The hunt was laid by Mr. E. C. Pearce who was accompsined by Dr. Hanwell, the heavy-weight winner of the previous hunt. Start and finish were from the same place, and this well known finish will in future be called " Springfield." The hunt is a very difficult one to describe, as the part, known as the French Bicawei Country, has no landmarks named. The most interesting feature of the hunt was the absolutely new country, through which part of the hunt lay, that beyond the Arsenal or Creek. This country is good, the jumping being in several cases big and clear, but there are a good maw muddy wades, which no doubt could be improved if there were many hunts laid in that part. The chief drawback to all hunts on the other side of the Sicawei Creek, is that the run home cannot be changed, and checks are very hard to lay.
The following were the first six on the oard, In writing the words which appear at the head of this notice we cannot but be conscious of the mockery of their intention. According to the programme the performance was given by the Konzert-Verein with the help of the Musical Festival Chorus but so far as could be seen the whole brunt of two arduous pieces of work was borne almost entirely by the Festival Chorus and few members of the Verein could be seen in either chorus or orchestra. It is unfortunate that this should have been so as the Konzert-Verein originally applied to the Musical Festival Chorus to help them. The precise reason for the desertion has not transpired, but there appears to have been some divergence of opinion between the rank and file of the Verein and their executive Committee. Possibly also the practice for the forthcoming performance of the " Fledermaus" was an In these circumstances it must be ssid that the chorus and orchestra A.O. Fisher on Matrimony acquitted themselves with much credit. [There was less reason to be satisfied with the soloists. Mr. Lewis consistently sang well and with expression bat. Mme. Thue was not in her usual voice and, except in the beautiful number But soon too soon," of St. Cecilia's Day, she did not always seem to appreciate the spirit of what she sang. Both Mr. Lammert and Mrs. Duncan appeared to find the admittedly bad acoustics of the a heavy obstacle, although they sang with their usual feeling. It may be ssid in excuse for any deficiencies that St. Cecilia's Day is frequently unvocal, and that its composer, though working with all the care and knowledge of which he is a known master, occasionally seems to be uncertain of the effect he wishes to produce and becomes merely mechanical, The best numbers of this part of the programme were, perhaps, the opening chorus and the third, beginning " By ever flow," which is piece of music and was pleasantly rendered. To say that the chorus was at times too weak for the work it had to perform is no dis compliment but a mere statement of fact, for which the singers were not responsible. On the other hand they deserve much praise for their ensemble and the light and shade which they expressed. Their chief fault i tendency to slide on to their notes instead of striking them clean, which occasionally produces a smudgy effect.
In Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise the orchestra scored a decided success in its rendering of the beautiful opening Symphony. Unlike some of Mendelssohn's music (including, it munt be confessed, parts of The Hymn of Praise) it loses little by being heard frequently, and the orchestra entered thoroughly into the spirit of it and played with much freshness and feeling. Mr. Lammert was apparently more at home with the hall by the time he reached " The sorrows of death" and the note of sympathy which is never missing in his voice was reinforced by a sureness which was absent from the earlier number.
In conclusion every praise must be given to Mr. R. C. W. Pullen for his conducting. He showed throughout a command of the music which he extended to every department of the large company before him, and his conducting was marked by an elasticity, vigour and comprehensiveness which never flagged through two and a half hours of hard work,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.