TELEGRAMS

Patea Mail, 10 March 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

(per united press association.) This Day.

First Steamer at New Plymouth Breakwater.

The ss Kennedy arrived from Wellington this morning. She wont alongside the breakwater, where her cargo of cement is being discharged. This is the first steamer that has attempted to discharge cargo at the breakwater since the works have been extended into deep water.

San Francisco Mail.

The following items have been received by the mail steamer Australia, which arrived at Auckland yesterday. America and Sandwich Islands. The Board of Trade favors the abolition of the reciprocal treaty between the United States and the Sandwich Islands. Polygamy. Anti-polygamy meetings are being held all over the United States. In some states Mormon missionaries are threatened with lynching. Californian Crops. The wheat crop of Calfornia is a partial failure. Financial. Financial affairs in Amerca are desperate, but prospects in the northwestern states for crops are encouraging. Peace between Chili and Bolivia. A treaty of peace between Chili and Bolivia is concluded. By its terms Bolivia is left without a sea-board. Chilians occupy all ports north of Callao. - Explosion on Man-of-War. explosion on board H.M. S. similar to the explosion which caused the loss of the Doterel, is proved to have arisen from identical causes. Losses in New York hy Fire. The great fire in New York, in Printinghonse Square, resulted in the loss of two million dollars’ worth of property. The Scientific American lost 100,000dols. in models, and the Patent General and other journals suffered severely.

Songs and Singers.

Concerts in Patea follow each other nl short intervals. A local concert has become a sort of ladies’ holiday, in which many performers win much applause, get pelted with bouquets, respond to encores, go home delighted with a fluttering sense of enjoyment, and then wonder what the papers will sny. It is easier to listen to good average singing than to write criticisms that shall be of some use, without hinting at comparisons that may bo invidious, or hurting susceptibilities that are too dedicate for a rough world. Then it is well known that singers who can really sing are so utterly too-too in the matter of criticism, (hat it is perilous to mention them with faint praise, risky to speak of them with gentle flattery, and outrageous to leave them unmentioned. All which is true, notwithstanding Acts of Parliament to the contrary.

The Wesleyan organ fund concert was a ladies’ night—save and except that last night’s concert extended pretty nearly into the morning hours. Listeners got too much for their money. Music is supposed to he a divine inspiration, and enthusiasts compare it to “ a perpetual feast of nectar’d sweets, where no dull surfeit reigns.” If a line has ever to be drawn, it might be drawn at 10.30 p.m., after which carriages shall be ordered, and no more nectar be served out by musical divinities. Enjoyment need not cease after that hour, bnt the form of witchery might be changed.

A good band, small in number, helped the concert through very well. Solo pieces were abundant, and fair singers who do not usually come to the front in Patea concerts had full opportunity last night. There was a large sprinkling (is that the right word ?) of Harmonic Society members ; and to their practised aid much of the success was due, without quite taking the lion’s share (there again the word “lion” should be lamb —pet lamb). “ Rain, rain, go away,” a proper sentiment for washing-day or for a wet season, was the opening chorus. Then a robust tenor who is also a baritone, sang one of his great pieces, the “White Squall,” in which he didn’t get shipwrecked, though pretending to take leave of us all, but catching sight of a sail just in time to get back to Patea. He was in fine voice, and cleared the decks for others to follow. Next came a bright pretty song, in which a Harmonic maiden left forlorn insisted on believing that her lover hadn’t gone sweethearting elsewhere—a shame if he had, for he wouldn’t better his choice, in a musical sense. This was a nice success, and got encored. Concerted pieces were not many, but they were good. “ I heard a voice ” was a pretty duett, the soprano clear, sympathetic, and expressive ; the basso soft, emotional, and verging towards the line where sorrow and tears meet. The piano accompaniment of this and some other pieces showed a new quality: it was subdued more than is usual in public singing, yet for that reason admirable and right. For it is not the piano but the voice that should give the air in a song. The voice should predominate distinctly, the instrumentation being a sort of musical filigree from which the true design stands in clear relief, like the bright flower and its subdued foliage. Chords touched with judicious softness produce the true harmonious blending. The powerful bass song, “ I fear no foe,” was good ; the good bass of the district. “ Love’s request ” and “ ’Tis but one silver thread ” were both sung pleasingly by a lady who does not usually sing in public. A piano solo and also a duett, by young ladies, were good. “ The Brook ” was sung nicely, though timidly, by a lady lately married. The tenor solo “I heard a spirit sing ” was rendered expressively (the time not very regular) by a local tradesman, who responded to an encore, but stopped short. A trio, “ The Wreath,” went nicely.

“ London Bridge,” a bass song, needed more variety of expression. “ Mountain lad ” was rendered in a pleasant treble voice. “ Glorious Apollo,” a sweet trio, was given with choral support.

The band’s overture to the second part was good, but much too long. “ The joy of the hunter” was a lively chorus. “ Shall I wear a white rose, shall I wear a red”—this was the gem of the evening, encored. The singer’s winning earnest simplicity is an admirable quality, wedded to n nicely cultured voice. ,{ The Tar’s farewell” tv as sung by a good light tenor. “ Sec our oars with feathered spray” went nicely ns a quartette. “ Children’s voices,” a treble solo, was sung sweetly by a married lady. “ Truth in absence” was sung by a young married lady lately arrived here, her voice being strong and of soprano quality, capable of effective management. “ To-morrow” was sung prettily by the sister of a local musician, and encored. “ The sailor’s sighs,” a duett by treble and bass, was really beautiful; both voices superior; the blending and expression excellent. The last solo was the famous tenor song “ Maid of Athens,” sung by the conductor with taste and feeling, yet coming too late for adequate appreciation. “ Oberon in fairyland” was the closing chorus. Mr Heron is to be congratulated as conductor on the general success of his programme. The Kev. Mr Luxford, at the close, thanked the performers and the large audience for contributing to extinguish the debt on the Wesleyan organ fund. The National Anthem was sung at his invitation, as a local gratnlation on her Majesty’s escape from recent peril.