GOOD TEMPLAR ENTERTAIMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 353, 25 May 1881, Page 2

GOOD TEMPLAR ENTERTAIMENT.

Last night the members of the Star of the Bast Lodge of Good Templars in the Ashburton district celebrated their seventh anniversary by a tea meeting in the Templar Hall. The Good Templar Order in the district is at present in a very flourishing-position, and within the. last two years .no less than. five new Lodges have been established in different parts of the County. The Star of the East is the parent Lodge of the district, and has had a very successful history, and has been instrumental in doing a great amount of good in the special mission it has adopted, in “reclaiming the fallen and, saving others from falling.” It at present numbers some fifty members, and its strength is steadily on the increase. The weekly meetings are held on Saturday evenings, and are; usually of a most agree able and attractive character. The anniversary has always been celebrated on the evening of tlie-Queen’s Birthday, and the tea meetings then held have invariably been a success. Last night’s meeting was no exception, and long before the time for opening it was' evident that the little Templar Hall was altogether too limited for the number of people it would be required to accommodate. About 200 persons, young and- old, altogether, were supplied with tea, purvejed by Mr A; O. Aitken, and dispensed by the sisters of the Lodge. The Hall had been gorgeously, decorated for the occasion by Bro, St. Hill and assistants, and its appearance was brilliant in the extreme—evergreens with : a wealth of chyrsanthemums; from Mr St. Hill’s well-known garden, being everywhere ‘visible. After tea the hall was arranged for the entertainment that followed. Bro. Isaac Scott was chairman, and delivered one of his characteristically earnest addresses on temperance, while the Rev. Mr Keall, the Rev. Mr Nixon, and Mr J. Wallis also spoke on the same subject. , 1 The musical programme was. unusually good, and comprised songs by some well-known amateurs t in their usual excellent style. .We must notice the singing of Mrs Nixon, a lady whose sweet voice and tasteful expression we hope frequently'to hear in Ashburton. The accompaniments to the songs were gracefully played by Miss M. Murray. At the close the usual votes of > thanks were given. Notwithstanding the terribly crowded state of the hall the audience, many of Whom had to be content with exceedingly uncomfortable accommodation, displayed the very best of humor. ,