WAITAHUNA AND ITS DEAMATIC CORPS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume 1, Issue 43, 5 December 1868, Page 3

WAITAHUNA AND ITS DEAMATIC CORPS.

i(By our Wandering Reporter.) You are aware, Mr. Editor, that after grave doubts and awful forbodangs, I resolved to trust myself on the back of that spirited -quadruped named •"" Moses," and report on two great Mr. Hay's sale and the first performance of the Waitahwia J)raanatic Corps. Well, suppose v me mounted and jogging along the road, arithout any adventure worth speaking of, till a recollection of Mr. Chalmers' excejteat O-lenUVet induced me to dismount and refresh the inner man at bis well-known and favourite halfway house, a proceeding worthy of imitation by all future travellers on the same road. Mounted on my gallant (?) steed once more, I pushed on to Mr. Coghill's Bridge Hotel, when I discovered the Bale was over, and that " cows were much the same 08 usual," a piece of information highly gratifying to a person anxiously engaged in the study of agriculture. If cows were much as usual, so was the /day, for the sky became overcast, and the rain began to pour in bucket — nay, rather hogshead — fulls. I had some more substantial refreshment than my former bail, at Mr. CogbilTs hospitable board, and then, in suite of -rain aad wjsd, en avaut for Waitahuna. I reached the township in a very short time, for old "Moses" seemed to relish, the bitter weather as little as idid his rider. I found the " Assembly Boom " a neat little building — used formerly, I believe, as a s.ehoolAOUse— with a .wellrcontrived .stage at the upper end. Although I arrived fully an hour before the performance began, [ found the building crowded, and had to effect an entrance from J 1 behind the «cenef," a rather trying circumstance for a person of my retiring disposition. However, I got comfortably posted, and listened with great pleasure to the excellent music discoursed by two gentlemen whose names I did not (Batch, but whose performances on the violin and harmonium; gave general satisfaction. The curtain rose, and Mr. Butters read the following pro. logue written for the occasion by Mr.Meade:— 7 Pint, what to i»t, «nd nextly, how to My*/*(P7p£here's the rub ; Veil I must jast essay ii The £_oft* is good, and critic*, for it* sake,: £fr litaeVfAu)tf wffi torn* •ongMttion talpV

THo' 'pon my conscience, I am bothered quite By the fair dames, so beautiful and bright, That fix my gate 1 Ah! that's the happy out : Dear gentle ladies, trusting unto you For aid and sympathy, I'll tell my tale ; Where you befriend there's no such word aa fail. In quest of gold, all potent, and which still, As wont of yore, sways men for good or ill, Now toiling thousands o'er Otago roam, Far, far from kindred and dear native home. I Hard lot is theirs, as we too truly know. The flooded river, the chill, blinding snow ; The dang'rous mine, damp, dismal, dark and deep, Where noxious gases like dread serpents sleep, They must combat to earn a pittance scant That barely serves to guard from gaping want. Yet, stout of heart, all perils they defy ; Hope's Btar pales never in their cheerful sky. For parent, sweetheart;, or. fond, constant wife With stalwart arm they bravely brunt the strife 'Gainst stubborn Fortune, till she fain doth Jyieldf. And leaves them victors of the vrell-fought'field' Such .duty theirs while haply blessed with health. Should sickness prostrate, then, alas, is felt By the sad miner,, helpless and alone, Anguish so keen, that even.heart of stone Could not withstand its lacerating woe, But riven, shattered, to a drear grave go ; Unknown, uncared for, no relation near To sooth its parting, shed the sorrowing tear Wrung by affection from the mourner's breast When fled the spirit to eternal rest. Not now, fair hearers, need such death beds be ; The God-like might of holy Charity Hath raised an Hospital, where tend'rest care That skillful leech and kindly men prepare Oar poor sick brethren freely can obtain Till health and strength become their own again. And if the Giver of all life should call The ailing mortal from this world of thrall, Not cheerless there tike sufferer's latter end : The good physician acts the faithful friend ; His pain .assuages, his last breath receives, And, mayhap,— why not? for his p&tient grieves. But mark : the labours of this humane course Can't be well managed with a slender purse ; Thus here we meet to gladly give our mite For cause so noble, merciful and right. One word from you. — su«h conquests you achiere — And greediest miser c'en would blandly give. Tour sweet smiles show your valued sympathies Are with our object. Thanks ; now I'm at ease. For your amusement we've prepared a play, One Waitahuna don't see every day — Or night, I would have said but for the rhyme (An Irishman may speak a second time). i Songs, recitation!, readings by yourselves, Which sure must charm, or we're but crabbed old elves. No pains we've spared in our attempt to please (Into applauding all the men-folk tease). Oarbest we'll do your favour to possets, And shall deserve, if not command, success. Again the curtain fell, to rise upon as briiliantan assemblage of beauty asyour reporter ever had the good fortune to gaze upon. The opening chorus, "by ladies only," was magnificently executed, and received the applause it merited. I would fain blazon forth to all the world the names of the fair ones who came forward so nobly at the call of charity ; but as their names do not appear on the programmes, I presume their modesty leads jthem to avoid publicity, and I unwillingly bow to" their scruples. Next came the burlesque of "Bombastes Furioso," the characters being represented by Messrs. Henley, Devonshire, and Busst, and another fair incognitas Most royally did the great Artaxomines acquit himself. Most heroic was -the appearance of the unconquered Bombastes, as he strutted on, followed by his mighty army of — three. Nor must the sapient Fuzboi be forgotten, whose sage counsel Artaxomines too rashly neglected ; and as for Distaffina, I was not in the least surprised to see the monarch and the general worshipping at her feet. Too much praise, indeed, can hardly be given to the ladies and gentlemen of the Dramatic Corps for the manner in which they acquitted themselves on their "first appearance." They displayed not only histrionic talentß of no mean order, but also an amount of careful study verjjj^* J= |^n the part of amateurs. 'w£*™*j<M were, I believe, home-mMMMjj^^J tainly would not havs|^^^^^^^H wardrobe of the r^^^^^^^^H Dunedin. The mannei^^^^^^^^H songs belonging to j^^^^^f sung elicited. j^e^jnej^tf^^^^^^^^^H applause. omines (Mr. boots of Bombal^^^^^^^^^^H thereby leading to a^^^^^^^^^^H the king is apparent^^^^^^^^^H by another combat be^^^^^^^^H queror and Fuzboz (Mff^^^^^^H in which the former fall^^^^^^^H boz and Distaffina to shed, was given with reulftl^^^^^^^J and led to the perfora|£|iS/]^HRaIWP before the curtain. Af^wfcWsitt- ( sion of the burlesque aff^nrorval of' five minutes was allowed Tfdr thirsty souls like your reporter, ajftd he, at? any rate, made the most of <his> opportunities. The second part consistedof songs, readings, and recitations ' by various ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Clark was called to the chair $ and another chorus by ladies introduced most pleasantly the latter portion of the entertainment. My space forbids me to give a minute account of each performance; but I cannot help'particularising the splendid singing of the" lady who led the chorus, a solo by her being enthusiastically encored. Nor must I omit -to mention with special, praise another lady who delighted the audience -with/ two exquisitely sung

Scotch songs. Among the readers also the ladies held their own, one humourous piece and a lament for diggers killed by the military at Ballarat being well received. Among the gentlemen, the singers of "Mary of Argyle" and "Sweet spirit hear my prayer '•' received a large share of applause; and the comic singing of Messrs. Eitson and Devonshire I for one have seldom seen equalled, and certainly never surpassed. Of the readers and reciters I can only recall the names of Messrs. Hibbard and O'Keefe, the former of whom gave " Sam Weller's Valentine " in an extremely humorous manner, and the latter an extract from Pope's "Heloisa and Abelard " with great feeling and expression. But already have I occupied more than my allotted space, and when all were excellent it seems invidious to mention any in particular ; so with a simple commendation of Mr. Smith's excellent dancing, I beg to subscribe myself Toua Wandebing Eepobtee.