THE LYONS COMPANY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2650, 24 April 1894, Page 3

THE LYONS COMPANY.

The Lyons Operatic Burlesque Company appeared last evening in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka. The weather was not all that could be desired, and, no doubt large numbers were kept away through the meeting of householders, and, consequently, there was only a moderate attendance. The company, was greeted with much enthusiasm. It is no exageration to say that this company is as compact and well-balanced as any which has vi-ited Temuka, Miss Bertram, a really fine singer, and the other ladies of the company dance and sing in a manner that elicited storms of applause, and frequent recalls. *• Faust to date ” is a burlesque on the opera of “ Faust. ” The plot consists in an old man selling himself to the devil on condition that he shall bo made young and beautiful again. Mephistopheles, therefore, figures largely in the piece, and this part was splendidly taken by Mr Percy Clifton, whose capital make-up and comic singing brought down the house. The next most important character is Valentine, who burlesques the part of a soldier, and this was done f nil j ustice to Mr by C. Brown. As old Dr Faust, Mr Stark was excellent, while Mr Stoil made a good Wagner. Miss Loon, as young Faust; Miss Towers, as Marguerite ; Miss Lyon, as Martha ; Miss Blanch Young, as Sibel; all acquitted themselves to the entire satisfaction of the audience. The opening chorus was splendidly rendered, and Miss Bertram’s spleudal voice was heard to great advantage in the songs •• Old Madrid,” and other songs. Miss Leon and Towers’s duet “ Good-bye sweet hove," an i Miss Blanch Young’s skirt uaueo was a feature of t'lo entertainment. On tins whole, the piece was highly entertaining and faultcssely rendered. It was an extremely amusing entertainment, and the comic element was brmurht out with paint and piquancy by Messrs C’liltou and Brown, and Miss Lyon whose Martha was one of the best played characters of the whole piece. Those who absented themselves missed a treat. To-night the company give a variety entertainment, livery member of the company is particularly good in special linos, and as they will take the characters best suited their talents wo may expect an entertainment of unusual excellence. To-night ” million ” prices of admission will be charged, viz., Is, and (id. With such attractions, and such prices, there ought to he a crowded house.

GERALDINE COUNTY ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. The annual meeting of the Geraldine County Acclimatisation Society was held on Friday, the 20th inst. Thera was only a small attendance of members. Mr A. M. Clark, the president, occupied the chair. After reading the minutes of the previous annual meeting, the report and balance-sheet were adopted as read. The receipts, including the balance from last year of £278 Is Bd, were £443 4s 2d, and the expenditure £217 16s Bd, leaving a balance to carry forward to next year of £225 7s 6d, which was considered satisfactory, when taking into consideration that certain expenditure shown in the balance-sheet would not occur again. The usual honorarium was voted to the secretary, after which the officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows : President, Mr A. M. Clark ; vicepresident, Dr J. S. Hayes; treasurer, Mr E. Cutteu; secretary, Mr R. Pinckney; council, Sir William Blunden, Messrs Aspinall, Dignan, Hawkins, Murray, and Richardson. The meeting then resolved itself into a council meeting, and after routine business closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.

The following is the report: “ Gentlemen', —Your council has much pleasure in reporting that the society is in a flourishing condition. A glance at the balance-sheet will show you that licenses were sold to the amount of £l4B 12s 6d, being an increase on last year of £l4 7s 6d. Members’ subscriptions have come in satisfactorily. Interest on fixed deposits comes to £lO. The balance from last year was £278 Is Bd, and to next year £225 7s 6d. The largest item by far in the expenditure is the payment of about £IOO to rangers. Your council deemed it desirable to engage rangers for the purpose of suppressing poaching, and are glad to state that two convictions have been obtained, A pheasantry has been erected in the Victoria Park, and twelve pheasants obtained from Christchurch. It was hoped that success would have attended the attempt to rear pheasants, but they have not done as well as was expected. Twenty-four opossums were also purchased and liberated at Geraldine, Orari, Gully Bush, and Ardwhenua, where it is hoped that they will increase. Another item in the expenditure to which reference should be made is the sum of £25 9s 9d for seeds imported from London. The following are the names : —Perpetuated hybrid red chalf white wheat, selected hunters wheat, perpetuated white chaff red wheat, perpetuated April wheat, perpetuated winter barley, giant winter rye, winter oats, pedigree chevalier barley, perpetuated goldthorpe barley, perpetuated black tartar oats, perpetuated white tartar oats, perpetuated Waterloo oats, and Scotch potato oats. Two bushels of each of the above were obtained. The following were also obtained from Home: —Half a hundredweight each of kidney vetch and trifolium incarnatum, thirty pounds of seradella, twenty pounds of thousand-headed kale, and three bushels of blue lupins. All the foregoing came to hand in good order, and small quantities of each may be obtained on application to the secretary by anyone who would like to make a trial of one or more of them. The council also procured three thousand fontinalis fry and liberated in the Ohapi creek, and Ihe Canterbury Socsety kindly gave some perch which were liberated at Albury. Last May the council sent circulars to 144 Road Boards, County Councils, A. and P. Associations, Farmers’ Clubs, and Acclimatisation Societies asking them to support this society in their recommendation to the Government to make the poisoning of small birds compulsory on certain specified dates and for certain specified periods. Nothing has, however, been done so far. The Government was also approached re prohibiting the importation of reptiles and noxious weeds, also re prohibiting the sale or export of native and imported game for one year, and further re making hares game in this district. Nothing was done re the two last mentioned. The recommendation re hares was made to the Government on account of such numbers being snared and shipped Home in a frozen state. It was feared that they would be exterminated. The council has ordered twelve fallow deer from the North Island. It is not certain whether they will be obtained this season or not, as it is now rather late. Nothing has yet come to pass of the council’s attempt to get the Government to allow the Mackenzie County lakes to be thrown open for netting, but when people will be convinced that the introduction of salmon into these waters is a failure it will no | doubt come to pass. Correspondence has taken place between this and the South Canterbury Society with reference to amalgamation, and it is to be hoped that this will eventually take place, and one strong society formed. In conclusion the council begs to thank IVleaars Hawkins and Banks for their kindness in selling licenses at Geraldine and Burke’s Bass respectively, and Mr Armitage for hia services as auditor.”

The balance sheet will be found in another column.