HIGHLAND GATHERING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2319, 12 June 1886, Page 2

HIGHLAND GATHERING.

The first re-uhion in thjmwn known as a Highland gathering, "was held in the Theatre Royal, Masterton, last evening, and the result of it more than justified the expectations of its promoters, Last winter a somewhat similar assemblage took place at Gladstone, and tho 'success of it induced the Scotch residents in the neighbourhood of this town,.to repeat it „ v .». on a somewhat larger scale in our'f hcak.' A, Royal. The managing committee hard to make all due preparation for the event. Before fl p,m, two bibles the entire length of the hall, with the usual cross table, were laid with an unlimited supply of all good things, thejsubstantiftl character of which portrayed the genial hospitality of;the; committee, . and the enterprise of the caterers, Messrs Mackay and McGlashan.' ■ There was seating-room for about a hundred and fifty persons, and by-and-by the coupleß, old and young, the gude man ai.d gudo wife, the lad and the lassie, came in and took their seats at the long tables, till every place was filled. Jhe pipers in the cjallery overhead auiiujßwthe scene with their performances, CTthe national costumes and decorations of many of the guests made a very pretty picture. When evory seat was filled, grace in Gaelic was pronounced from the head of the table by Mr Alexander Stewart, and theworMv. of demolition began., The ladies an«K gentlemen forming the Committee waitenjf on the guests, and every one receWM that kindly attention which, makes a banquet of this sort enjoyable. The next feature on the programme was to have been certain' speeohes and toasts. The Rev. Mr Fulton, for instance, had promised to deliver a brief address on the aims and objects of Highland gatherings, but an unexpected obstacle intervened. Some sixty or seventy more guests had arrived and the tables had to sustain a Becnnd assault from the contingent which had waited till the first relay made- room for them. By the time the late guest* were served it was nearly eleven o'clock, and the ladieß declared that they must clear the tables for the dance. In vain was it explained that the programme demanded certain toasts. While the gentlemen on the Committee deliberated on the difficulty which had arisen, the ladies solved it by clearing off the materials essential to the honoring of the toasts and at onco active preparations were made for the dance. About one hundred couples took . the flooiW for the ! opening reel, Mr James Pis, M.0,, ! marshalling the assemblage with tho greatest tact and ability. Dancing, fun, • and merriment, was kept up till day-light, fl The Masterton String Band provided ft excellent musio from the stage, and &> pipers, Messrs Mcßae, Stewart and Ross, played for the national dauces, which were appointed at intervals through the long programme. Considerably over two hundred persons were present including .visitors from the East Coast and other remote localities so that the gathering fairly represented all the Highland blood of the district,

The following are the names of the Committee to whom is due the success of the Into gathering i-Ladies-Mesdames T. MoLennan, Grant, McColl, Fulton, Lowea, T. M, Drummond, J. Cameron, T. Brown, Misses Munro, Johanna Munro, Jameseria Gray, Annie McLachlan, Janejell and Jane Grant, Gentle-men-Meßsrs John Cameron, McColl, G. Bruce, A! McPhoe, P. S. McDonald, D. McDonald, Evan McKenzio, Alexander Stewart, D. McPhco,Thomas Sfjjflennan, John Livingstone, T. M. Dromond, Donald McKenzie, D. Cameron,' and J. Ross (Hon. Sec. ) The Gladstone. Highland Committee and subscribers to the Gladstone gathering of last year, were presented by the Wastorton Highland Committee with complimentary tickets.