ELLIOTT BENEFIT FUND.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1919, Page 7

ELLIOTT BENEFIT FUND.

MISS (LEATHAM'S pianoforte RECITAL. Ail the elements connected with the pianoforte recital given in the Good Templar Hall last night by Miss Constance Lea.tham combined to make the entertainment one of the moat enjoyable that has been given in New Plymouth for a very long time. Firstly, the object for which the recital was given was not only a most worthy one, but it appealed to the public, whose deep sense of sympathy for distroK3 ensured liberal support. Secondly, the nature of the programme submitted, the ability of the artistes, and the fact that Miss Leatham had Tier own grand piano taken to the hall for her to piay on was a guarantee of a high-class entertainment. Lastly, the large audience at once kindled enthusiasm by the appreciative manner in which every item was received. It is some time, since Miss Leathain htts been heard on the local concert platfonn, and after her recen.t successes in Chrifitchurch it was not surprising that her offer to give a recital on behalf of the above fund immediately created keen interest. The task .that Miss Leatham put upon herself was 110 easy one, and to have carried through a programme of twelve items from the master-composers, I to which were added five numbers by way of encores, was an accomplishment of great merit, bu.t when to this is added the fact that she had memorised the whole of her work it must be at once seen that Miss Leatham did not spare herself in any way in her effort to give to the public of New Plymouth a thoroughly high-class and musicianly entertainment. Of her ability as a pianiste it is not necessary to say more on the present occasion than that with a welldeveloped technique, which she uses with much skill and wise judgment, there is combined the truly artistic temperament, jvhiclv makes her work so convincing arid m which her powers of interpretation are bo displayed. It was a thoroughly artistic performance, in which this gifted young lady showed herself a real exthe great masters, and upon which she is to be heartily congratulated. Miss Leatham opened her programme With Rachmaninoff's "Polichinelle." On the list was a selection of works from Chopin, including the F sharp Impromptu (Op. 36), Nocturne (Op. 48, No. 1), and i Waltzes (Op. 64 No. 1 and Op. 64 No. 2); aid amongst, her encores were also two yhopin studies. Brahms wag represented ® , the D minor "Rhapsody" and JSchezzo" in E flat minor, and in the A flat waltz fis an encore, while from Bach the D minor Tocca,ta and Fugue <were selected. "The Spinning Song" from the flying Dutchman" and "Pilgrims' Chorus' from "Tannhauser" represented the Wagner-Liszt school. A concert stuciy in D flat from Liszt, the VerdiLisz.t "Rigoletto" Paraphrase, and Schubert's "Impromptu" (Op. 90 No. 3) completed a programme of rare merit. Other encore numbers were Schumann's Second Romance" and Paderewski's "Minuet." During the evening Miss Leatham was presented with a beautiful basket of violets.

Mrs- Stuart-Russell, who has recently aettlfid .ift.New Plymouth, was associated With Miss Leatham, and gave several elocution items with much pleasure to the audience, who recalled her'each time. Ber programme numbers included "The Vision of Handel"—a descriptive account of the great composer writing part of the Pretoria by which his name has become best known— and "The Power of Music" from Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice." For encores she gave Kipling's '3f" and "Good-night." During an interval Mr. Walter Ambury publicly thanked Miss Leatham, on behalf of ,the Elliott family, for giving the retftft], all the proceeds from which Will be clear profits for the benefit fund, and also expressed thanks to the public for their support of the fund. He also Mid that i,t had come to his knowledge l ome P eo P' e tad been saying that the Elliott family did not need the money that was being subscribed for (hem, as Mrs, Elliott was receiving remittances from the relatives of her late husband. This he gave an emphatic and said they had no relatives in New Zealand who could help them. The only income they had was what the widow would get from the State ana what the children could earn. In regard how fcest to utilise the money that was being subscribed, he said he had on nw own authority communicated with the owner of the house the family were living in, explaining (all • the circumstances, and had received an offer to sell ftt the same price as the house cost about 19 years ago. This, he had ascertained was £4OO, and an offer of that amount had been accepted by the owner. The sum of £350 was in sight, and he felt confident the balance would be found m a few days, and by that means it was hoped the family would lie placed in a position of comfort.

During the evening sweets were sold by some Of the High School girls.