ALEXANDRA. April 10, 1870.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 608, 13 April 1876, Page 2

ALEXANDRA. April 10, 1870.

flit CONCr.UT AHTD tvrERTAIKMENT. The amateur* drama, ie e/jtm.unm.'nti by member of the Te Awamutu lod/e of Good Tcmpl«\rs, came off here on Frid iy evening hurt ; our Public Hall btiug coia^ foi'tably filled on the occasion with am appreciative and delighted audience. The affair, I am happy to say, was not only a success in affording a most agree ib l^ evening's amusement to those *ho a^nded, but the fnndsalsoof the Society were j augmented to the extent of >ome £15, to be expended in fitting necessary for tho comfort of the members attending the Alexandra lodge room. Although we had no " Jam Tarts " to honor us with their presence, and gire a pseudo-aristocratic halo to the proceedings, we w«re fortunate in obtaining, in our opinion, all the available talent of the district, and oat of it too. I only wish I had the gift of " blowing 1 a little bit," would'nt I make your j K arailtonian correspondent, who furnished the report of the late entertainment held hero, pale with envy, for hot being present, and so missing a chance of distinguishing himself in his own particular line. The first piece on the programme I was the farce of the " Washing Day," with the following cast ; — >Mr Besom, ft retired gentleman, Mr Berry ; Mrs Besom, his wife, Mr H Brunton } Miss Emma, daughter, Mr T Neale ; Chas» Fiteherbert, nephew, Mr W Bruce; Mrs JogCs, timber merchant's washerwoman, Mr fi Culpan; Mis Mumps, Taylors washerwoman, Mr J Allen; Gingham, maid-all-work, Mr Bees^ ley. Tho performance of this piece causecF roars of laughter; the make-upof the female characters being first-rate, some of them actually having sncriSced beard and whiskers for the occasion. Mr Beesley, as Gingham, particularly acquitted himiolf in a manner that would have distinguished him on any stage. All were weil up in their parts, and the piece passed off vithout a hitch. After an interval, a n niber of songs were rendered by the menbers and la ly amateurs, Mrs RDL Duffus accompanying in her usual accomplished manner. In this part of the entertainment the members had a splendid reinforcement in Mr Levintohn, a visitor in the settlement, and pressed in the service The two song-s sang by this gentleman were most enthusiastically encored, a,na had to bo responded to. His song, "Silver threads among the gold," was not to be surpassed (?)— well, if that is t«o strong, say, bar one, Sims Reeves. AJrs Maddigan'a song, the " Gypsey's Warning," was sweotly rendered* Messrs Berrf, Brunton, Culpan, Bruce, and Beeslo^ were all warmly applauded. The 'atter, who appears to have a natural vocation for tho sUge, responded to the numerous encore* he received in so hearty a manner that he fairly carried the house with him; his comic songs were~ among the best of the^g evening. TUe farce of *' Taming a Tiger"^ conchrled the entertainment, the cast bping su3tainel by Alessrs John Allen, H Brunton, and Beesley, who all fulfilled their respective characters most satisfactorily. Aft** the entertainment dftnwng ©ocacnence-i •ami th» nighc b»xog _*°*W i

'«' Polka " W'i s «? wneru l cI T to COM|imenco with for " a wa.tu " ; all wired in •at oner, and the b.iH *«s kept up vinror--dusly by the young folka until raoi-ning. Mr.'Wiison RiulMr. Salmon attciylo<l at the 'table* uud di^nnsetl t<»ft, coflw, mid refreshr.ioutb nd libitum to those ptoaeut.

ITATIVB "NEWS. Native news -™ of no importo»e» just Tnow. The 'new -religion some of the natives are beginning lo think -is a little overdone. A largo number of 'the young follows, including a good many half-c istes, bavin? learnt the new hymns andprayets bv heart, make 'tip parties, and cabling themselves Taroatfs to spread the "now forms -go froai settlement to settlement, as »tv excuse to get good -fowl from the resident* and pass avr»y their idle time, pigs being killed for them and the best of « kai " always being produced • during their «tay. Winiata is still nmr Ihe Kuiti with Ms 'relatives. There is little folk about him .i a8 t now, 'but a short time sinco at a meeting of Natives, when they were die■cussihg wh*t would likely 'bo done wi«i him one of the spoakera remarked that ''eroion»a Maori be able to £0 imd kill a pakelw. in any ipakeha seltlement without anymore feat of its result than hw.vwoul'd have by qfcing out an .the btrs*. :ahd killing a wild pig." This was received with the greatest satisfaction by hit, audi'eaoe, you may vrelU«ppo*e, ™™q ™ nwny whose hands have been imbued witli Eoicpean blood. There must 'be now • some forty murderers residing at the Kuiii wh > have gone there for shelter these last few years. —Own Cowuzspondent.