ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH CONCERT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4687, 5 April 1894, Page 2

ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH CONCERT.

i In all local centres thero is a ! pernicious custom 0/borrowing superlatives to describe very common place , performances, and when a good con* , cert is given it is difficult to give a • notice that will couvey to readers the ■ excellence of the performance. With this preface we safely say that those responsible for tho concert which was I given last night at the Ternparance Hall, Masterton, in connection with St, Matthew's Church, must be congratulated and- thanked for an entertainment whioh was distinctly above the usual efforts of Iocs: amateurs. And the appreciate audience which filled the Hall musl have considerably aided thooausefoi which the concert was ostensibly given. Mrs \Butetnent and hei brother, Mr P. J. Coote, contributed materially to the strength of tbu programme, and Miss Cran with " Alia Stella Confidents" (with violin obligate by Mr Ginders) received well deserved applause. In the first pari Mr Ginders played a violin solo and was accovdcd an encore, Mr F. G. Moors sang " The Veteran," and afterwards " Martin, the Man at Arms "-a serio-oomic piece given with great gusto and received with much applause, Mr Nioholls, who has done so much to improve the singing of the choir of whioh be has acted as leader, and'whose departure mill be a loss to Masterton musical circles, gave two songs—ono of them beinp, appropriately enounb, ''Parting." Mrs Butement's "He thinks Ido not lovo him" was given in her usual brilliant style, and this talented singer also sang a duet with her brother, Mr F. J. Coote, who has a caro« fully cultivated and lino tenor voice. Ha is also a practised piano player, and obliged with two solos, firstly the Ballet musio from Bosamunde', and secondly Sylvia. Several well known singers, including Mrs Anketel, Mrs Keith/Miss A, Watson, and Mr J. Simms, helped to make the evening a succeßßful. and pleasant one. The following is the programme ; TARI I. Instrumental quartette, Messrs Gray (2), Russell and Nicol; song, " Parting,," Mr Niohollsj song," Better Land," (Cowan) Miss A. Watson; ; violin solo, (selected) Mr Ginders; song, " Vanity," Mr P. J. Coote; vocal duet," The Sea of Glass," Mrs Keith and Miss Bockell; song, "Tho Veteran,"Mr F..G. Moore; song, " He thinks I do not Love Him," Mrs W. Butement.

, 'PART 11. Pianoforte solo, Mrs Ankctell; song, "Queen of the Earth," Mr J. Simms; songj "Alia StellaConfi. dente," • Miss Oran, (with violin J obligato, Mir Ginders); vocal duet, " Venetian Boat Song," Mrs W, Butement and Mr ]?. J, Coote; song, " Booked in the Oradje of the Deep," Mr Nichqlls; song, " The Song of lioyo and Death," Mrs ?eith \ pianoforte Musio from Bosa'munde| f^ (bj~^"SJlvia, ,, Mr F, J.,Coote ;|ong, 'i Man .atArmß/'pr P. 6,; Moore; oonotrttoasolo, I(|i Arthur^ : ;. •'■•

JOTTINGS from UIIELLINGION (By Our Own Correspondent;.) _ ' Tuesday. Licensing Elections Gossip.—Wars ]and Rumours of Wars.-Tk Trade on tk Dcfensm.-The Publicans' little Tactical Mistake,-Strange results of Hasty Legislation.—Conjec~ twee as to the Government's Policy.— The Sessional Programme.—An Ideal Newspaper, , I learn on very goad authority that ihepublioans, at a recent meeting of their AesooiatiOD, passed two significant resolutions, which, rend in the light of recent events, would tend to show that they are extremely anxious to keep on their best behaviour, and not be onught infringing the provieionß of the Alcoholic Liquors Act, for fear of condign punishment being meted out to them when the new Wellington Committee site for the first time in Juno next. The resolutions I refer to were that first they would religiously refrain from indulging in Sunday trading, no matter how great the temptation;'and, secondly, that they would 1)9 most careful not to supply liquor under any conditions to prohibited persons, Of course, the publicans have arrived at this high , pitch of virtuo from the fact that any one of them caught infringing the conditions of the Aot, or having a conviction recorded on his license, is mora than likely to be bhok-listed and have his license taken away from him at the first meeting of the Committee. A holy fear has, in fact, been instilled iuto the publicans of Wellington, and it would bo a matter of great difficulty to obtain a drink here on Sunday, at any puhlio-house at any price. May this Btate of things long continue to exist, for Sunday trading in Wellington has long been a very profitable affair, and the law has been broken for years past wi'.h the raoat peifeot impunity.

It is generally believed that although the Wellington Committee can, if they so decide, close a quarter of the hotels in Wellington—which would be 13—they are not hkely to exercise their' power on more than two or three of the ' worst-conduoted, or least needed houses. The extremists, are, however, reported to be actively wirepulling, in order to force the Committee to exercise their powers as far as possible.

It is said that when the publicans were considering whether they would Gght the recent licensing election or not in Wellington they took the advice of a high legal authority in town, and were advised that if they were to abstain from voting the Temperance Party could not obtain "thehalf" required, and therefore would be unable to carry.reduction. Upon the case being represented to the Premier it is reported he urged his publican fiiends to go to the poll in order to show that the Act could be worked successfully, The publicans thereupon deoided to fight the eleotion, with the result that as they themselves and their friends went to the poll they made up the required numberof voters, and therefore reduction was easily carried, not by the Temperance Party, but by the Publicans I

It would, therefore, appear that. every boozer in town helped to carry reduction under, the provisions of this quaintly worded act, Had'the publicans and their good adherents refrained from voting, tlie required majority could not havo been obtained, and reduction would not have been carried., This is rather a remarkable iuataneo of ibe Publican party being, hoist with their own petard, and it shows from the advices given to tbem by the Premier, if it is a fact that be did bo, that be himself, though the voluble expounder and champion of Ibe Act in the House last session, ap» patently understood very dimly the effect the Act would have when put into operation. The publicans, who are now so dreadfully anxious that bouses should not be closed, are the very men who by their desperate efforts on polling day obtained the half majority, which was necessary to extinguish themselveß. Truly this is a remarkable position of affairs, and those members of the Temperance party, who in the House last session wore afraid tbat tho provisions of ibe Act were not stringent enough, need not now have cause to complain over tbo curious result, which has arisen on the occasion of its-first working,

[ It has been stated (hat when the i Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act is ; brought down in the House next sob- . aiou that the friends of the trade in-, r tend to strenuously figh't for the re- ■ tention of the clause containing tho " one half "■ majority provision, and also for tho retention of the other clauses favorable to the publicans' business generally, and that if necessary they will force the Government to accedo to their demands. But people, who are making these statements, are reckoning without their host, because the Temperance party in the Houso will be strong enough to do away with these shackles upon the Temperance cause, As a matter of fact the party intends, I hear, to urgft the Government to considerably amend the Act, and one of tho results will be, if they are successful in their efforts, that both sides (the publicans and temperance people) will be forced to goto the poll. Tho Temperance party in die House is more than thiee times as strong as it was in the last parliament, Last session thero was a party of twelve led bv Sir Robert Stool, including Messrs Allen, W. Hutchison, Eamshaw, Meredith, Taipua, Saunders and Dr, Newman, In the new House the numbers have swelled to about 30 at the lowest computation, and will thu6 form a pretty solid phalanx to .defeat,'' I learn that a high legal opinion has - been obtained, as to whether the informal votes cast at tho recent licensing elections should or_ should not be included when making up the returns of the number of people who voted, The opinion is that informal votes siiould not bo counted, as they are from theit very informality null and void, and of no more effect'than if the voter had never appeared in the polling booth to register his or her vote at all. As I believe it is the intention i to test this decision by legal process, it will, if oorrect, complicate matters more than ever, Was there ever such a mesa made of any election before ?

I learn on very reliable authority that the Government do not intend to bringdown any loan proposals next session, Thiß is rather to be regretted for many reasons, despite the strong feeling which is known to 1 exist against anyfurthorborrowing at present, for the reason that a loan' would go a great way towards restor-' ing\ confidence and help to lift the prevailing depression wliich hangs Over/the Colony like a|all. : Itis torip a loan ■tpvijt w -'the \ times

hau it is to refrain from borr6nH| until the present depression is if it ever will lift, and then Wb^^H coming session and it is cuftHHHH ported that some excitement iStyllM Amongst the business to be put : before parliament will he the reform - of the Tariff Aot. The present al- ' most prohibitive dutiea put upon the - importation of articles which can be manufactured in the Colony will be transformed into absolute protection as the Government believes that even " with the. prevailing high tariff for certain local manufactures are slowly • but surely being snuffed out of existence owing to the pressure of foreign competition, Germany, for instance, ■ta flooding the Australasian markdjs, with low prioed goods ngducsjMdfl ,Oost which despite j£?f!gn!PH pays to send in ! quantities to the colonies, and whioh < it iB said by protection-could be ) manufactured just as well here. (

Talkiag the other day to a member ■ T 'of Parliament, I wag informed that •,• \ | the Southern railways are not carry- '■♦) I ine; this year half the amount of grain they have done in former yearaowing to the very bad season whioh has been experienced down south, The BluffHurunui scotion last year, carried from 12,000 to 14,000 bushels of wheat per day, and are now only taking from 5000 to 6000 as a result of the partial failure of the grain crop. The small harvest returns, coupled' . with the bad prices which now vail are having a most disastrorH effect upon the Southern finances. To make matters vraflH also for these poor banks are, I am told, drawing inBH round, and advances on accomuioflH tioDare very Moult, instances almost impossible to .^H of the" Evening Tito" Company, Limited, in which it is stated that. the shares are to be re-issned to the publio generally with the idea of remodelling the paper in order that it may appear essentially as a" people's paper," absolutely free and iude'pendent, and pledged to Bupport no particular party. As there is room for an absolutely independent paper here I hope the project will succeed, but to successfully run • ft third paper in Wellington is a matter of capital and a good deal of that tOi>. The Provisional Directorate is composed of all sorts and conditions of nieu as will be seen from the following list ;-Dr Anson, Mr H.L. Brittan, Accountant; Mr Jphn Christie, Journalist; Mr F. de J. Clere, Architect; Mr Carwell Cooke, Printer; Sev.O.Dailaston; Mr Jas. Drummond, Compositor;. Mr D. P. Fisher, Compositor; Mr E, F, Hadfield, Solicitor; Mr Arthur Hoby, Dentist; Mr 0. B. Morison, Solioitor; MrKobertParker,Profes3orofMußio; Mr Theo. H. Ritohey, Agent; Rew T. H. Sprott. M.A. may be called a men selocted/ITommBHHH

community, but the question arises —have these architects, clergymen, dentißta, lawyers, and the professor o£ music sufficient business aoutnento make tho venture a financial success ? The capital of the Company is £5,000 in 5000 shares of £1 each, with calls of 2a (id each extending over 12 months, of which some 1100 have already boen subscribed. Tho promoters state in the prospectus tbat their main object is to provide more accurate reports, fuller news of tho outside world, fairer criticisra,aud ■ freer scope for discussion to corees* pondenta and contributors, which are some of the more urgent requirements of newspaper readers in Wellington, and in particular :-(l) To assist the causes of Social, Industrial and Philanthropic Keform in all their branches; to keep in touch with all movements and experiments connected therewith; and to supply information as to their Buccess or failure without colour or distortion to suit any parti" cular theory or tho views of any persou or class. (2) To give special prominence to tho Labour and Temperancomovemeuts without being rabid or extreme/?* Togive absolute fair play to corrodents and contributors on these i\nd all other questions, whether their views agree with those of the paper or not, (4) To afford honest criticism of our pub. lio life, and to award praise or blame irrespective of party. (5) To furnish occasional speoial artioks on music, literature, and the arts generally. All these objects are very fine and if carried out in their entirety will mako the" Evening Press" quite an ideal newspaper. "The Evening Press" will however, have to commence to reform from within at once' for many people are already imbued with the notion, and with some justification, that it has recently, since it changed hands, gone rather rabid over the Temperance Question and as extreme views are what the prospectus strongly deprecates, it fleems rather comical to read the inflammatory articles on this subject which are published nightly. I sincerely hoje, however, that the venture will prove a great success-and become firmly eptablished as ju-.. 1 ! people's paper" and objeots so temptingly set forth in its prospeotus,