In the same spirit of geniality in which the above was written we publish the following by a well Kenown local verse-maker:—
They call you "pudding! Well, perhaps they, may A call you, without fons of pride! Avtriconph of the Master-art," each To eater for a man's inside! dour end solid wide!
exon, like Haggit, far and
tle heavy!"
Well, perhaps you Bede the Souftée up-blown froth! Entirely British, like our Christos Our roast of hech, our mutton broth Good manure, weighed precisely end irred with teare and chuck thought of Empire, ion gently ra of Empire in For some occult reason, it has been the habit of local dramatic critics to bestow praise right and left upon individual performers, amateur or professional, where such praise has been due, and finally to mention quite casually that the play. was produced by so-and-so, The producer after all, is the prime mover in any performance, He Selects the play, interprets it to the players whom he chooses, and directs them in' the way they should go.
they are readily responsive, by reason of innate talent and understanding, so much the better for him, 'Accordingly, and in the interests of logical analysis of so meritorious performance by amateurs as that of "Ask Beccles" the Lyceum on 'Thursday even: ing, the critic desires. first all' sincerely to compliment Mr. Herbert Langley who has shown most satisfactory sense of the theatre not only as regards the play selected, but the players as wel, "Ask Beccles" is a fascinating "crook drama," develop. ing along unexpected lines, holding. the interest unflaggingly, Melodrama, course; but as we have so, often observed, this is a medium which never fails to commend the attention of an audience, as witness the enthusiasm at the Lyceum on Thurs Gay evening where an astonishingly good number tuned out for the initial "performance the merits of Which fad doubtless been privately The company of players whom Mr. Langl ¥ has gathered about him fare decidedly clever. There is that hatayalness of acting which ever calls for unqualified praise. Mr. Norman MeGregor is very much at Beceles, completely his Hines, makings of his part the very "Rafiles" that would seem the playwrights inteaded. Mrs, P.W.O. Liddell, og the overwealthy and equally vulgar Mrs. Rivers, does an exceedingly neat bit of character impersonation. Mr. CChotmondely, who allows no. suck trifle as a visit from the police to interfere with his study of the saxophone, elicited roars of Inugh~ ter and gave us glimpses of genuine acting. as was required of him. Mr. 'A. E, Seddon was content with the inevitable part of the butler, Baines, Not so Mrs. Seddon, who, fas the daughter of the irascible Sir Holforth, scored a distinct success, making' of the part a womanly woman, with a wealth of intuition and attractiveness.
Mars, it transpires, is closely related to Thospis. His devotees, consigned to out-of-the-way corners of the globe, must perforce provide their own entertainment for the greater part. Thus is much latent talent developed. A very large measure wan revealed last evening. Lieut.-Col, MIN. H. Logan appears to bea bit of a martinet, sufficiently 0 to give a desirable reading of the fussy Sir James Holforth. Lieu Protheroe-Benyon makes a most satisfactory villain, suave, poria Just where Major Graye'had the opportunity. to study the charac-early part of last century.
'Mr, Julian then paid a tribute to the Chinese in western Canada and mentioned some of the pioneering' work which had been done by the Chinese, particularly with reference: to the construction of the Canadii Pacific Railway. All who had travelled on that line could see the work which had been accomplished by the Chinese, who also had done 's0 much to develop agriculture.
In closing, the speaker mentioned the aspirations of Canada and the future and what he saw of it in the: Pacific Basin. He trusted that] peace and goodwill would continue to exist and that all who could would pay a visit to Vancouver in the future,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.