A NIGHT IN BOHEMIA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 222, 14 June 1920, Page 5

A NIGHT IN BOHEMIA

ORPHANS' FAREWELL TO PATRON

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL ENTERTAINED

The Wellington Orphans'- Club, whose piitron is the Governor-General, on Saturday tendered a farewell to His Excellenoy, who i 3 shortly to return to the Old Country after an absence of more than soven.years. On arrival at the Masonio Hall, His Excellency, who •was accompanied by Mr. Gavin Hamilton, .private secretary, Mr: A. C. Day, official secretary, and Captain Garland, A.D.C. was given .a. rousing welcome. Colonel J. J. Esson, the Chief Orphan, greeted tho guest of honour with cordiality befitting tho occasion.- Ho said tlutt their joy-in, having His Excellency with them oneo more was tempered with regret that he was shortly leaving them to return!to England. In placing the chairman's' ohain of office on Lord Liyer- ... pool's shoulders, Colonel Esson 6aid that 'it had been worn by many distinguished Orphans, .but-.by none for whom they had a deeper respect and esteem.. Tims invested, His Excellency seized the mallet of authority and smote tho table, before him, and the rovols began.

'• During the supper adjournment, halfway''through the programme, Colonel Esson proposed the health of their retiling patron, and expressed tho hope that though ho; was now leaving them it would not be long before he would return. ' '

Cheers were followed by "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," sung with 'whole-; ' souled zest and full-lunged, power. "Gentlemen, I thank you!" said Lord Liverpool. The brevity of his reply was explained a little later when tho item "Chairman's remarks" was reached. Lord Liverpool thanked the Orphans for placing him in such an elevated position. His Excellency commented upon tho increasingly largo at-' Undances, and said that the club would eoon need to have the place altered and extended [if it was to accommodate the platoons that were coming along. Tho value of such clubs was enormous. That was demonstrated recently in the visit of that gallant young officer,, the Pnnco of Wales, to the Dominion. The Princo had shown the magic of the human touch. (Applause.) He had 6tayed too short a time in New Zealand. ~(hear, hear)—and. ought to have been given more time to himself. (Apnlauso.) "If they work the Prince of Wales as hard in the future as they have been'doing'in the past," said His Excellency, "he will find it a, matter of difficulty to carry on. According to the present arrangements he is only to be a month at Homu ; after his return from Australia, before he leaves on a visit to India and South Africa." Continuing, His Excellency said.that he felt he was rather in a false position, as-His Majesty the King had been pleased to.extend his time here. Notwithstanding that he would be Governor-General foi three and a half months longer:-he was being allowed _to take a little holiday before going into retirement. Colonel Esson had been pleased to express the .hope that he would return some timo to New Zealand: He hoped "Tihat he would one day .be .. able to return to., the scene of. his former activities, and,. they might depohd upon it, if; that were the case, that he would claim,hospitality at the. hands of the ■ Orphans Club. (Applause.) He would always associate with the club some of the pleosantcst times he had spent- in New Zealand, and he had reason to: bo glad that the Orphans had put the chain round his neck and the little mallet in his hand.' (Applause.) His illustrious successor, Viscount Jellicoe was already an Orphan, and it'would not.be a bail idea;to approach him to carry on as patron. If he had the opportunity, ho : would certainly commend the club to Lord Jellicoe's notice. (Applause.) The programme provided by the club 'was up tea. high standard. Orphan Theo. Hills' recited "Tho Miser's -Fate" and.'The Dandy Fifth," and Orphan J. F.- Carr sang Alfred • Hill's setting of "My Fairest Child" and "The: Birth of Dawn." Orphan n. Edwards, who has a free natural voice, obliged with two 1 popular chorus songs, which the entiro family of Orphans took un with a will until the rafters rang. The selections : were "Sing TJs a Song About Boys" and "Tiil 'Liza Jane." Orphan R. •Meates sang' a very fine basso '• aria, which none present could rccoanise. It was notably dramatic and melodious and proved to be an aria from Verdi's unknown opera "Simon. Boccnngegra"—one of the composer's many neglected works, which, though failures, embodied many .fine numbers. Mr. Meates's encore was the new setting to Kipling's "Mandalay.' "The Health Habit" was humorously analysed bv Orphan Culford Bell, who also discoursed on the tjagedy that may nriso from merely borrowing a match. Mr. Waltb> Ehyto's suave tenor, now so well known and appreciated in Wellington, was heard to advantage in Blnmenthal's "Evening Song." In'rosponso to "grand bis," the tuneful singer sat at the keyboard and carolled that sweet old ballad, "My Sweetheart When n Boy" and "Sally Horner." The Corn-* mercial Travellers' Glee Party, nnder Mr. H. Temple White, provided a treat m_male in "The Image of & Rose, ".Spin, Spin," "The Beleaguered, and tho humorous part-song "The Goslings." Orphan 0! Mazengnrb told comical yarns with good point, and also assailed the heights of dramatic poesy with good effect. Orphan R, S. AUwright sang "My Old Black Mare." A feature of tho evening was the playing of. the Orphans* orchestra nnder'Mr. Drew, who knows his business. The orchestra was.well balanced and nicelv responsive to the artistic demands of the conductor. The numbers played included "Smoko and Shower" (FlatM. ( Constcllation" (Clark), "Lovely Lulu,' 5 The Last Stand" (Middleton), and a fantasia on "Tho Runaway Girl." Orphans H. Godier, M. Dixon, and George iioUoway were the accompanists, and Orphans Fraser Thomson and W. Goudio the programme stewnrds. Orphan E R Petae was active in his secretarial'capacity. ■