ORPHANDOM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5503, 20 November 1929, Page 2

ORPHANDOM.

THE PAEROA CLUB. LADIES’ NIGHT. On Saturday evening was held the closing session for the year of the Paeroa Orphans’ Club —Ladies’ Night. It was a brilliant function throughout, the unique decorations converging upon a huge web in the centre of the ceiling whereon gigantic spiders of different hues went about their many occasions. These decorations were as nothing, though, when compared with the beauty and attractiveness of the evening gowns to be seen, as though all the beauty and fashion for miles round were gathered together to grace the one night of the year when orphandom of Paeroa forgets its bachelor status.

All the seats were occupied by vivacious ladies and their beau cavaliers when Bro. J. B. Johnston, president of the Auckland Orphans’ Club, preceded by Bro. Taylor bearing the mace, was ushered to the chair of the evening. On his right was Bro. P. Williams, the Paeroa president, and on his left Mr Marshall, Mayor of Paeroa, and Bro. P. Howden, the Auckland secretary. If there was any ice to be broken, it was smashed to bits when the brethren salaamed the worthy chairman of the evening in the orthodox Orphan style, an act which bi’ought forth peals of happy laughter from the delighted ladies. The Auckland Orphans were the visiting guests of the evening, and brought with them their famous orchestra, of which many present had heard of, painted in glowing colours, but had not actually listened to. That the praise was full worthy was soon apparent when the orchestra played a medley from Chu Chin Chow as an overture. In the best regulated families an overture is not supposed tc be encored, but merely applauded. However, it was with great difficulty that many present on Saturday could prevent themselves from calling for one. The musical programme, every item of which was provided by Auckland artists, comprised a wondei-ful galaxy of talent, and each one was applauded and encored vociferously till the very hall shook. In the interval between the items Mr Johnston, who proved an ideal chairman in every way, kept the gathering entertained with a humorous anecdote, quip, or sally. Mr Johnston, who is a leading luminary in Auckland’s legal world, congratulated the Paeroa Club on the decorations, and referred facetiously to the spiders and the web, remarking that it was perhaps rather an abigu■ous decoration, considering that the chairman of the evening was a lawyer.

Mr Thomas contributed the first vocal number with “The Sword of Pharaoh,” followed by “Nervana” as an encore. Exquisitely played violin solos by Mr F. Hoffie, “Meditation” and “Czardas,” held the audience entranced, a quietus that remained until that versatile comedian Mr Rex. Yates took to the boards and soon had the gathering rocking with laughter at his recitations, “My Wife” and “Nell.” “Moya, My Girl” and “The Ginchy Rood,” sung by Mr R. Richards, followed.

An interval was then held, during which a dainty and delightful supper was served by the stewards. After supper the orchestra played “Yankeeana” and “Away Down South,” and in doing so strengthened the feeling that they were a master combination to a conviction beyond dispute. Mr D. Flood, the next artist on the list of entertainers, beguiled the audience with happy humoui* with piano, song, and recitation. An unusual and fascinating contribution was Mr Hicks’ manipulating of hells in “Weymouth Chimes,” accompanied by the orchestra.

While individual praise is hard to apportion, everyone being so excellent, the most appreciated of a greatly appreciated company was perhaps Mr S. Pritchard. Mr Pritchard first sang “The Trumpeter,” followed by “My Old Shako” as an encore, but he was not allowed to leave the stage at that, and as a second encore sang “London” before he was reluctantly permitted to resume his seat. The orchestra then came into its own. Not a whisper broke the silence as the limpid strains of Beethoven’s “Minuet” floated in all their perfect beauty through the air. “Humouresque” followed, and then as a change of theme the stirring martial tones of “Wellington” went forth to quicken the pulse of many a man present and call for rounds of applause from ladies and brethren alike. By special request the orchestra played as an extra “The Lost Chord,” a rendering which concluded an orchestral feast of glorious music that seldom comes the way of the unfortunates who dwell far from what Mr Merritt, the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, earlier in the day was pleased to call “the amenities of civilisation.”

The chairman chose as the subject of his address “There is nothing new under the sun,” and proceeded to quote examples. One showed that a story going the rounds in New Zealand two/ years ago really originated in Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Another showed that apparently enterprising firms which advertised by saying that with every £2 worth purchased they would give away £1 worth had been considerably antedated. To prove this' Mr Johnston quoted from the Norwich Gazette of 1741 an advertisement which announced something to the effect that if all those people in debt for strong beer at the “Sign of the Fountain,” Benedict’s Parish, Norwich, would spend their 6d on beer in ready cash, an equivalent 6d would be knocked off their bills. The debt had to be expunged thus within six months, otherwise delinquents would be sued.

Mr Johnston expressed his great pleasure, and that of all the visiting Auckland Orphans, at the visit to Paeroa. The Auckland Club was naturally proud of its band, and fond beyond measure of its conductor, Mr H. Baxter.

The Mayor of Paeroa, Mr W. Marshall, in the course of a short speech,

remarked how highly the Paeroa Club regarded the Auckland one. By the music rendered that night the listeners had been transported above mundane things to the realm of real music, of a quality seldom heard in Paeroa. He had been told that the conductor of the band they were so justly proud of had joined it in knickerbockers and now controlled it. It was probably the finest orchestra from the Bluff to the North Cape. In conclusion His Worship said they were always delighted to meet visitors—they brought fresh views, and by contact with them one always experienced stimulation. The night would be enriched by a store of memories not only for a day, but for many days to come.