JUBILEE INSTITUTE BAND.

Wairarapa Age, 1 October 1930, Page 5

JUBILEE INSTITUTE BAND.

CONCERT IN OPERA HOUSE LAST NIGHT.

HIGH STANDARD REACHED.

An impressive demonstration of the good and helpful work of the Jubilee In.-.tute for the Blind was given in the -Ipera House last night, when the institution’s band and concert party submitted an excellent programme to a very appreciative audience. The items covered a wide range, from selections by the full band to individual efforts —loth musical and vocal. The high standard reached throughout left no doubt as to the great work of the institute in making the lot of the blind a happy and useful one. On behalf of the Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, who very much regretted being unaible to be present that night, Mr. W. L. Free extended a hearty welcome to the musical combination of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. It was a great, pleasure, he said, to have them present and he was sure the public would appreciate the music. He aslod the audience to be unstinted in its applause, “as the members of the band are unable to see you," Mr. Free a'dded, “and the only way they know they are pleasing you la by the applause. Besides, it is a very cold night and a little exercise will do you good.” ' Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, Director of the Institute, thanked Mr. Free and the atfdicnce for its kind welcome. It was very heroic of the people to- have left the firesides on such a night and it was a great tribute to have a fine aiudience on a very unfavourable night. Mr. Mackenzie went’ on to state that they had always had a warm welcome in Masterton and had received the most generous support from people here. He visited Masterton some years ago to make an appeal on behalf of the Institute and Be received twice as much as he asked for. On the last occasion on which the band visited Masterton it was most hospitably received and for some years there had been steady sales of the Institute’s goods, thanks to the work of a very kindly local committee and their old friend, Mr. Norris, who had obtained many generous contributions to the Institute towards increasing its Organisation and - practical measures. It was with pleasure that the band came again to Masterton to show them some of the work being done on the musical side -and he hoped the audience would enjoy its efforts in that direction. The Institute, said Mr. Mackenzie, was doing wonderful work. There were nearly 800 in all connected Lvith it -an’d usually about 135 inmates, 'who were receiving training in various •ways, so that they could earn their own living. They were quite a happy family. Mr. Mackenzie detailed some personal experiences since he had lost his sight—stories that evoked much

merriment in the audience—but alt Served to point to the fact that blind folk generally had a very bright outlook on life. They had quite a lot of fun. Last year the sales of the Institute’s goods amounted to £12,000 (applause) Included among their whres were 1,600,000 strawberry punnets. In Masterton there were always regular stocks of the Institute’s gorfds in the hands of the committee. He appealed to the public to support the Institute as much as possible by pur chasing its goods and by giving as much work as possible to pupils who had been started in small businesses in various parts of the Dominion. Ho expressed his thanks to the Rotary ’Club for organising the visit. When that, club looked after them they were always in the very best of hands.