Concert at Te Aroha.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9618, 21 April 1900, Page 4

Concert at Te Aroha.

(From- Our Own Correspondent.)

TE AROHA, April 19. The' domain concert which, was originally intended to have taken place in the ground was held in the Town Hail,i owing to the doubtful outlook of the weather.? The items were rendered by the holiday making visitors,. At a/ shorti notice Mr Crombie, whoi worked hard, to afford amusement, got together a fairly good programme. Miss Batten, who is comparatively;/ a stranger among us, played the opening overture. We trust 'that that lady will not remain a stranger any longer, but that we shall have her kindly assistance and talent on further occasions. Mis,;, Coneyy* of Thames, was heard to advantage in the song "At Eventide," and responded to a well deserved encore. Mr Gibbs' song "Yesterday,'' was loudly applauded.- We must heartily compliment *Mr Gibbs, who had such an able accompanist in Miss Coffey. Mr Gibbs also recited in character later on a cricketing story, "Howr Johnson played to win." Miss'McNamara, a little lady of 12 years, charmed her hearers in a coon song. You have all heard of Mr Coney in music and when he with his powerful and well trained voice asng "When the Empire Calls," he would have made every young man in the audience shoulder a musket, don the Khaki, and fight for • our Empress and Queen. We have already referred to Miss Coney, and with Mrs Haultain's assistance a treat was eagerly looked for, when the chairman ' announced a duet between these two ladies, (a Venetian song); that treat was realised, in every respect. Mr Crombie was next on the programme, and was hardly in voice in the singing of "Dublin Bay.-" However, the audience —a good tempered one too — did not seem to notice and he had to appear-again in an encore, "The Last Farewell," which was well sung. A/graphophone selection under the management' of Mr White, was a pleasing item, and this gentleman can be complimented. on having a fine machine and how to handle it. Mr H. Tonge unfortunately mislaid his music, and consequently, though plenty of willing hands would have' played his accompaniment, they were unable to, so the audience missed a treat.. Mr Coney once more faced the audience, and his reading, I think entitled " "I'm Borrowed Plumes," made everyone who had ai laugh left in them bring jit out. Finally, Mrs Haultairi kindly came to the front and showed both her talent and good nature in filling up a gap broken by those who had promised to assist the promoters. She delighted the audience to> such an extent, in "The Soldiers of the Queen" "-that with a burst of patriotio enthusiasm they joined in the ohorus, and gave the necessary swing] to that well-known song. Then home, but before we go. we must not forget to 1 thank our obliging chairman, Mr James, :who with a quaint wit, announced thel items .on the programme :^nd though not a- performer himself filled a necessary part in a manner worthy of an M.H.R.. This concluded a jolly little concert. A dance followed and was kept up till midnight, . when every one went home thoroughly satisfied.