CONVERSAZIONE AT ST. LUKE'S.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2076, 19 October 1880, Page 3

CONVERSAZIONE AT ST. LUKE'S.

The dedication services at this churoh. -were continued yesterday by choral celebration of the Holy Communion at eight a.m., which was numerously attended. The conversazione was held in the schoolroom at half-past seven in the evening, and, despite the inclemency of the weather, the room was crowded. No effort had bsen epared to render the gathering a success. The walls were hung with an excellent collection of oil paintings, engravings, &c., many of them being exhibits of local talent. In the loom various tables were laden with oolleotions(of old china, coins, medals, &c.; and one notable item was a tray, containing buttons placed in the offertory bags at Divine service. Inlaid woods, Japanese curios, pearl shells from Torres Straits, and also a stirrup iron, said to belong to Queen Elisabeth, were shown, as also a copy of the " Daily Advertiser,"|dated Jan. 24th, 1806, containing an account of the death of the celebrated Win. Pitt; whilst New Zealand journalism was represented by a copy of the "Auckland Times," of October 28th, 1842, which was printed on a mangle. A valuable screen, taken as booty during the Peninsular war by a friend of the father of Dr. Irving, and pronounced by judges in London to be a veritable Watteau, was shown. Mr Meddings was the centre of a curious throng while exhibiting the interesting experiment of lighting cubes by electricity. On the opposite side of the room Mr Orook was the exponent of the wonders of the -microscope. The evening's proceedings were enlivened by an excellent programme of vocal and instrumental music, and judging by the frequent applause, the efforts of those who took part were duly appreciated. Mr Alfred Gee supplied the refreshments inseparable from these gatherings in his well-known style. The stage was tastefully decorated with axalias, tree-ferns, and shrubs, and the promoters of the reunion are to be congratulated on its very successful issue.