SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 10

SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. Ths annual meeting of-.tne Wellington Shakespeare CfubjWas heldvin .tho Chamber of Coi»merce on Thursday evening,' the president (Mr. J..W. Joynt) being in .the chair. There was a large attendance.'.of :membei , s. • In his "annual report, the secretary (Mr. W. D. , Gorham) said during the six years of its existence, :tho; club had covered in its study of Shakespeare's plays', a. good deal of ground, about a dozen plays, each covering a period of threo months' study, having been taken in hand, and read by selected casts before the public. Tho plays studied during the year were "King' John" and the "Midsummer Night/s Dream." In their public readings gratifying success was attained,, and evidence of good all-round work shown by the- members of the scleoted cast. In connection with tho public reading of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," tho club was indebted to Miss G. Martin, Miss May Driscoll, Miss C, Simpson, Mrs. B. Mi Wilson, and Messrs. P. Laycock and J. Searle for the incidental music. At this reading' also, the prizes awarded in connection with the club's competitions were presented as follow:— Primary schools: Eric llishworth and Marie -Fix. Secondary schools: Eleanor Eutherford and Leonard Leay. The successful '■ candidates were awarded book prizes to the value of a guinea each, and material assistance to the prize funds was given by donations from , Messrs. J. W. Joynt, P. P. Webb, H. E. Nicholl, and W. R. Bock.

The British Empire Shakespeare- Society, with which, through the offices of their president (Mr. .t. W. Joynt) affiliation had been effected, afforded, a striking resemblance on many points to the methods of the Wellington 'club. It might be desirable to effect a inoro intimatc_ connection, by correspondence and inquiry, with the senior society. In moving the adoption of tho report, the president,referred to the suggestive and stimulating character of the secretary's remarks. The real issue before them was tho amount of good which could be derived from the opening up or the widening of tho mental horizon influenced by the weekly meetings of tho club, and tho cumulative results of:tho influence spread by their work in the community were very great indeed. It was only by regular attendance that a comprehensive grasp of t_he plays under study could be achieved. In the mattei of continuing the prize competitions, tin speaker stated that, as the result of a conference with Messrs. W. T. Grundy and Cle unent Watson, two of the city headmasters, il had been decided that a better plan or system than that which had previously governed tin competitions was desirable, and until that had been'evolved nothing definite would be-dont with regard to the arrangement of the com. petitions for the ensuing 3'ear. . 'The.motion was-seconded by Mr. P. P. Webb ami without further discussion adopted. 'The annual election of officers resulted as follows:—

:Patrons: Sir Robert Stont, K.C.M.G., and the Hon. Dr. Findlay. President, Mr. E E Jycholls; vice-presidents, Mrs. Baldwin, Miss England, Mass Holmes,. Miss Hardinge-Maltby, Messrs. W. R. Bock, J. W. Joynt, J. E. Palmer, A. P. Webster, P. P. Webb, and J. C. \Vebb; committee, Mrs. Suteliffe, Miss Butler Miss Praser, Miss Hall, Miss Simpson, Mrs! Van Staveren, Miss Young, Messrs. W T ?J un i on ,'n 1? - U - Hay> N..Phillips, J. Zachariah! ,/ £ i; mner ; secretary and treasurer, Mr W. D. Giorham; assistant secretary, Sir N Phillips;, auditor, Mr. P. P. Webb