ORARI

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19642, 9 November 1933, Page 8

ORARI

WELCOME RAIN SUCCESSFUL CONCERT A very successful concert, arranged by the Orari Readers, was given in the Orari Hall to a large and appreciative audience. Two excellent one-act plays formed the main feature of the programme. The first was “On Dartmoor/' by Neil Grant, in which the characters were taken by Mrs W. E. Cook (Muriel Armstrong), Mrs R. Payne (Leonora Astley), Mr W. E. Cook (Bill Syme), Mr J. Trimen (Albert Read), and Mr S. R. Muff (Fred Lee). The second play was a laundry romance, “ ’Op-o’-Me-Thumb,” by Frederick Fenn and Richard Pryce, which had to be considerably adapted. The various parts were taken by Miss M. Hawkins (Madame Didier), Miss P. Brenton (Celeste), Miss M. E. Gunn (Mrs Glem Galloway), Miss D. Worner (Rose Jordan), Miss M. Dixon (Amanda), and Mr W. E. Cook (Horace Greensmith). The acting in both plays was of a high standard, and reflected great credit on the players, especially in the second play, where all the women players were making their first appearance in drama. The producing of the plays was in the hands of Messrs J. Trimen and W. E. Cook.

Other items on the programme were vocal solos, Mrs R. Brodie, Messrs L. Winnie and G. Knibb; Maori song in character, Miss F. Norman; character tap dances, Miss Orma Ford; recitation, Miss F. Norman; part songs, the Orari School Choir. The accompanists were Mrs McAdam, Misses R. M. Dixon and M. Killoh. COUNTRYSIDE SOAKED. For some time farmers have been longing for heavy rain to soak their very dry pastures, and have been fearing the coming of the hot season before the ground had obtained enough moisture to see the crops through the summer. Several light showers have fallen from time to time, but never in sufficient quantities to soak through to the sub-soil. However, during the week-end, their fears were set at rest with the heavy rain that accompanied the storm that passed over the district. Dull clouds gathered on the southern horizon during Saturday, changing during the afternoon into rain, which fell in heavy showers during the night, 66 points being recorded before 9 a.m. on Sunday. Heavy showers fell intermittently throughout Sunday, a further 1.40 inches being recorded during the following 12 hours. Diming the night it continued to rain unceasingly, and by 9 a.m. on Monday a total of 3.98 inches of rain had been recorded over the week-end. The weather remained dull and overcast throughout Monday, with a few light showers. GENERAL NEWS, The Orari Horticultural Society’s home and garden competition has again drawn satisfactory entries, there being eight competitors this year. The judges have already made their first visit of inspection and have commented very favourably on the high standard of the gardens judged. Orari has been suffering during the last fortnight from a severe outbreak of influenza. In many cases it has been of a severe form, and the school attendance has suffered badly as a result. The Orari School has entered two teams in the folk dance festival to be held this month at Temuka by the South Canterbury Federation of Women's Institutes. The first team is dancing the set dance “Fine Companion” and also "Lull Me Beyond Thee,” while the second team has chosen the set piece “Old Mole,” and for its own piece “Confess.”