SATURDAY "JOLLY"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 59, 3 December 1917, Page 6

SATURDAY "JOLLY"

SOLDIERS ENTERTAINED AT THE TOWN HALL. A start was made on Saturday evening with the Saturday "jollies" for soldiers and thoir lady friends, and though there was only a meagre attendance the entertainment was quite a good one, and the idea —now in tho experimental stage—should catch on once it becomes known among the men in oamps. Tlie Mayor's idea is to make the big Town Hall a rendezvous for the men in town on leave on Saturday nights, proflae some kind of entertainment, and give thein supper. Only some fifty or sixty men in khaki turned up on Saturday, outside the members of the Trentham Band, and, on being questioned, some of them said that they did not think the "free 'and easy" was well enough known, as there were hundreds about the streets who would have liked to have been there. ,

In the course of a brief opening speech, Mr. Luke said that he vras not discouraged, but "they were disappointed at the small attendance, more perhaps bccauso the talent provided was reallv very good. The Mayor also ■informed the men that smoking was pormitted. The Trentham Band, under Band-master-Sergeant Fox, was present in full strength, and gave a splendid Verdi selection, and put a lot of martial fire and "zip" into Sousa's "Stars and Stripes" march. The band appears to improve with each appearance in Wellington. The programme was in the hands of the Orphans Club, which provided a very acceptable entertainment. The Orphans Quartet, now well-known to the public, sang a couple of its inock-serio numbers. Mr. H. E. Wood lifted iw his sweet tenor in "There's a Ship That's Bound for Blishty," and had to respond to a full-bodied encore. There was 110 more popular item than Mr. Eraser Thomson's excellent recital of "Rabbitskins." from C. J. Dennis's "Ginger Mick." Mr. Thomson has just the proper flair for Dennis's verses, and delivers his parables in slang as to the manner horn. Moreover, his face gives just as much expression to the lines 'as do the words, and his hands speak, volumes. Mr. Rupert Meates basso profundo, sang "Rocked in tho Cradle of tho Deep," and was deservedly encored. Mr. W. Ooudie sang "Annie Laurie," ami Mr. T. Hill gave a' rather eccentric reading of Kipling's 'Ballad of the Bolivar." ■ ' At the conclusion of the concert the soldiers were entertained at supner, a number of young ladies willingly assisting. On Saturday evening next there will be a dance. Soldiers are invited to bring their ladv partners, and not to be backward in hrinaing two if thev wish to. The admission is f rce —khaki is the password.