THE EARTHQUAKE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 7

THE EARTHQUAKE.

BENEFIT CONCERT. .' . - -Judging by tho; sparse attendance 'at the benefit concert at tile Town Hall,last even--rr.g, 'Wellington's .'sympathy'has cooled very, considerably ; since tho first tidings of -the 'seismic; cataclysm, which has plunged .Italy-in mourning : reached New: Zealand. " True, , the of thQ.cntertairiment was rather short, Trit, was got 'up rather hurriedly—but ..not:'-so ;short that 1 the. public had. no time. to .realise that an loppoftu'n'ty. AV'as. offered of doing -.'an aot of charity. Public sympathy in Welling-; ton—it: is. understood thr.t nandsome private donations have-been, obtained .from somo of the members of the; communitjvris represented, in..Jiard cash, by something like' £35,. a' poor display when it. is remembered that'.there was no expense bill to bo mot in respect of rent, advertising,' printing, oto, The entertainment was a very,good ono. The first part of the programpie was kindly provided by the'.management of- West's'PicV tures, a really excellent series of films being screened, including' a particularly good oiie showing some interesting; studies of irogs and lizards. The orchestra, under the baton of Mr. L. Do Groen, gave a capital rendering of the overture to "William Tell" (Ilossini), which was so highly appreciated that 1 the. march,movement Had. to be- ropeated. Mu.vcal selections were..also given during tho ■'showing of tho pictures, Tho latter half of the. programme v consisted of musical;, items cbntributod'by Tqcal artists; Barnett's '.'/Fa'nthe organ was spiritedly played.by 'D~f.- \V. Kington Fylfe, as an opening number: Miss - Helen Walker, L.A.8., contri-, buted, a, violin solo, . "Bohemienno'' (Vieuxtemps), accompanied byv jlr. Traversi. This item was very well played,. and; was much enjoyed. Miss Nellie Desmond, who was to have given a character sketch, was unfortu-, natcly prevented from appearing by a, slight cold. Sir. E J. Hill sang very successfully tho captivating "Waiata-Poi"' song. (Alfred Hill), and an encore was demanded and .given. Mr. G. Vitetta, harpist, played a "Polnische Tarize," and, as an encore, "Sylvariia"! (Oberthur), and was, later, associated with his two brothers in a trio arrangement for violin, harp, and flute of Verdi's "La Traviata."- Both items were appreciatively applauded. Mr. Ronald T. Robertson (Italian Consular Agent)"'contributed' "The Miiler and the Maid,"- and as ail encore an excerpt from one of tho musical comedies, Mr. Robertson was really excellent. He has a marvellous'falsetto, which he has so well under'command that he can produce the female soprano voice with almost comical reality.' Mr. E. H. Parkes sang "Because" and "Absent, yet Present," • the latter an .encore number. • During the: second part, Mr. Robertson, who, with a committee of Italian gentlemen—Messrs. J. Milesi, F, Lecov G, Gallate, and Dr. Borghetti—was the organiser of! tho-entertainment, came; forward- and expressed his thanks to those who'had assisted in: the Wellington press for free advertising, the City Council for tho free use of -tho hall, the management of West's Pictures, and Mr. Do Groen's Orchestra. Mr,, D, A." Kenny played the accompaniments.