GERALDINE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1477, 16 June 1879, Page 2

GERALDINE.

LFROM ODE OVTS COEEESPONDENT. ] The first of a series of entertainments to be giren under the auaoicei of St. Mary's Parochial Association, Geraldine, took place on Tueslav evening last, m the Oddfellows' Hall. The Committee of Management had put forth every effort to mske the concert a success, and they cannot bat feel gratified at tho result of their labors. The roim was well filled m evt-ry part, the front seats being crowded, and the programme , which was a good one, was camel out to the eatitfaction of every one present. In the absence of the Sev. J. Preston, whose duties m connection with the parish called him into the Mackenzie Country, Mr Postlethwaite kindly took the chair, and briefly stated the object of the entertainment, which was to provide funds to help to defray the debt on the Church of England parsonage. The following programme was then gone through : — The first ilem was a pianoforte solo by Miss Campbell, which was played m a rery spirited manner. This wag followed by a part song " O, who will o'e* ths Downs M Free." sung by Mm Morrison, Messrs Eckford, Gibson, and Hughes, and, considering the amount of practice had, was

m I •••■! v.r- cf-'-iiu-'i". A ■int.;, ■'•■ill 1 ' We ;.' l y Me' r Kck oH »nd TTngli-o, ami ft a.np by Mi.-c Younjr, "Hie Lover und Mv Hird '■ c nn.- next.. Ihe i iitor wns vcr nicely fiuif, and elicited nn incorii. Mr* Kindly then gave a r cita'i nf om ihe. " ' -Proliant of "Venic ," ami Mr» Nolile u.tun\i, " Nancy life, ' both being w.-il ru/cived, tin- song <al ing f n h an .-"corn Then followed one of the chief fi-iittircß of th • cnlcr!ainni<-nt, n, duet entitled "Tlii- Si-teis," by the Misses Coi. Tie munner m which thia was rendered elicited continued rounds of nppbiueo from the audience, and whi-h were certainly welJ -rented. An interval of lun nv.nutea waa given hore. Tho ecord portion of Ilin entertainment opored with a piam>forto polo by Miss Fish, played with her usual bHII and good tußtc This lady, tun, kindly acted a? accompanist to the urpatcr portion of tho entertainment, and certainly deserves the thanks of tne different performers for tho manner m which sho performed tho duty. A song, " O.uissima," by Sir Kckfor.l, and a duet by Mrs Pearpoint und Mr Rutland followed, each receiving a share of applause from tho audience. Next came a song by Mils Young, who appeared to bo v great favorite. A recitation of Mr Mundell and " Old Simon the Cellarer," by Mr Rutland, who3e pinging is always popular, followed. Mr Eckfo-d then sang " The Cameron Men," and wns succeeded by MrTombs, who sang " Bet^y Gay," m rhnraeter. Another duet, " Cinderi-lla," by tho Misses Coi, was certainly the gem of tho evening. The 6tory of Cinderella m rhyme, set to music to popular tunes, among which wcro "The Vagabond," " Tho Minstrel Boy," " Thrci' Blind Mice," &c, were given m a manner that charmed o-eryone, and received a hoirty encore. Then followed a recitation by Mr Mundell, which wa3 well received. " Tho Canadian Bout Song," b\ Messrs Oibeon, Kokford, nnd Ilu-Jino, with "God Save tho Queen," toriniiialed the progriimme. Before closing, Pr Fish proposed a vote of thanks to tho performers, which was carried with acclamation. It is proposed to hold these entertainments monthly, and should the future ones provo m successful as tho firet one, they must provo a source of entertainment to tho public and satisfactory m every wny to tho promoters. Tho proceeds of the entortainment amounted to upwards of £12. The township hns been lately visited by numerous searchers after valuation rolls for the Land Tax. These persons, on tho whole, do not hoar cheorful countenances, and I am informed that "objection forms" are at a premium. From what one sees and hears, nini! out of every ten, if not tho whole ten in'.cnd to object on divers grounds. I wns told by a fnrnier the oilier day that he ecriouely thought that the beet Ihit-g tho Government could do was to take his " bit of land" altogether, as ho had already three sepurate taxes to pny, and that the future did nut look especially bright m the way of taxation. Theso tuxes were Road Board, River Conservators, and Land Tux, with an "embryo " income tax m the look-out. The Land Tux Valuators, or Commissioner.*, or whoever aro m authority, seem determined to add m ult to injury, inasmuch nB thry not. only nvike what m mnny eases aro considered excessively high valuations, but require landowners to travel, m some cases, upwards of a ecoro of miles to & d out- the (.mount b for which they nre liable. The valiihtion rolls f.ir the Road Board Districts of Geraldine, Levels, Mount. IVel, &c, till lie m the Courthouse, Geraldine, which, though centrally BitU'itel, is not easy of access from some of these plnce*. A tign of tho hnr.'nrss of the times and the scarcity of ready money was instance i by tlic lrge number of person* contracting to do the va-ious portions of work adve tiseil by the local Road Board. Persons from all parts of the district came forward, nnd the work was let at prices which, it is said, cannot m any case do more thnn pay expenses. Amusement is to be provided, I notice, for the public by monthly entertainments to be given by St. Mary's Parochial As-ochtion. Concerts, too, are übout to bn given by the members of the Primitivs Methodist and Weslcyan Churches. The vital stalistics for lnst mn-'l-h for this district. 09 given by the Registrar, were: linh:", 8; deaths, 3 ; marriages. 0. I notice that th" Cemetery Board, which some lime ago advertised for tenders for the erection of a mortuary chapel, have übandonrd their ''eßign, nnd arc about to erect a cottnge for n caretaker for the cemetery.