SOCIAL GATHERINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4788, 27 July 1876, Page 2

SOCIAL GATHERINGS.

His Excellency the Governor and the Marchioness of Normanby gave a ball at. Government House on the night of July 20th, to which a numerous company were invited. The Wellington .Christy Minstrels kindly visited the Mount Vie w Asylum on the 10th July and gave their enjoyable entertainment, which appeared to be highly appreciated by the inmates. Every ..courtesy and attention was shown by, Mrs; Seager and Mr; Ingwersen to the visitors, and both expressed their thanks to the troupe for their kindness in giving the performance. \ A meeting of the Choral Society committee was held on July. 17th at Mr. Hunter’s room, when a very satisfactory .state of affairs was reported. The appeal to the public for assistance has upt been in vain, for within the past week the members' roll has been increased to upwards of one hundred and seventy. It was estimated that by next week.there would be a roll of two hundred members, and that the society would be justified in engaging Mr. Edwards as - conductor,, and. making a fresh start. . The AxtElery Band soiree was held in the Odd Fellows’ Hall on Monday, July 17th, with success. The attendance down stairs was very large, and the gallery was crowded to excess. The baud played a number of their choicest selections of polkas, waltzes, &c,. . The dancing commenced, at 8.30 p.m., and was kept up with great spirit " till the small hours of the morning. Messrs. Thomas- and Oemino were the caterers, and we need scarcely say gave general satisfaction. , The teachers of the Sunday-schools, in connection with St. John’s Presbyterian Church had.a social meeting in the WiUis-atreet school room on July 17th.. Tea was put on the table at 6 o’clock, and was accompanied by very substantial and agreeable matters to eat. There were nearly forty teachers present, and the Rev. Mr. Paterson presided. After tea the company retired to the'class-room, and a very pleasant evening was ."spent, duets, glees, solos, and readings and recitations being given. Some of the = singing was really more than creditable, and would have made its mark at even a more pretentious reunion. On Saturday, July Ist, a number of Masons of Wellington entertained Messrs. Newland and Whitcombe at dinner at the Panama Hotel. It will be remembered that these gentlemen were accredited by the Taranaki Masonic Lodges to represent them at the installation of Sir Donald McLean ;. but owing "to the detention of the Hawea by stormy weather, they arrived too late to be present, which was much regretted from the circumstance that Mr. Newland < occupies the distinguished position of being the oldest Master Mason in the colony. Sir Donald McDean was present at the dinner on Saturday evening, and everything went off very pleasantly, Mr. Light having prepared an excellent dinner.. The Rev. Mr. Ogg delivered - an -interesting lecture on the sources of the Nile, at Tawaflat schoolroom, a few days back. Having recounted- the most interesting parts of the travels of Speke, Baker, Livingstone, and other African travellers, he finished with a vivid description of African life around the sources of the Nile. He remarked that the worst types of South American slavery were as nothing when compared with the tyranny and brutality of the - miserable potentates of Africa, but he said this state of things was fast changing by the stoppage of slave-hunting and other evils, and he believed that better things were in store for degraded Africa. The object of these lectures and concerts (they occur alternately every fortnight), is to provide prizes for the school children at the end of the year, and also to institute a library, which is much wanted in the district. A decidedly successful entertainment was held in the Primitive Methodist schoolroom, Sydney-street, on July 4th. The room was well filled, and a very pleasant evening spent. The opening piece in the programme—a pianoforte duet—was excellently rendered- The ■well-known chorus,.“ Watch on the Rhine,” followed, and was given with spirit, and the duet which came next narrowly.esoaped an encore. Our space, however, forbids us noticing in detail all the songs, choruses, &c., comprised in the programme, but the “ Charge of the Light Brigade,” “She wore a Wreath of Roses,” and the duet, “The Flower Gatherers,” as also a comic song by a gentleman, are deserving of special, mention. The pianoforte selections highly delighted the audience, and one of them was loudly encored. Several readings and recitations were given during the evening in a manner which did the performers great credit. The musical and literary entertainment given in the Dixon-street schoolroom on Tuesday evening, July 4th, may be looked upon "as a decided success. The first part, consisting of sacred anthems and solos, passed off well. The songs “ He Wipes the Tear from Every Eye,” and “Ruth and Naomi,” were encored; The solo “ Honor and Arms,” from “ Samson,” was well rendered by accompanist and singer. During the interval Mr. Frost gave some amusing remarks and practical illustrations of phrenology. In the second ■part the glees “ Hark, the Lark,” and from Oberon in “ Fairy Laud,” were received with enthusiastic applause. The remaining part of the programme, consisting of songs, duets, readings, and recitations, also elicited much applause. The room was filled with an interested and appreciative audience, and the entertainment was decidedly the best ever given in that schoolroom. The residents of Pahautanui had an unusually pleasing gathering on Tuesday evening, July 4th. Mr. J. H. Marriott, having been requested to give an evening’s entertainment in aid of the band fund now so successfully established, duly attended, and was kindly received by a much larger audience than could have been expected owing to the severity of the weather. Our correspondent says the attention of those present was most marked, and the several songs introduced were given with excellent effect notwithstanding the advanced age of the singer. The chief piece of the evening was the ever celebrated “ Henri of Navarre," which had been requested, and which was given with as much energy after some twenty or thirty songs as if it had been the first on the list. A cordial vote of thanks was moved by the chairman, Mr. Brady, who expressed a hope of hearing Mr. Marriott again before the long evenings had passed away. In reply, Mr. Marriott thanked them for the cordial reception awarded him, and begged to assure them that he thought it the duty of every well-regulated citizen to aid and assist in any praiseworthy local object.- In the course of the evening the band performed several pieces of music, ending with “ God save the Queen,” which was executed in firstrate style under the careful supervision of their able conductor, Mr. Curtis. A number of the heads of departments and the principal officers of the Civil Service entertained Mr. Gisborne at a dinner at Osgood’s Metropolitan Hotel on July 13th, on the occasion of his retirement from the service. His Honor the Chief Justice occupied the chair, and Dr. Knight the vice chair. The Chief Justice in eloquent terms proposed the health, and passed well-merited eulogiums on the public and private career of Mr. Gisborne calling .attention to the fact that Mr. Gisbosu£j» and Dr. Knight, the vice chairman, had both been appointed by Sir George Grey, and were two of the oldest and most able civil servants in the colony. Mr. Gisborne, in feeling terms, expressed his appreciation of the honor done to him, and hoped that the civil servants present would, notwithstanding his errors of omission and commission, retain some kindly remembrance of him. The dinner, was of the most recherche description, and was served in Inst Osgood’s best style, in the new room recently added to his well-known hotel, which affords ample accommodation for 100 persons. The dinner passed off in the most agreeable manner possible, and reflected the greatest credit upon the host of the Metropolitan. ;

- *fhe: anniversary'; 'of -tho-CourfrSir George Bowen passed oil on July 20th with a dinner in , " the Odd Fellows’ Hall. J.An excellent spread was provided by; Messrs. Thomas and G’emino, and those present, to the number of : about sixty, did .it ample: justice. His Worship the Mayor was,in the chair, supported; on the right by Mr.,Marriott, and on the left by Mr. Solomon Bevy. The health of “Her Majesty the Queen/’ “ The Prince of .Wales and the rest-,.0f the Boyal Family,” -“His Excellency the Governor,” and the: “Army ■and Navy” having been drunk, Mr-Hutchison-proposed “The Health of his Honor the Superintendent.” It was with great pleasure that he proposed ‘fThe Health of Mr. Pitzherbert.” He believed he wasthe last of. the Superintendents,and, had virtually closed office by being ap-; • pointed to the highest Office in the colony, l namely, that of, the Speakership. Mr. Byrne rose and proposed “The Health of the Chairman.” The latter thanked the meeting in appropriate terms. “ The health of the Ministry and the General Assembly” was next drunk. The Chairman, in proposing the toast, said that ho hoped that the House would do a little less talking and a little more-work. The Chairman then told the company to fill their glasses, as he was going to propose the toast of ■ the evening, namely, “ Health and Prosperity to Court Sir George Bowen ” coupled with the Foresters in general. : He said that he believed all societies , had a habit of tracing back their period of ‘ commencement to a very ancient date. For instance, the . Freemasons traced themselves back to the building of the tower of Babel or to Solomon’s temple ; the Odd Fellows went back as far as the sons of Adam, but the Foresters went back as far as Aclam himself., Adam, he believed, lived in the forest, and was therefore a Forester. He had also further ancient data, for they could trace themselves back: to those people which Professor Darwin told them lived before Adam. The toast was responded to by Chief Banger Poley in a few appropriate ■words.. “ The Health of Kindred Societies ” was drunk and .responded to. The toast “ The ■Health of the Vice-Chairmen” (Mr. Marriott' and Mr. Solomon Levy) was drunk, and responded to in suitable terms by both gentlemen. A number of toasts, such as the “Executive Council and and District Officers of Wellington," the , -“Chief Bangers and Visiting Brethren of other Courts,” “ Young Members of the Order of Forestry,” “ Pioneer Foresters of Wellington District,” and “ The Press," were drunk and responded to. The proceedings were enlivened by a capital hand, and further by a number of .songs and recitations rendered by, members of .the company. A lively entertainment took place at Foxton ' the other evening. A private letter received in town says the first piece was a description of a love affair at a fancy dress ball between a couple of the characters, and while the read•jnn- was in progress one of the audience rose in°a stately manner, and said, “By thunder ! That fellar knows how to write a book, just. 'That’s what Jane said to me when I asked her first. What’s the name of that book, Mister.” ■ ■“Mister” did not give the information, but ■continued reading. Several other pieces were received in a rather noisy maimer, till at last the entertainment was stopped, one gentleman declaring that his feelings were hurt by the unseemly conduct. It was insinuated that the gentleman did not know his piece. This did not sooth him, and he replied that' he felt . much inclined to come and punch the head of the author of the remark. School books and slates were thrown about pretty freely, and the entertainment closed abruptly in great confusion. ■