TEMPERANCE ENTERTAINMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2520, 19 April 1881, Page 2

TEMPERANCE ENTERTAINMENT.

A temperance entertainment in connection with the sports, was given at the Theatre Royal last night. To saj 7 that there was a good house would convey but a faint idea of the crowded state of the Theatre, which both upstairs and down, was filled to its utmost capacity.

The Terauka brass hand played for about quarter of an hour outside the building before the entertainment commenced, and it also played the overture inside the Theatre, and in first-rate style. Sir R. Foster opened the entertainment with a song, which was descriptive of “ life on the deep blue sea,” and was very well received. Sirs Holdgate followed with an Irish song which narrowly escaped an encore. The Rev Mr Hallowes then came forward and delivered a short address. He said that in speaking to them, he was limited to ten minutes, but that during that time he wished to say as much as possible. (Hear, hear.) It behoved all those who really had the temperance cause at heart to work, and to work earnestly and unitedly instead of leaving the task to a few and depending on their exertions for the attainment of the desired |end.

After some further remarks of a similar kind the Rev. gentleman retired amidst the hearty applause of his hearers-

Mr Warrington now sang a song in capital style, after which Mr A. K. Harlock essayed to give a reading from Jenkin’s “Devil’s Chain,” but owing to the gentleman’s low voice this treat was lost to his hearers, who manifested some impatience in consequence. Mrs Buchanan having obliged with a song which was nicely rendered, the Rev. J. Dumbell delivered an address fairly brimming over with humor, and which was decidedly one of the hits of the evening, The rev. gentleman recognising what an effective weapon ridicule is, made the toper the peg on which to hang several jokes which were very highly relished by his hearers. He photographed so to speak, the features of the drunkard, and described in a most funny way the varying tints assumed by that unfortunate’s nasal organ. The nose of the toper he said was sometimes red, occasionally blue, and even in some cases had been known to assume a purple hue. (Great laughter.) Then the speaker left the subject of noses and addressed a few earnest words to the young women present, exhorting them to have nothing to say to “ moderate drinkers,” but to lend their influence to the good cause by selecting as husbands the teetotal abstainers. The Rev gentlemen also made a few points relating to certain larrikins who had entered the building to scoff, but remained to enjoy his (Mr Dumbell’s) address, which had the effect of restoring them to order. So rude were these boys before this, that Mr Edward Jones the hon. sec., had, after repeatedly remonstrating with them, threatened to have the curtain lowered. But Mr Dumbell and the fear of being walked

out without getting their money back, prevailed, and they became orderly. Mr Gilchrist, Mr Moore, and Miss Foster sang and recited, and Mr Muller performed a pianoforte solo that delighted all present by the brilliancy and finish of its execution. Some excellent musical selections were given during the evening by the following ladies and gentlemen:— Piano, Mr Muller; Violin, Mr W. Kimber ; Clarionet, Mr Huggins ; and Cornet, Mr Eogcrs. Mr Eogcrs also performed a cornet solo (accompanied by Messrs Muller, Kimber, and Huggins), which elicited loud and prolonged applause. Mr Eogcrs is to be congratffiated on the mastery he has acquired of a very difficult instrument. Considering that the “double event” to use a sporting phrase was only a shilling —that sum admitting to both sports and theatre ; it might have been reasonably anticipated that the Temperance Fete would have been better patronised by members of the order than it was. Not one-third of the temperance people of Timaru were present yesterday either at the old show grounds or at the theatre, and if the latter was well patronised the Committee have to thank those who have not yet seen the error of their ways—moderate drinkers for instance—rather than the members of their own order. This is not as it should be.