OPENING OP THE FAIRFAX HALL.

Western Star, Issue 1386, 4 September 1889, Page 3

OPENING OP THE FAIRFAX HALL.

Tho concert and ball to crlebrat" t,l,e opening of tlio Fail fax Fall came off on Friday evening last, and was a inert simccvsful affair. Tim building was crowded, ami that the efforts of these taking part entertainment, were appreciated was ' Oiucnstrated by the loud and hearty anplans" that greeted most of the item.:. Mr Mc.wio, who occupied tho chair, made, a few appropriate remarks at the commencement of dm proceedings. The dance which i olio wet, the concert was kept up until close upon daylight. The floor space was tascu to the utmost to find accommodation for the P.’rrat number anxious 10 join in the mazy waltz. Our own correspondent’s report, of the concert has unfortunately not yet come to hand, but a contributor sends ns some comments on the gathering. THE FAIRFAX GATHERING. [By GiiAJims- Range.] Partly induced by tho grand advertisement andthc eulogistic p map ranks 1 >tcly appear mg ?„ the columns of your journal, and partly to smother my financial and matrimonial troubles fora few hours, I determined, after ,’ wd day’s harrowing, to don my suit and set out for that, chauning and poetical township known as Fairfax, to atteml the opening festivities _ m the hall which was, I am mformeo oalv the prologue to a senes _of entertainment,' to be held m that capacious buHdiim After decorating my person as h i .ntfnud c'r cum stances would permit, well as cflects and c. cu ptartpd fron , tn y I drew on nr gum boo. difficulties mountain home and a,t .wed I then reached my destination. hed hprc ]; rp . crept into Snlhrrlan bur(l(m of heved my l jC '' rerl into the street gum and watci and vet., ]o , ldpd cflr . to make observations A tho cere-1 r.ages began to miw an of com . mouy-the commcueen. t 1 . ~e fol , the mercial prosne.ity and• **. h tpbo a 0U(1 cihzms of rair.aN—wag » - a whi i e j success. After loitonng about forced my way through 1 ' haTO a CO od too front seats, where T of the onter . view, as I premeditated a P pi^ nd ]n my tYinment several nays 1 e T )r j o f ram arks I shall not, hitherto traverse as far ns possible groi , nmTlie explored. Upon examining „ or | fnv variptv I found that it consisted of a of articles of diet suitable for developing the inte’leclua.l 0 athmmiy 1 spread out one after the other ■ ‘ [ • intellects of whatever order could not fail o be gratified and appeased W‘ta the entertainers an unexplained cerning them has often pnp'excd my mmri while attending concerts in other P* I ; Southland. I refer to the road[ '■ 1 which they gratuitously offer their musical talents upon all occasions for tho a ’ var.ccmentof either public or private enterprise. Are they impelled by a charitable heart, by pridpj vanity op ambition ? Xs ifc because they are not contented to waste their stores of melody and wear ont. their lungs in private drawing ronirs?iti'.apwsionaicimnnhoto be heard and sun? or solely a philanthropic and virtuous desire to refine and elevate the intellects of mankind. My blissful state of ignorancecompeth met'-leavethese queries unanswered, and express a belief that they are actuated by the noblest motives. Concerning the actors and their performances I shall make nc individual comments and single out no names for either censure or eulogy, as by so doing I would run tho risk of making these faithful notes offensive to some of your renders. Not possessing an eye for beauty I must also decline to single out the belle of the ball. Of course I have my own opinion, but. wo are told that every crow thinks the most of her own young; and by tho same rule we may surmise that every bean thinks the most of bis own belle, and the fox who cannot, reach the grapes walks off apparently contented to devour green goasebcriies. All that remains for me to say is that I scrutinised the fair beaulhs pretty closely and failed to discover Ben Ward’s Fairfax maid among them. The M.C. led dancers round the racecourse in the usual manner; and conspicuous I noticed the Groper’s Bush schoolmaster and the Fairfax chemist (lately returned from Auckland). I also saw E. 8.. 8.M., 8.W.. A.F., M.G , J.Mac.. W. 8., J.S., E-C., A. 1., A.M., 5.8., A.J.. and many others who were in good form aud who, like horses for the Melbourne Cup, appeared to have gone through a systematic training for the occasion. In conclusion I shall append one verse from an old English ballad which is peculiarly suited for the occasion. They danced the insrvr night away. Arrived horse with giddy heads. And some, methinks. did kneel to pray When (hey stripped by their beds. And many a swain and maiden, too, Bid feel their heads and hearts ache— My friends-, still ’(is best to woo Our covful dames in hazel brake.