GREYTOWN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 25, 19 June 1902, Page 15

GREYTOWN.

One of the best entertainments ever given in the Wairarapa was the verdict passed on that which took place in the Palace Hall Greytown, on Wednesday night of last week in aid of the fundß of the local Catholic Church. This (cays the Wairarapa Leader) is the first call the Catholics of Greytown have made upon the publio, and the latter certainly responded most liberally, the whole of the seating accommodation of the Palace Hall, and no inconsiderable part of the standing room, being occupied. The Very Hey. Dean McKenna and the Rev. Father Cahili were in attendance ;' there were numerous visitors from all parts, and performers were present from Wellington, Featherston, Martin^orough, Ma«terton, Woodville, and Oarterton. The programme opened with a fantasia of American airs, ably played by Miss Eccleton. ' The Yeoman's wedding,' was given by Mr Curtayne, whose baritone voice found excellent scope in the rendering-. Greytown is certainly fortunate in possessing a voice of such calibre as that of Miss Annie Gallagher. 'O, Divine Redeemer,' as sung by this lady, revealed what might perhaps oorrectly be termed a ny zzo contralto, although the upper notes were of an exquisite soprano quality. The singer was encored in an imperative manner, and responded by repeating the last ver«e. ' Come back to Erin ' aa sung by Misa Maguire, appealed to the audience as it has to thousands of audiences before, and the hall rang again with the plaudits which enforced the re-appearance of the lady who this time sang ' The Carnival.' ' The promiHe of life,' found a capable inteipreter in Mies Twohill. The recall elicited that quaintly cheerml ditty 'Tit for Tat,' sung with much archness by the lady. The triumphant swing of the baritone song, ' Queen of the earth,' was supplied by Mr Hornsby, who gave aa an encore 'Father O'Flynn.' The next item, wholly unexpected as it was took the house by storm. It was supplied by little Kathleen Twohill, a sedate lady of about four years, who, fondling a doll as large as herself, lifted up her childish treble in the melodious injunction that it was ' Past eight o'clock. 1 An encore induced the wee dot to sing some nurpcry rhymes. Yet another infant prodigy was furnished in little Alma Fuller, who recited ' Papa's letter ' in a way that suggested great histrionic possibilities in the future. One of the pleasing feature of the entertainment was a vocal duet by the Misses Hall and Eva Card, entitled ' Gathering flowers,' the voices blending musically throughout. A humorous dialogue, in which an anxious mother (Miss Lucy Apora) seeks the advice of a medical gentleman (Miss F. Low) convulsed the audience with laughter. An admirably executed Bailor's hornpipe by Mr Samuels elicited a deserved encore. Carterton had the credit of supplying the next item, whioh cosnisted of a Scottish reel by Masters J. Lawrence, G. Johnston H Kitchen, F. Deller, T. Skelley, W. Mannfield, C. Whyte, and N.Armstrong, who were arrayed in full Highland costume. If this item was purely Scottish, the next (and last) was unmistakably Irish in all its essentials. The little Misses Kitty and Norah O'Leary Maggie Collins, Maria Savage, Nellie Coyle, Mary Coyle, Gertie Collier, and Ruby Chapman, all of Masterton, and, habited in the immortal green, tripped on to the stage and danced an Irish jig. The bulk of the task of accompanying the singers fell to Miss" Eccleton. She was assisted by Mrs J. W. Card, Miss Twohill Misa Smith, and Mr Maguire. ' In an interval the Rev. Father Cahili thanked the audience for their presence, the performers, who had attended, in some cases at peraonal inconvenience, and the ladies who had piovided a bounteous spread of good things. Upon the whole, the Catholics of Greytown have reason to be proud of their first entertainment, and no small amount of credit for the Buccessful issue is due to the joint secretaries, Misa Slatterv and Mr M. D. O'Connor. ' *