THE BELL BLOCK FETE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 38, 22 February 1901, Page 2

THE BELL BLOCK FETE.

The Garden Fct-e at Bell Block on Thursday, in aid of the Anglican I Church, was an unqualified success, the weather being all that could be dosir.,d and the promoters having provided amusements to suit ail tastes. A large number of visitors left town by the spacial traia at 1.10, while a regular precession of vehicle* aimed peop'e from all parts of the district to the pleisant spot where the fe'.e was held. Fully 500 people must have b3eu on the ground during the aft'<mor.n, and all seemed to be thoroughly snjoying themselves Several large marqu-- es had been Greeted,in which aftei-noou tea was served and fanoy articles, produce, etc., exposed for sale. A bri«k trade wss carried on all the afternoon, and a good sum of mosey must have been taken during the day. Very gre.t labour tad bean expended by the various committees in prepiration for the fete, and they must be highly satisfi d at th« remarkable success which has attn ltd their efforts, A spleudid pragr»rnme of now, etc., bad be n provided, and the different events were keenly contested. The Town Baud kindly gave tb>ir services during tho day and tho excellent music they discoursed was groitlv appreciated by all prisant, In tli9 evening a concort vas held in the largo marquop, which was well filled with an npprac'ative audience, and evarv item on the programme was well received and vigorously applauded. A mora enjoyable outing it would be diflicul l ; to conceive, and the result attained reflected tho greatest credit upon those who have given Ruch time and labour in iniation and execution. Under the leadership of Mr. ard Mrs. Bonrjett, and Mr. Bennett, sen., the whole community se.emed to have entered with the most oordiality into the spirit of tho enterprise, and the gnod cmee in which tho work was undertaken will benefit materially by their unremitting labouis. Towards the evening, Mr. S. W. Shaw sold by auction a number of fancy art : c'es, produce, and some live stock, for which fair prices wow given. Altogether i< is expected that about £ 6O will b« available towards swelling the fund I for enlarging and beautfying the Church at Bell Block.

The concert programme included th,e following items:— •frio, "laugh and Grow Fat," Maori students; due f , " When the Wind Bloweth in from the Sea," Misses Holdsworf h and Sknet (encored); song, " Will-o'-the Wi»p," Rev, P. A. Bennett; cornet sr>lo, Mr. Nichcil; qaartatte, Maori pirty ; son?, Mian Holdsworth ; comic song, " Thak's Not a Trouble to Me," Mr. McOornish.

There was great fun over the spores, especially in the obstacle race, the efforts of the competitors to bite a sliso of treacled bread slung an a string, to pick an apple out of a hath o? wafer, to otaw! through, a small saol; and finsily get through a strong flax not olosely woven, crea'ed immense amussin?nt, nd was wan clivorly by MoKcown, The loug jump wis won by Rwwor, the f.hroo-leggsil rnce by Kireet a> d Monk, the boys' race by V. Holmes and the girls' raeo by Miss Salway, The Natives, though no'; able to bo present, owing to harvestinsr, did all in their power to assiGt, and gave several articles for sale.