W A NGA NU I.
THE ST. COLUMBA LITERARY AXU DEBATING CLUB. (From an occasional correspondant.) Foe some years past the want of a Catholic ycmnir men's literary and debuting L'lub in Wau^anui has be -mi keenly tult. To s-atUty this want, the Ve^y Rev. Father Kirk, about lour months ago, from the pulpit ot St. Mary's, invited all the younjr men of the parish to attend a ii.eetin^ fur the purpose of co-operating with linn in establishing a deba - intf society on a firm and satisfactory basis. At the first meeting which was h. LI on .lune 12. and at which there were present about forty youny: men, it was re-olvi-d to establish a club. At a subsequent nuetmjr rules \vi re adopted and the society. with a membership of about fifty, was launched into existence under the name of " >t. Columba's Literary and Debating Club.' The following strong staff of oilicers was elected :— Patron, -the Veiy Rev. Father Kuk : presidt nt, Rev. Father Tymons ; \ke-president, Mr. T. Lloyd. 8.A.. ; librarian, 'Brother Alfred ; se -retary, Sir. 11. J. K. Simpson ; as-i^Uuit so rotary. Mr E. LoftiiH ; treasurer. Mr. A. McLaehlan ; council, Messrs. L. J. Duflow. J. T. Iloyau. F. Olhver, George Tuliin, J. Byrne and the ottk-erj. i r officio. The members meet in the Marist Brothers' schoolroom every Thursday evening. Debates, mock trials by jury, recitations, readings, sonjjs, namws and gymnastic exerci-es makeup the programme. In connectioii with the club is a we.l-s<-lecte.i library. Thus it will beseen that the intellectual, moral, social and physical improvement of the members — the avowed object of the clvb — is brought about in a thoroughly efficient way. To show the Catholic community the <rocd work that was bein^ done at the club a concert was jjiven, at which weie present, by invitation, the friends of the club. Tue concert was held in Si. Mary's Hall on October 20, and proved a »reat suciess. There were present about 2.~>u people, whose iipjueuiation of the efforts of the members was plainly shown by the enthusiastic applause with which each item was received. The Rev. Father Tymons opened the proceedings. He briefly sketched the history of the club, detailed the work dune by the members during the short session, and drew attention to tht fact that all the items on the programme with the excoj tion of tie accompaniments were to bo contributed by none bat b>ma Juic members of the club. The accompaniments were kindly played by Mrs. W. Butler in her well-known effective style. The sinners of the club then took part in a sony and chorus, " Tue vacant chair,"
Mr. H. E. A\cs taking the solo part. The next item was arecit: - tion, '■ Jud Browning on Rubcnsteins playing.' given by Mr. J. 'J . Hog an. This most difficult piece was very well done, and elicited a round of vociferous applause. Mr. Ilogan had to repeat the la. t p rigraph belore the audience was satisfied. Mr. R. J. K. bimpson io'loutd with a song, -'The little hero." It was we 1 tendered and gieatly pleased those present. Mr. Murphy thtn danced a step dance m a finished manner. The next item, a comic song, "Arrah go en,'' by Mr. Mick Scally. proved to be one of tie be-t on the progiamme. lid was got up as a " neat little colleen." His excellent " make-up " and his comic rendering ol the song faiily brought down the house. He had to reappear again and again Leiore the audience would calm down. " The schoolmaster's guest" was then recited by Mr. M. M Culloch, who made the most of the humour of the piece, and well earned the hearty applause he roc. lved for his etlort. Mr. H. E. Ayes followed with the song •■ Remember me no more," which was sung with great taste. Ti e iir^t portion of the programme was eloped with an address on ''The cultivation of a taste tor reading, " by Mr. T. Lloyd. He spoke particularly to the young men. and showed them that there weie three means of acquiring knowledge, vi^., observation, intercourse with our fellow-men, and reading. This last means he thought was the bost, ami he urgid every young man present to begin a course of judicious reading. lie had not time to go into tho merils or demerits of different books, but concluded his address with a quotation from an euinent writer, "Give a man a taste for readi jg, and unless he makes a most perverse selection of books you cannot fail to make him happy." The remaining portion of the evening's entertainment was devoted to a laughable farce, entitled "Furnished apartments." The staging of it was entrusted to Brother Alfred, to whose ability and attention its success was mainly due. The following is the cast of characters: — Dr. Plan us, Mr. W. J. Mahoney ; Mr. Romeo Theodore Fujgles, Mr. E. Loftus ; Mr. Magnus Smitn, Mr. R. J. K. Simpson ; Mr. i'elemachus Thompson, Mr. A. McLachlan ; Master Cephulus Squill, Master J. Purcell. The players had practised assiduously lor some weeks, and this helped, in a great measure, to bring about the excellent interpretation which each player gave of his special part. At the conclusion of the farce, the Very Rev. Father Kirk aildressed a few words to the audience. He congratulated the members on their manifest improvement since the foundation of the club, and on the quality of the amusement provided. He thankid the people for their Krge attendance and asked them to express their appreciation of the concert by a hearty vote of thanks to the young men. This was carried by acclamation, alter which the concert terminated with the >iaiional Anthem.
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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 29, 19 November 1897, Page 24
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946WANGANUI. New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 29, 19 November 1897, Page 24
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