HAWERA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 52, 26 December 1901, Page 13

HAWERA.

Mr. J Higham. choirmaster of St. Joseph's Catholic Ohuroh Hawera, was recently presented on behalf of the ohoir and friend* with a solid silver tea service and carved overmantel on the occasion of hit marriage. The presentation took place in the schoolroom in the presence of a Dumber of friends and well-wishers. The Very Rev. Father Power occupied the cbair, and, in the coarse of a neat speech, spoke highly of Mr. Higham as a musician and a man. The Catholic Church had, said the rev. chairman, always been the patron of mn*ic, for it was recognised that music possessed great power for good. Even the most prosy and prosaic were moved by the concord of sounds. The choir of St. Joseph's was, thanks to Mr. Higham, a credit to tho town ; in fact, visitors bad stated that it compared most favorably with any outside the cathedral towns, and won Id be no diegrace to any of the big cities. The Archbishop, who was an artist and was not easily satisfied in the matter of Church music, spoke in very flattering terms of the ohoir during his last visit, and asked for a copy of the Benediction mnsio, whioh on enquiry was found to have been the composition of Mr. Higham. The members of the choir worked amicably, as a result of the efforts of Mr. Higham, who judicially blended mildness with firmness. During the past three years there had not been the slightest unpleasantness in the choir ; all had worked together like members of a united and happy family, and thus had given edifioation to the parishioner*, comfort to the parish priest, and glory to God. In his reply, Mr. Higham said it had been the happy fate of his family to have been intimately associated with music for generations. His great grandfather had been a ohoirmaster — the first Catholic choirmaster in Wigan since the deys of the Protestant Revolution — his grandfather and father had occupied similar positions, and at the present time two of his brothers were choir conductors In England. He spoke of the beauty and power of Church music, and said that what he had done for the choir of St. Joseph's had been to him a matter of duty. He keenly appreciated the kindly remarks whioh had been mado by Father Power, as well at the handsome present*; Mr. Bunting endorsed what had been said by Father Power, and congratulated Mr. Higham on his recent marriage. Mr. W.Batchelar also spoke. The members of his orchestra at the last practice presented Mr. Higham with a silver oake-dish. The presentation was mad* by Mr. E. A. Whittaker, who spoke of the respect felt for Mi. Higham by the members. «