THE BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6091, 31 January 1898, Page 4

THE BUSH AND GRASS FIRES.

CONCERT AT SUMNER. On Saturday night the College Rifles gave a most enjoyable concert and dance in the Sumner Town Hall, under the patronage of the Mayor and Councillors of the Borough. The Major presided, and slated that the conceit was given in aid of the sufferers "by the recent fires at Oxford. There was a very good attendance. The following programme was gone through : — Pianoforte solo, Private L. Lewin j song and chorus, Lance-Corporal March ; song, Major Day; recitation, Lance-Corporal Marsh ; song aud chorus, Sergeant Hartland; song, Lance-Corporal Bell; song aud chorus, Corporal Evans ; song, Lieuteuant Morton; soug, Lance - Corporal Marsh ; song and chorus, Sergeant Colclough; song, Private Thomson ; song and chorus, Corporal Carew. Every item was encored. During an interval the Mayor distributed the prizes won at the spurts held during the afternoon. These were given by Messrs Coates and Co., A. ,T. White, Gf. Jameson, T. D. Condell, W. Or. Chartres, iJiug, Harris and Co., Standish and Preece, Simpson and Williams, Captain Charlewood, the Christchurch 'lramway Company and the Lyttelton Tiin'es Company, to all of whom the members of the corps wish to express their thanks. After the concert dancing was kept up till & 3 ate hour. It is expected that the entertainment will realise over £ti for the fund. The appeal for subscriptions towards the relief fund is being liberally responded to at Eangiora, where over JilfX) was on the colfectors' lists by Saturday. Tiie Eangiora Brass Band gave an open-air concert on Saturday evening, and members of the Fire Brigade collected .£1 1-s from those attracted by the music. • COSTUME CRICKET MATCH. A meeting of persons interested in this match was held at the Council Chambers on Saturday eveuing, when there was a fair attendance, aud Mr G. Capper presided. Numerous offers of assistance were received, and it was decided to call the teams together to-night, at the Council Chambers, at eight o'clock, to select captains and arrange details. The members of the Working Lien's Clulj have offered the use of rooms for dressing and makeing up materials, as well as a number of fancy costumes. A sub-committee was appointed to wait on the Mayor of Kaiapoi to arrange for a team of Maoris from the Pah at Woodend. The Kaiapoi Maoris have agreed to send a body of meu iu fancy dress, led by Sergeant Urn, to take part iu the proceedings at Lancaster Pail: in connection with the costume cricket match and tug-of-war on Thursday next. The Mayor of Woolston convene3 a public meeting tor Wednesday evening, at the Borough Council Chambers, to determine what action shall be taken to assist the sufferers by the fires at Oxford and Birch Hill.