COMPETITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1607, 26 November 1912, Page 6

COMPETITIONS.

A SLACK DAY. I THE IMPEOMPTU SPEECH CONTEST. No one could possibly feci muck inclined to do anything that savoured of tho artistic in such weather as yesterday. It was a good day for booing potatoes or teaching ducklings to walk 111 slippery places, but it was distinctly not, as the date unquestionably proclaimed, "a sinking, dancing summer's day," and all the performers at the competitions in tho Town Hall appeared to bo sadly conscious of the fact. There was only one entry for tlio vocal duct for lady and gentleman out of four listed 011 tho programme; only one pair turned up for tho piano duet for small girls. A few sturdy Shakespeareans turned out to do honour in a more or less finished style to Shakespeare's "Seven Ages" Speech, and thieo out of six tenors ilew "On Wings of Song." All this was due to tho spots 011 the sun, or some other influcaico on tho meteorological situatiou. On account of the many scratchings, there was a shortage of pabulum, in which diro strait tho indulgent audience- wero entertained by some capital merry-making by Messrs. Alan M'Blwaiu, Jas. Dykes, Ronald Lyon, and J. Culford Bell, who wero probably more entertaining that i't is likely the absentees jvould have been. THE RESULTS. The following aro tho results of yesterday's classes:— Vocal Sight Beading. Vocal Solo—Sight reading (over 21). First prize, £1 10s.; second, 155.; third, certificate. Entrants—Mrs. T. N. Johnson, Wellington; Miss B. Britain, Wellington; Mr. E. B. L. Keado, Melrose; Mr. H. F. Green, Masterton; Miss E. V. Carter, Auckland; Miss Muriel Bennett, Wellington. Result—l, Mrs. T. N. Johnson, (133 marks); 2, Miss E. V. Carter, Auckland '(128 marks); 3, Mr. E. B. L. Rcado (12G marks). Piano Duet. Piano Duet (under 16)— Test piece, "Tarantello" (Rubinstein). First prize, silver medal; second, bronze medal; third, certificate. Entrants—Miss A. A. O'Brien and Miss M. I. Atkinson, Wellington. These performers were awarded second prize. Tenor Solo. Tenor Solo—Test piece, "On Wings of Song" (Mendelssohn). First prize, Jtl; second, third, certificate. Entrants—Mr. Percival Martin, Wellington; Mr. Geo. M. Howe, Auckland; Mr. Harry Gill, Christchurch. iiccalls —Messrs. Martin, Howe, ondGill. Result.—l, Mr. Percival Martin (128 marks); 2, Mr. H. Gill (12G marks); 3. Mr. G. M. Howo (113 marks). Vocal Duet. Duet. (lady and gentleman)— Test piece, ''Snowdrops." Two little ducts by Liza Lchmann. First prize, £2; second, ,£1; third, certificate. Entrants—Mr. Robert Sydney Allwright and Miss Muriel Bennett, Wellington. A first-prize award 'was made to Miss Bennett and Mr. Allwright. Shakespearean Recital. Shakespearean Recital (gentlemen)— Test pieco (a) Prospero's Speech, ''The Tempest," Act IV., Scene 1. (b) Tho Seven Ages, "As You Like It," Act 11, Scene VII. First prize, £1; ■second, 10s.; third, certificate. Entrants—Mr. C. E. S. Chapman, Wellington; Mr. A. W. Tresoder, Lower Huttj Mr. R. A.' Keenan, Wellington; Mr. S. Rankin, Wellington; Mr. F. M. Jenkins, Wellington; Mr. T. H. Kenny, Dnnedin. Recalls—Messrs. Tresedor ana Kenny. Result—l, Mr. Kenny (13d marks); 2. Mr. Tresoder (126 .marks); 3, Mr. Rankin (125 marks). . -i- ~ Impromptu Spcccli,

Impromptu Speech (gentlemen), time limit, 5 minutes. One minute to prepare. Three competitors must appear before the judge, ur item may be withdrawn. First prize, £2ysecond, .£1; third, certificate.

Entrants—Mr. T. Anton, Wellington; Mr. C-. A. L. Treadwell, Lower Hutt;Mr. W. B. Lambert, Wellington; Mr. J. F. Stevenson, Wellington; Mr. H. H. Cornish, AVellinaton; Mr. 0. C. Mazongarb, Wellington; Mr. C. E. G. Chapman,- Wellington; Mr. .T. Raino, Wellington; Mr. 0. Borer, Wellington; Mr. C. Follows, Wellington; Mr; A. J. Humphreys, Wel-

lington; Mr. A. J. Heigh way, Wellington; Mr. R. G. Butcher, Wellington. Result —1, Mr. . 0. C. Mazeng.irb (112 marks); 2, Mr. H. H. Cornish (lib marks); 3, Mr. A. J. Humphreys (105 marks). Commended, Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell. THE EVENING CONCERT. "HOW TO BE HAPPY THOUGH . MARRIED." Tho Town Hall was well filled last evening to listen to the interesting programme presented,.,the chiel attraction being thn impromptu speech contest, which always creates a good deal of fun. On 'this ccca* sion, as heretofore, the competitors were not given the subject of the speech until they appeared on the stage. _ Then tlie,) were given one minute to think over tho argument, and then at the ting of the bell had to speak for five minutes. The subject selected was "How to bo happy though married." One speaker (Mr. t., .A. L. Treadwell) said that the chiel thing to do to be happy though married is in keep enthusiastic. He knew this was hard, but it was the only thing to do. "When you go home," lie said, "don't tell the wife that her pies aro nothing like those your mother made. Pretend that they are —oveii if you have to sulfer." The next speaker (Mr. W. B. Lambert) said thai, the first thing to do to be happy (though married) was to choose a girl who was a good cook. There was an old saying, "Feed the brute and you'll make him happy." The same speaker thought that; the wife should bs musical in order that she may "keep things going." Mr. J. I'Y Stevenson opened by. stating, that lie had been married tan times, and on each occasion ho had been very happy, and had always endeavoured to make his wife happy. Mr. Cornish commenced with a narrative. An old couple were celebrating their golden wedding. Their eldest son could not be present at the festivities, and he wired to his father, "Is marriage a failure " "No," replied the old man, "but the results sometimes are!" (Laughter.) Mr. Cornish thought that tho best recipe for happiness in marriage' was the quality of good humour. Mr. Mazengarb thought that happiness in the married largely depended on a mutual recognition of each other's interests. He also thought that married men should not absent themselves- from home. Though a believer in clubs and amusements, be thought that they should bo places where both .husband and wife could meet and participate in the same pleasures. The.competitions, for instance, were successful because both tho husband and wife and all the members q>f the family could attend together. The next speaker could only utter a few soft sentences (blushingly) about marriage being an ideal state, which set the. audience roaring with laughter. He then retired. Mr. J. Raine advocated living closer to Nature as a clue, to being happy, though married—he advised people to desert tho "fashionable slums" and go out among tho hills, the flowers, and tho trees. "Mr. C. Fellow&s" said that his experience in- tlie "condemned cell" behind the sta"o must resemble those of the early Christian martyrs waiting their turn whilst they hear their brothers and sisters torn to pieces by the roaring animals. He per°onally was both married and happy, and the secret (lie whispered) was to alwavs play second string to your wife. Mr. A. J. Humphreys bclieml that the giving of happiness induced happiness in tho giver Mr. A. Ileighway based his case on the choice of a partner before marriage, and a bit of give and take afterwards. A few of the speeches were quite good, particularly those of Messrs. Cornish and Mazengarb, and not. a few were witty (ns in Mr. Treadwell s caso). The audience hugely enjoyed the various dissertations on the married state, though there was a good deal of professed ignoranco of Muriel Bennett and Mr. Allwright, the only "starters" in the duet, sang "Snowli'akes" (Liza Lehmann) very effectively. Both singers have excollent voices well under control, and were able to get ™mo very pretty blended effects here and there. Tho tenor singers of "On Wings of Love" (Mendelssohn) were a poor. lot.

Not ono of thorn hud a chest noto worth tho name, and all relied 011 head notes imperfectly produced. Hearing these tenors 0110 might bo pardoned for exclaiming "Oh, for a burst of song from a tenor capable of giving his glottis a shock." Mr. Alan M'Elwain, tho ever-ready stago manager, gave a Dutch dialect sketch delightfully, and followed it up with the American dialect story "Undo Josh Gels a Letter from Home.' Tho Sliakespeareans wero rather on tlio crude side. Air. Tresoder has littlo idea of tho music of Shakespeare, and his recital of tlio "Seven Ages" Speech was without colour. Mr. Kenny was rather belter in both speeches, but Mr. Rnnltin, who appeared in tho afternoon, was better than cither. THE JUDGE'S COMMENTS, In delivering his «>lo award last evening—tho tenor solo—Mr. Wolf said that Mr. Martin was a promising young singer. His performance had been a musical ono all through. Ho wished to compliment Miss Bennett and Mr. Allwright on the beautiful way they had sung tho duet. Especially did lie commend tho blending of the voices. Many could take a lesson from tho way Mr. Allwright had sung. It was ono of tho most musical performances he had heard in tho competitions. (Applause.) Mr. Montague pointed out that the Shakespearean class hoard that day was a restricted one—restricted to those who had never won a prize before. One tiling ho had to say was rather important to competitors. He wished to mako it clear that tho clashes which count for the championship were defined by tlio executive— not by himself, and it did not follow that those who won tho most prizes won tha- championship medals. The classes which counted for the championship (as far as ho was concerned) were tho Shakespearean recital (ladies and gentlemen), not yet heard, tho dramatic classes, already heard, tho humorous recital classes, tho reading at sight, and the prepared reading classes. Mr. J. M. Clark, who judged the impromptu speech class, said he would rather recite a dozen times than make "a few remarks." A wise judge had said: "Givo your decisions but never your reasons— your decisions may bs right, yonr reasons never!" He congratulated the speakers on th« plucky attempts they had made. TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME. To-day's programme is a very full one, »nd both judges will be kept fully employed from !! a.m. to 5 p.m. In one claw, tlit- Scotch song, there were 43 entries. Thers will be a dramatic scene contest in the afternoon, in which the competitors »r« to appear in costumo and "make-up."