesday, July 2nd,atthe Provincial Hall, may be pronounced to have bean a success. The Hall wts filled on the occasion by a well pleased andienoe, if the applause which greeted the several efforts of the lady and gentlemen amateurs who took part in the performances may be taken as a criterion. The entertainment with its surroundings strongly reminded vs1 of some of those drawing-room displays which it has been our pleasure to witness in another place. The roomy and tastefully decorated stage, with proscenium and drop scenes, had been improvised for the occasion at the' extreme end.of tbe building. The several overtures, choruses, and glees, were rery effectively rendered. The recitations were well delivered, the " Last days of Herculaneum" being greeted with special, well-merited applause. The songs, " The Gloaming is Coming," and " Where is Now the Merry Party?" were each encored, a similar compliment being also paid tbe lady for a song not named in the programme. In like manner the gentleman < who sang " Time, Boys," was complimented, and the piano a?companiments largely contributed to the success of the part songs. The reading entitled " A Comic Domestic Scene " afforded great merriment by tha happy and unctuous way in which the jSkotek foleet *•* dttirwrecU Xta

entertainment was brought to ; a olose by imoh from: the play of" " Roy Boy," and though the chiefs interest centred in the character of BaiUie Nicol Jareey, a part most aptly rendered by the gentleman to whom the character was allotted, the several character! were well and evenly played throughout,; and exhibited, evidences of preliminary pains-taking, on the part of the lady and gentlemen who played in the piece whioh made it what it was, a thorough success. ~ ... On July ,9th, the above Sooiety.gave another entertainment at the Provincial Hall; .whioh was even better attended than on the last occasion. "The Cameronian Quadrilles," and '".the,1 Corn-Fl&wer Waltz," were.most pleasingly rendered by the band, and the closing piece " the Caledonian Quadrilles," entrusted to two instrumentalists, only, was the best thing that has been heard in Kelson for many a day, receired marked approbation, and was loudly encored at its termination. The ohoruses were tolerably gif en, but there was an evidence of their hvring been insufficiently practised, and they wanted spirit. The comic song of " the Complaints;" relating '■ all the ills that flesh is 1 heir to," and a'good many over, was very humorously rendered by an old; farorite. and indefatigable amateur, who is erer foremost in taking a share of the work of entertaining his fellow-oititens. Of the songs, although all were excellently rendered, , that of " Ask me not Why," and•• the Blind Girl to I her Harp," were specially commended and encored. Much praise was also given to the way in whioh the song of " 'Tis when to Sleep" was sung, and it was ;j) also heartily encored. The. duet of "As it fell upon a"; Day" was evenly and correctly maintained in its parts throughout, and was most warmly applauded. " Rule • Britannia" received a somewhat unusual encore, leaving it doubtful whether the. loyalty of tin audience or'the appreciation of the soloist prompted the demonstration.- The recitation of " The Progress of Sfadness," whioh was entrusted to the gentleman who on the last occasion' gained so many welldeserved' ehooniams in " The Last ..Days of Heron* laneum," added fresh laurels' to his reputation as an elooutionist, and was received' with considerable applause. The comic readings, one. of them being in answer to an encore; were very humorously done, and earned-most deterred applause. The dramatic selections were pronounced to be even better done than on'the last occasion, and they elicited oonsiderable praise/ • ■ , ■ ,

THE TITINIO IRON and STEEL COMPANY Ok the 9th July, we were ihown. a specimen, of iron smelting from.the.Taranaki TiUnio and Iron Company's wojfce, consisting of. a bar 22 inches in • length, and. 2£ "inches square, weighing 321bi., and giviug'forth a fine'bell-like tone on being ■truck. This" specimen-was produced from'Taranaki iron-aaud and iron-stone. Even as a first eastitig it has been pronounoed by competent judges to be a satisfactory , proof that the difficulties which hare hitherto attended the smelting operations of previous companies are at length entirely snrmqunted by the admixture of hematite, or. iron-stone, by the -proper flux having been aocurately ascertainly, and by the employment of thoroughly skilled labor, the last being a desideratum | which it is laid has not previously been secured. The , Government has granted, five thousand aeires of bush land at the .Wait&ra for, smelting purposes, at a small yearly' oharga, and'the proceeds are to be expended; on j road-making ;in the -district. The ■Waitara rirer offers great 'facilities for water carriage, in the various operations .of the Company, as j the Patterson steamer is enabled to go as far up as ! will be required. Mr. Tat ton. we understand, brought most ;of the facts herein stated (as to the admixture of iron ore with the sand in the manufacture) .before the General Assembly.''last year, and will shortly proceed with a series of experiments for the purpose of ascertaining from which district the ore will be most desirable to be procured, and in the meantime be has been; appointed the Nelson agent for the Tarahaki' Company, to whom we wish increasing,success. It is encouraging.to find by the late Australian telegrams that the iron and other mineral deposits in this Province are now attracting considerable public attention in Melbourne, and that Victorian, capital and enterpriso is likely to be obtained in assisting local! efforts put fortk to. derelope our mineral resources.