Sale of Work and Missionary Pageant.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 March 1915, Page 3

Sale of Work and Missionary Pageant.

On \\ edncuUay altornooii the ol work and missionary pageant held undo! uie uuspicis el tile I 1 riendiy Society of si. aLu\ s Unuicli of England in aid of the Melanesia!! mission was opened in Uie Century Hall. There was a steady flow oi visitors throughout the aitornoon and the stalls did a good business. 11l the evening there was a good attendance though had tiio night been more favourable it would have been much better. Uie line programme was worthy ol the largest attendance. 11l the absence ol the vicar, the llev. 11. J'. Stealoy, Arcluleacon Comiiis uas in charge and announced the various items on Lhe programme. This was Mfeieil by a pianoforte solo sque ' by -Miss J. Pink. It was ' followed by the missionary pageant, in which about 10 performers took part. '1 lie children mostly appeared in the national dress of the countries represented —Japan, China, Greenland, India ami Africa; Melanesia also was represented. The Church was represented by young ladies in white 'dresses adorned with -crosses. I'lie cross was borne by ijoys gowned in white. The evolutions on the stage were intricate and picturesque, and o.it very Hell. The whole was under the direction of Mrs Matthews who trained the children and composed tile music for the dilforeuL choruses. 'i he perlorniaiice reflected great credit on Mrs Matthews and uie children who took part. Miss 1. Pink accompanied on the piano during the marching and Jirs Mattlio.vs during the singing. following, Archdeacon Comiiis delivered a brief but interesting address on "Sweethearts and Wives in Melanesia," relating many curious customs among the islanders. He also congratulated the Girls' Friendly Society on the success of their undertaking. Mp C. 0. Collier sang "Your King and Country Want \ou," the children joining in tho chorus and Airs Matthews playing the accompaniment. "Three Fishers went Sailing" sung by Miss I C. Remington was so line that the audience emphatically demanded an encore. Miss B. Remington accompanied. Mr C. Howe sang "Somewhere a Voice is Calling," and Mrs B. R. Gardener "A Song for Two." Mrs Matthews accompanied in both L _ jr «»*nstruices. A song by Mr E. W. J. Smith lollowed with Miss Lancaster as accompanist. Miss F. Gardener played a pianoforte solo, and then the children repeated the march of the pageant. The programme was brought to a conclusion by all singing the National Anthem. During the evening the stalls .lid a steady business. The Uills' Friendly Society (fancy goods) was in charge of Mrs T. Brown and Mrs Duckworth ; ~ tho Island curio stall in charge of Mrs Hulme; the produce stall in charge of Mrs Lodge, Mrs Hansen and Miss Hitchings, and the tea-rooms were in charge of Airs Gapper. Mrs Holdaway and Mrs Malcolm. Mere bers oi the Girls' Friendly Society assisted in the stalls and tea-rooms. A little after 10 o'clock tho services I of Mr \V. Simpson were requisitioned to clear what remained m the produce stall, and under his persuasion, people bid against each other with great spirit, and after leaving many coins, behind staggered home through the rain with a big head of cabbage or :i pumpkin or a box or bag of sundries clasped tightly in their arms. rile sale of work and missionary pageant was complete success, over £20 being taken'.