FREE SOIREE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 19, 23 March 1870, Page 5

FREE SOIREE.

A soiree of a rather novel description— at anyr»te, we may say, new to Otago—was held in the Cromwell school-house on Wednesday evening last. The ordinary Otago soiree is accessible to those who purchase tickets for it—to this one all wore admitted free, the object in view being afterwards gained by means of voluntary offerfegs. To say that this Soiree was a success vioutd convey a very poor idea as to its merits and of the pleasure derived and good-will engendered through its agency. We have seldom seen tables laid out with such taste and with such a profusion of dainty viands on them as as were those at the reunion on Wednesday evening ; and we must certainly congratulate the ladies of Cromwell, under whose more immediate charge were placed the arrangements connected with this portion of the soiree, upon the unqualified success which attended their

ellorts. After tea, which, owing to the very large attendance, was not over till about halfpast nine o’clock, Vincent Pyke, Esq., took the chair ; and when we state this fact it is a sufficient guarantee that the honourable post was filled to the satisfaction of everybody. The worthy chairman said that it was the first time in his life he had occupied the chair on an occasion of the sort, and any shortcomings on his part must be attributed to his native modesty and shyness. It was well known that he was a very shy man.—(Laughter.) He supposed it was customary to make a speech at meetings of the sort; but he really felt at a loss what to speak about. He had seen sights and scenes, and scenes and sights, of a very varied description. He might tell them a few incidents of life iu Melbourne during the early days of the Victorian diggings—a period when it was actually difficult to get people to take your money, and when most extraordinary scenes were enacted and eccentric things done by lucky diggers and others who had made money at the gold-fields, and had come down to Melbourne to spend it. He recollected one party of lucky diggers who had come down for a spree. They bought a hackney coach and horses, drove about the tewn in high spirits, and wound up by overturning the coach, killing the horses, and miraculously escaping from serious injury themselves. It was

common enough for this sort of thing to be done. Coaches were driven about the town, with ribbons flying, while jovial parties of diggers inside were shouting songs, drinking, and amusing themselves with divers eccentricities. One little pleasantry frequently indulged was having marriages. One would say to another, “ What shall we do now for a lark, Jim?”—“Oh! have a wedding,’’ would be the answer. They would “shake in the hat” to see who was to be the lucky bridegroom, and this proceeding being satisfactorily concluded, it would again be resorted to to fix upon the fair bride.—(Loud laughter.) Referring to the Orpheus C. Kerr papers, in which reference is made to one of a party of seven taking lodgings on the top of a post-and-rail fence, the speaker recollected being one of a party of nine in those early davs who took a miserab'e little kennel of a house for which thev had to pay £1 15s a week rent; and the landlord wanted to raise it the second week. After giving several other amusing pictures of early Victorian life, tue speaker said he would much rather have made oue of the Six Hundred than face a meeting like the present ; be would, however, c mtinue by giving them a few recollections of incidents which occurred during his trip overland to the West Coast some three or four years ago. 1 rior to that expedition, there was one started, the members of which took with them seven hatns, six large cheeses, several bags of fl mr, &c., on their backs. He need hardly say that this provender was left on the tops of some of the mountains, where no doubt by this time the hams had frozen, the cheese become “mitev,” and the articles generally remained till this day. In his own expedition, the members were all of different nationalities—they consisted of a German, a Yankee, an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scotchman, a Maori, and an East Indian. The Scotchman, who represented himself to bean experienced miner, turned out to be a “pnir wabater bo.lv’ from Glasgow ; and it was ultimately discovered that the Irishman was born in Devon-

shire, lie remembers 1 that they once began a discussion as to which was the best country in the world, which he was ob'iged to nip in the bud, or they might have been arguing to this day. The expedition was provided with only one quart bottle of brandy, and to preserve this intact during the journey, he labelled it “ poison; ! for preserving skins.”— (Loud laughter.) ims had the desired eifect, and it remained tm- | touched. Well, one night they came to a deep creek, which it seemed almost impossible to cross. However, they all succeeled in reaching the other side, although he was wet to the skin when he reached the opposite bank. Feel in r very uncomfortable he brought out the poison flask, but none of them, of bourse, would touch it. He then poured out some, and to their evident horror quaffed a good-sized nobbier. He was not long in convincing the others of its excellent quality, and, although it had become as black as ink, they were not long in dsspatchin • it. The speaker concluded his address amidst lend applause. Messrs Marsh and Mackellar then delivered short addresses, and Mr Baird varied the proceedings by rendering in excellent style the capital song, “ A Motto for Every Man,” Mr Kelly was next called upon by the chairman to address the meeting. Mr Kelly said it gave him great pleasure to be present at the meeting—a meeting where all party feeling was forgotten, and where all avere joined harmoQiously together to attain a good object. He was Biot aware of the precise object of the meeting, Bmt no doubt it was a good one, an 1 he was very amich gratified to sec such a large attendance. I, j®. Rov. Mr Drake would endeavor to explain |na object of the meeting. For one thing, it was see one another—to look one another in the |aco— to have a general shaking of hands, and to ■oner a feeling of friendship towards one another. I”." 011 ho visited some portions of his district,

inilea away from Cromwell, people said that the ■esidents of Cromwell were always fighting, and s' ore a) 1 uncharitable and disagreeable set. Now. jw knew better than this, and he could, with 1 10 strictest regard to truth say that he never laboured among a more genial people during his Jong experience as a minister of the Gospel. He Bid been for thirty years in the ministry, and |id seen varied phases of society. He had It red amongst the most refined classes, as gel; as among the vilest and most degraded, furing his seventeen years of colonial life, and ■0 must say that he had never met with a com|miuty for whom ho entertained a greater | m for the people of Cromwell.—(Applause. 1 ) ■0 would refer to a second object for which this | clal gathering had been got up. His district i M . a T® l- y wide one, and in his ministerial oar Olt y tad frequently to ride long distances. S°' v although this agreed with him ,vory well, f C01l!d not say that it did with his horse, and |0 wanted to raise £2O out of the meeting to ffswt m purchasing him another. The “rev. gentleman concluded by naming a lady present r™ uld kindly, act as treasurer; and we need ■wiy say that snore thop tire required sum was ffeedily raised.

Several other short addresses wore and Mr Drake, iu a, few well-chosen words, returned his sincere thanks for the liberality displayed. Songs wore then given by Messrs Baird and Tippett, and an excellent piece of instrumental music was played by VI r Whottor and Master J. Whether ; after which votes of thanks to the chairman and to tho ladies wore carried by acclamation, and this successful reunion was brought to a close.