STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8950, 5 December 1890, Page 3

STRATFORD.

[fbom our resident agent. J

December 4. — The annual entertainment for the benefit of the school prize fund was brought off with more than usual success on Friday last. The Hall was & crammed, and the programme, though somewhat short, owing to the failure of Bundry local artistes to put in their promised appearance, was of a high average of merit. Mr x E. Burgess, Chairman of the School Committee presided, and having made a few introductory remarks, called for the first item, which was a chorus by six of the young ladies attending the school. This was very sweetly and correctly rendered,' and earned a well deserved encore. Mr Harre next gave, with all the spirit and verve for which he is famed, the fine old " Bonnets of Bonnie Dundee." Mr Frank Cramer then addressed a few musical remarks to the girls •which I trust they will take seriously to heart A character sketch " The Quack Doctor," by Mr Kodgers, followed, and ,*""Mised much amusement, not unmixed ;yI.A awe at the doctor's extraordinary verbosity. The next item, a duet, "The Larboard Watch," by Messrs Davies and Doughty was the gem of the evening, and N obtained an imperative encore. Mr jCrowhurst came next with a recitation in character "Shamus O'Brien," and was followed by Messrs Francis and Cramer in their now celebrated sand jig, Mr A. Leech then gave a comic song to his own accompaniment, but was not nearly so well appreciated as ho deserved. The song, describing the misfortunes of an individual with a superabundance of names, is of the type of comic songs, humorous without vulgarity, and with a " catchy" tune, and certainly lost nothing from Mr Leech's rendering. After a short interval, the curtain rose for a farce " Slocum's . Dog " j in which the characters were taken by j Messrs Kodgers, F. Cramer, and Francis, j It is nottoo much to say that the audience was in roars of laughter from start to finish. At its conclusion Mr Davies gave " The Laughing Chorus," and Mr Harre the old favorite " Tullochgorum." The Hall was then cleared, and dancing set in with the usual severity. The proceeds will run into £8 or £9, 1 understand. The accident to Mrs Hassell, I am glad to state, was not nearly so serious as reported. Mrs Hassell was stepping' out of a trap and got a somewhat severe strain through placing her foot on an insecure log. There appears to have been someone at work lately concocting sensational bits of news. I was shocked the other day while returning from Elthamto hear that Dr. Cockerton had fractured his skull, with fatal results, and was proportionately gratified on arriving home to find that the doctor had just passed, looking none the worse . for tbe little mishap. Hoaxes of this sort are poor fun at the best, and sometimes produce very serious results. Tenders are called for the erection of a schoolhouse for the Primitive Methodist body. I presume the building will also be tised as a temporary church. The Hall will then have lost all its Sunday patrons, with the exception of the Salvation Army. The athletic sports are to be held on Marcb 17th, St. Patrick's Day, at which, no doubt, his saintship will feel honored. To avoid any jealousy St. Andrew hasbeen " squared" by giving the athletic club the title of the Stratford Caledonian Society, and St. George cannot think himself slighted, as he is expected to find the money. St. David is out of it, and were I a Welshman, 1 should advocate the holding (let the consequences be what they might) of an Eistedfodd as a counterattraction. The.elections will be over before this is r in print, and, whatever the result, the country may be congratulated — on thenbeing over.