INVERCARGILL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 17, 25 April 1901, Page 19

INVERCARGILL.

The splendid spectaoular display entitled the 'Birth of the Empire,' which was opened in the Zealandia Hall. Invercargill, on Eabter Monday, was brought to a close on Thursday night of last week, when Signor Borzoni was tendered a benefit. On the previons evening, during an interval in the proceedings (says the Daily Xt-ics). the Very Rev. Dean Burke returned thanks to all who had aided in making the festival a success — to the Mayor for his auspicious and kindly opening remarks, to the orchestra for the excellent musical eelections they had rendered with a touch which elicited the continuous approbation of those with an ear for music, and to the stallholders and their assistants for their attention to their department in the undertaking. He wished also to thank the performers for their six weeks' hard work, their docility, and their regularity at the practices. But above all, he wished to thank Signor Borzoni, who was the soul of the performance, and to whose paiience and hard work the brilliant effects so admired by the public were, in the first plaoe, due. Writing with reference to Signor Borzoni's work, the local Times said : ' To compose the music, arrange the evolutions, dresses and uniforms for this magnificent function must have been a laborious task, and the task of teaching 200 performers, most of them very young children, to carry out the intricate design must have been enormous.' The music appropriate to the display was supplied by an orchestra consisting of Mrs Wood, Mias C. Reid, and Messrs W. and A. Ferguson, P. H. Mohr, and E. Le Petit. The following were the stallholders : New Zealand stall — Mesdamrs Tim pan y and Leahy. India — Mesdames Roche and Dunne. Canada — Mrs Healey and Miss Cahill. Australia — Mesdames McGrrath and Maher. England — Mesdames Saodgrass and Ross South Africa — The Misses Stock. Ireland — The Misses Kir wan. Scotland — Mrs McDonagh and Miss Gourley. Tea kiosk — The Misses Thompson. As previously mentioned, about 200 persons took part in the display, and the manner in whioh they went through the performance was highly creditable to themselves and their instructor. The ' Birth of the Empire ' will be long remembered in Invercargill as the best of its kind ever seen there.