KAKAHU BUSH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2394, 11 August 1892, Page 2

KAKAHU BUSH.

(From a Correspondent.) The past week has been an eventful one in our quiet district. First Arbor Day was celebrated for the first time on Thursday, and then on Friday the annual concert in aid of the school funds duly came off. On Thursday the school children assembled at 10 o’clock in the morning, and before lunch hour the bigger boys had the necessary holes dug, and the children had planted some thirty trees. The trees were of various kinds, including fruit trees, willows, sycamores, two or three kinds of cypress, two or three kinds of fir, mapau, pine, and other tress from the bush. Care was taken in planting the trees to properly prepare the ground, and the trees have every chance of doing well, ant)’ in a few years’ time adding greatly to the appearance of the ground. After tree planting and lunch the children engaged in a good game of football to finiso the holiday. On Friday evening the residents for several miles around came in force to support the concert, and the schoolroom was filled, though counter attractions at the Point and Geraldine doubtless kept some away. The school had been nicely decorated with trees and ferns by the girls, and, with some bunting at the back of the stage, looked quite gay. The chair was taken by Mr T. H. Wigley,of Opuha, who introduced the performers in a neat speech. The first item was a chorus by the school children, “The Old Folks at Home,” which was loudly applauded. Mr Goldstone followed with “Home, Boys, Home,” but did not respond to the desired encore. “ The Little Hero,” by Mr McCaskill, was finely sung, and a gem, in the shape of “ Another Day,” by Miss Hardy, followed. An encore could not be refused, and Miss Hardy sang “ Kiilarney ” very sweetly. Mr Burn sang “ True till Death,” and a recitation, “ The Robins,” by Master Norman Mills, gained great applause. Mr Ricketts tickled the fancy of the audience with “ Wot cher,” followed, in response to a vociferous encore, with “ Enniscorthy.” Both songs were capitally sang. Miss Meredith sang, in nice style,” “Home they brought her Warrior dead,” and a recitation by Miss Lizzie Scobbie, “ Adrift,” was well received. Mr Strong sang “ Nancy Lee,” and was encored, to which he responded. He was followed by Mr McCarthy, who played, in most taking style, two violin solos, *• Life let us cherish,” and “ The Cuckoo.” The audience would take no denial of the encore, and showed their appreciation of Mr McCarthy’s playing in vigorous style. Miss Lee then sang “ Dreamland ” very sweetly, and Mr Early brought the first part of the programme to a close by singing “ The Parson and the Clerk,” followed by “ Brown upside down.” Mr Early is inimitable in his songs, and established himself at once in the favor of the audience, who would take no refusal of an encore. After a short interval the children commenced the second part with “ The Midshipmite.” Mr McCaskill sang “ Queen of the Earth,” with “Killaloe” as an encore, Mr Goldstone “ The Scout,” Miss Hardy “ The Cricket on The Hearth,” and Mr Early “ The Frenchman,” with “ Molly Malone ” as an encore. Then a recitation by Miss Ruth Graham, “ People will Talk,” very well spoken, was followed by Mr McCarthy, on his violin, in “ The Last Rose of Summer,” and as an encore, “ Blue Bells of Scotland.” Miss Meredith sang “ The Miller and the Maid,” Mr Early “ Complaints,” and Miss Lee “ Half-mast High. Then a recitation by Master Lionel Graham “ The Pin,” convulsed the audience, and the “Awful Little Scrub,” by Mr Ricketts, in character, brought the concert to a laughable conclusion. A speech by the chairman thanking the performers and the audience, a vote of thanks to the chairman by the committee,. and “ God save the Queen,” cleared the way for the dancers, who kept up their amusement till a late hour next morning. The concert, thanks to the ready aid given by friends of the school from all parts, has proved a financial success, as well as satisfying, from, a musical point of view, all who came.