WANGANUI FANCY FAYRE.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 977, 29 December 1882, Page 2

WANGANUI FANCY FAYRE.

For some time past active,preparations for an Old English Fair have been made, and on Boxing Day the opening was accomplished. Before eight o’clock tho large Drill Hall in which it had been decided to bold the Fair, was crowded. At that hour His Worship tho Mayor (Mr G. Carson) w;rs duly announced by tho Beadle (Mr S. H. Drew), and after being led through tho building, opened tho “ Fayre.” He said : Ladies and Gentlemen, —Wo have mot together to-night to open this Fayre in honor of our Fire Brigade. It is to augment the funds of the Brigade that the Fayreis held. It is no only our most popular, but most.useful, institution ; this lie could say without any wish to disparage the services of our other institutions. The Fire Brigade does its work in the hours of darkness, and it was often a work of great personal inconvenience ; ■ and there had never been a time when they would allow a fire to spread beyond one or two houses. They had been content to use miserable sbeds> but now a proper sort of building was going up, and money was required. He thanked the ladies whose nimble fingers hud been at work for some time past, and of whose work they were proud. He had much pleasure in declaring the Fayre duly opened. The Band struck up “God save the Queen.” Capt. Cummins returned thanks, and said the building now being erected would cost £750, and perhaps over, and if money was not made by tho Fayre they would have to borrow ; but (hey expected to pay for the building out of tho fayre alone. The Hall was put to a severe test to accommodate tho large assemblage, which would have been very mud) larger but for the Navals unfortunately having to remain up the river. Entering the Hall tho Richardson Showc was the first on the right side, and a very comfortable little theatre had been partitioned oil: ; here some blood-thirsty pieces wore performed in very good stylo, each performance winding up with a pantomime, in which the .acting was well done by Messrs King and Nixon, The price of admission being

only sixpence, a good big amount was added to the funds. In the left corner ye Gypsies Grotto had been fitted - up. and fortune-telling was carried on by Zingaii, a very nice looking Gypsy. The Band under the leadership of Mr King discoursed some good music from a stand just above the Grotto. Ranged round the walls were the various “■shoppes,’.’ each of which was indicated by a painted signboard above the entrance. The devices on these were representative of yo Boots, ye Chalice, ye Biahope’s Mitre, ye Gauntlette, ye Silver Crosse, ye Golden Apple, ye Crosse Keys, and ye Golden Fleece. Each shoppe was presided over by three or four ladies,’ the principals being Mistresses Watt, Durie, Peake, Liffiton, Jackson, Alexander, Earle and Tripe. The artists—Messrs Merritt and Peak—are to be congratulated for the splendid manner in which the scenery and stalls were got np. The design was an old English street, with all the shoppes painted in the style of the various dates they bore.; the dates 1150 and 1430 will give some idea of the .general architecture. On the wall—lacing the entrance—a large scene had been hung, representing a continuation of the same street to a village greene, where the maypole was to bo seen. Ye old Chelsea Bun House occupied the right hand corner at the far end of the hall, and here a good trade was done in sweets, eatables, and button-hole flowers. Ye hostesses were Darnoselles McDonald, Battle, and Lorrimer a j'oungerjsister of (lie latter acting a° flower girle. Adjoining the bun shop was a booth for teetotal drinks, some splendid cider being obtainable. An electric battery was being fitted up to light the bun shop. A Punch and Judy show was not able to make a start, as the showman —Mr Allan, was stuck up the river. In the centre of the Hall a large maypole decked with ribbons of various colours was erected, and round this twelve .young ladies (Misses Alice Grey, King, Hooper, Blanche Moore, Amy Broad, Pawson, 0. Jackson, Alice Horn, Lilian Battle, and Eyre) performed in splendid stylo the old fashioned may-pole dance, Mr Harry Power acting as conductor. The young ladies had evidently been very well drilled, and in their lively costumes formed a pretty sight, especially as no hitch occurred to mar the pleasuie. The stocks had not been forgotten in this Old English representation, and one leading citizen created some amusement by getting in, and being unable to extricate himself. Of the dresses of the ladies, who can speak ? All had evidently spared no pains to dress themselves as near the old style as possible ; but it would be too much to say that all of the dresses were in accordance with the times they were supposed to represent. As regards the financial success of the fayre, reliable figures could notbe obtained, through some fault of the fair sellers, but it was supposed by those competent to judge that about £l3O would be the total amount taken. The takings at the door were over £SO, which would give the number of visitors as over 500. The whole arrangement was in the hands of Mr Gibbs, who is certainly to be congratulated on the great success of Ye Olde English Fayre. As there is some likelihood of a Fayre being arranged for Patea, it is to be hoped the arrangements can be made in time. Mr Gibbs is in communication with a gentleman in town with regard to the preliminary work. Hawera and Feilding have, already decided to take advantage of the opportunity and Patea should not behind, as the fayre is worth going to see.