POPULAR ENTERTAINMENTS.

Southland Times, Issue 1169, 2 June 1869, Page 2

POPULAR ENTERTAINMENTS.

PUBLIC MEETINO AT THE PRO. YINCIAL HOTEL. There ia now a fair prospect of those popular entertainments, known heretofore aa the Penny Readings, being resumed within the next week or two. In matters of public concern, such as this, a little action, opportunely taken, is worth no end of speaking and writing. So it happens that the movement made by Messr3 Smith and Gilmour, in calling a public meeting on the subject, has resulted in putting things in train for an immediate commencement, with almost a certainty of complete success. The meeting alluded to, took place in the Provincial Hotel on Monday evening last, and was numerously attended. Amongst those present, there wore many who had taken an active part in carryingon the former series, and all manifested an earnest desire to see the entertainments re-established. On the motion of Mr Perkins, Mr C. D. Irvine was voted to the chair. Having read the advertisement calling the meeting, the chairman said it would naturally be expected those gentlemen whose names were attached to the announcement, would have some course to propose, or some explanation to make, , which it might be useful for the meeting to know before any decided step was ■ taken. Mr GHlmour then said that by arrangement between himself and Mr Smith, it devolved upon him to state how matters stood, but, that all things might be done in order, he would first test the opinion of those present as to the desirability of starting the readings again at all, for which purpose he would move. — " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the evening entertainments known as Penny Readings Bhould be re--8 umed. ' ' The motion being carriedwithout dissent, the mover said that, as all present were aware, a great deal had been said during the last month or two, both by the members of the old committee, and by the* general public, about recommencing the Penny Readings. Where the onus of taking the first steps rested, did not, however, seem to be so clearly understood, and thus the season during which the entertainments were specially valuable was passing away and nothing being done. Mr Smith and himself, as members of the old committee, after waiting sufficiently to allow of others who had held a more prominent position taking the first step in the matter, had come to the conclusion that to remain longer inactive would be culpable oh their part, consequently the advertisement was written out and itt-

serteci. There ?were ' Still' : -atecountß| to the amount, of some £15*,, or* so standing 'against the old committee, "wMcti they fiftd felt inhonor bouft^td iriafce an attempt 1b pay off, and for?|fche" payment (of which, he (Mr Gr.) thoughfcaipt the old - committee .duly, but ,eyjgry£ one who? tad bad -any share in earning ori the entertainments, should to a certain extent feel responsible. He was confident that such was the case— that all present recognised the justice of making the payment of existing liabilities a first charge against the new series. "RegardJ ing the manner in which such a large balance against the Society had accumulated, when at the meeting of the General Committee, just prior to the wind up last year, it was understood that all'debts were paid, he explained that it arose not from any oversight on the part of the committee, or any laxness in the manner of paying accounts, but through the right of ordering goods or service on the society's account not having been clearly defined and restricted, and its being therefore rather freely used, and through the negligence of persons having accounts against the society, unknown to the committee, not sending them in in time. It had been found, however, un on examination, that although perhaps informally incurred, the accounts were all, with one trifling exception, justly chargeable against the society, and they i had accordingly been paid as far as possible, the smaller bills being first discharged. The sum now outstanding, ! comprised only a few accounts of larger amount, accounts which were, from theirnature first charge against the proceeds — rent &c. Having said so much of the past, he would now come to the present. Since the insertion of the advertisement in the papers, he had heard rumors to the effect that a move* ment had been commenced some time prior by a number of gentlemen for the establishment of a course of popular entertainments, altogether independent of the old committee, and of consequence not necessarily responsible for old liabilities. These gentlemen, however, on seeing signs of life' in the old committee, had courteously acknowledged in it a sort of vested right, and intimated their willingness to amalgamate their scheme with that which might be started by the present meeting. They had, throueh a gentleman present, communicated their intentions to him, and handed him a paper bearing the names of those whom they would wish to see forming the committee. He had agreed to bring this paper before the meeting in the shape of a substantive motion, on the express assurance that all the gentlemen named were prepared to act, arid that if elected they would assume the responsibilities of the old committee. In moving the resolution, he would not have the meetiug think it wa3 any pet scheme of his own, or that he was necessarily anxious that it should be carried, but it would give those present an idea who were prepared to act, and would form a starting point for discussion. He begged to move that Messrs E. Rogers, R. Gilmour, W. Conyers, J. G. Smith, E. D. Butts, and D. Macrorie, be the committee to carry on the Popular Entertainments, with full powers to make all necessary arrangements, and that Messrs Thos. Watson, H. M'Cullocb, and Jno. Blacklock, be elected patrons, to preside alternately at the meetings. * The motion was. seconded by Mr Perkins. After one or twp remarks bad been made on the resolution, Mr J. G. Smith proposed as an* amendment, seconded by Mr Porter, "That this meeting proceed to thfr election of a committee by " ballot." The amendment met with general approval, and on being put from the chair, was carried by show of hands. J " : Mr Ferguson then proposed "That the committee should consist of five members, seconded by Mr Smith, and carried. The manner of balloting having been arranged — each person present to write the names of five gentlemen on a ,'slip of paper, and drop it into a hat— and two scrutineers for the purpose appointed, the election was proceeded with, the result being t l ie placing of the following gentlemen ou the poll in the order named, viz., Messrs R. Gilmour, J. 0., Smith, E. D. Butts, E. Rogers, D. Macrorie- and ~Tr- Perkins,- -equal:— A fresh ballot resulted in favor of the firstnamed of the two, but on its being proposed to add Mr Perkins' name tothe list, the motion was carried by acclamation, thereby increasing the committee to six. It was then proposed by Mr Gilmour, seconded by Mr Kingsland, " That Messrs Thos. Watson, H. M'Culloch, and Jno. Blacklock, be elected patrons of the society, to preside alternately at the entertainments." Considerable discussion ensued on this motion, in which nearly all present took part, some thinking it preferable simply to appoint a chairman each evening from amongst those present. Some judicious remarks by Messrs Macrorie and Kingsland, seemed, however, to carry the meeting. An amendment which was proposed was lost, and the original motion passed almost unanimously. Some discussion of a conversational nature followed on the subject of where the meetings should be held, the price of admission, and what should be done with any surplus funds, &c. It was, however, deemed best to leave the arrangements entirely in the hands of the committee. Throughout t'.ie meeting the utmost harmony and good feeling-prevailed, the ruling desire ou the part of all obviously being, not the preferment of any particular individual idea or suggestion, but the adoption of such propositions as would best secure the object of the meeting — the establishment of a series, of popular entertainments, at once recreative and instructive. By unanimous request- the/ musical departments, vocal and instrumental, will be under the direction of Messrs i Kingsland and Stevens, respectively.