TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9813, 24 August 1897, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Sir George Turner, the

One firstof the Colonial Premiers Premier to reach Australia after the Returns. gathering in London, waa

promptly interviewed by a representative of the Argus as soon as the steamer cast anchor at Albany. Sir George admitted that his chief feeling was one of great relief at the prospect of getting home again. He appreciated the advantage he had had of taking part in tha Jubilee celebration-, but ceremonies and functions were not in his line and they "took it out of him" too much. "I had not a minute to myself," he declared, *" and I never worked bo hard in all my life." His day began at 6.30 a.m. and finished up somewhere between midnight and the small hoars. As to his impressions of England, he said London disappointed him at first but it "grew"' on him. The public buildings did not appeal to him because of their peculiar dirty appearance, and the shops were no better than the beat in Melbourne. Under the guidance of a policeman he made a tour of the slums, and found them bad, bat not nearly so much so as he had expected. There appeared to be move poverty in Glasgow and Edinburgh and Liverpool than in London, though Sir

George admitted that it might have been that the poor in those cities turned out to see the colonials in larger numbers than they did in London, The interest ahown by everyone in the colonies simply amazed the Victorian Premier, and he found the British ignorance on the subject hardly less surprising. The Premiers met nearly all thc prominent public men, and all the people in high positions treated the visitors " just like colleagues." "I was under the impression before I went to England," remarked Sir George, with uaive simplicity, "that Dukes and Lords were stuck-up, high-falutin" sort of chaps, but I have been agreeably disappointed in them. The manner in whioh they treated every one of us could not b c beaten. They did not put on any'side,' and when they discussed Australian affairs they showed a fine intelligent grasp of them." Even those people who had suffered by the financial disasters in Victoria exhibited a degree of faith and confidence in the colony which went to the Piemier's heart.

Ok all the notables with Opinions on whom Sir George Turner

Notable was brought into contact Personages. Lord Rosebery and Mr

Chamberlain most impressed him. Both " seemed to be born leaders of men." The worthy Premier's judgment was, we fancy, rather astray here. Lord Rosebery has already proved that, whatever else he is, he is not a leader of men, born or trained, and admirably statesmanlike as Mr Chamberlain is in many respects, it is difficult to imagine him leading a party in the House of Commons with any very great success. " Mv Chamberlain," added the Premier, '* is always cool," and therein, perhaps, lies one of tho very reasons why he is not a " born leader of men." The House of Commons Sir George Turner found to differ very little from the Victorian House. " The speeches certainly were very short, and they get on with business well," but he thought, in proportion to numbers, he could pick as many able men and good speakers out of the Victorian House as ouc of the House of Commons. It will be interesting to learn what Mr Seddon says on -the subject. Shortness of speeches and quid, despatch of business are features of Parliamentary work which would have all the charm of novelty to him. The Premiers were presented three times to the Queen, " but all Court ceremonies are conducted according to the strictest and most rigorous etiquette, which," remarked Sir George, "as everyone knows is not much to my fancy." These frequent assertions of his dislike to Court,. etiquette appear to the casual reader as if Sir George Turner had the coming general elections in his eye. He mentioned; however, that the opportunities afforded to him of Boeing tlie Queen enabled him to realise the charm df her Majesty's manner and especially the beauty of her voice. He thought the Melbourne papers as good as, if not better than, those of London, and tho London theatres were not much, if any, superior to the best in the colonies, while the prices were simply outrageous. Speaking of the future, the Premier said he thought consultative meetings between the Colonial Office and-the Colonial Premiers would be held every two or three years. With the memories of his sufferings at the shrine of pleasure fresh in his mind he said such trips must be for business purposes only,, and hospitality must be strictly limited if any work was to be done. "With regard to close political union," concluded Sir George Turner, "I say unhesitatingly that there is nothing at all in it. It is. an impossibility at the present time."

In his evidence before the

A Peep Old Age Pensions CoinBehind the mission in Melbourne Mr Scenes. J. C. Williamson, the

( widely known theatrical manager, made out a very good case, from his point of view, why the suggested tax of Id on each admission ticket to a theatre should not be imposed. In doing so he gave somo interesting particulars of the expenses of theatrical management and the risks attendant on it, even when the best theatre ia Australia was concerned. He declared that ono penny per ticket was far more than his firm's profit, and the same statement would apply to other theatres. The tax would fall on the management, for the odd penny could not be charged to the public, and, as a matter of fact, although the average attendances at the Princess's Theatre had increaaed during the past two years, the last half year had involved a loss. In 1895, for instance, tho tax would have meant the loss of £2572 on top of an, actual loss on the year's business of over £1000. Theatrical management very rarely indeed yielded a competence, and the Commission, in reply to his challenge, could not tell him the name of one manager who had retired in wealthy circumstances. The colonial public was liberal, even generous, but it was a spoiled public, which only saw the best London pieces. This, said Mr Williamson, had gone so far, that to experiment with anything less .would be ruinous. Prices could not be increased, although they were a great deal lower than in London, while materials and salaries were higher. "Still Williamson and Musgrove go on for ever," remarked the Chairman. " Perhaps because they can't get out of it," retorted Mr Williamson. Certainly, he added, he could have done better outside, though so long as he could get a decent living he would stay. Whereat the Commission must have breathed easily again, for the prospect of " the firm" following the Brough Company was not a pleasant one. Touching the Brough and Boucicault Company, Mr Williamson said they were worthy of every support, bat they had to go, and he had told Mr Brough the only thing he envied him for was being able to get away.

Speaking of the theatre with

The which hi 3 name is so intiPrincess's. mately connected, the Prin-

cess's, Mr Williamson said his employees averaged from 100 to 130, rising to 300 at Christmas time. "The Sign of the Cross," which has met with such phenomenal success, cost the firm £2500 before it was staged in Melbourne, and ii the play had not been so successful another £1000 would have been lost. The theatre circulated a great deal of money. In the last six months it had paid away £11,286 in wages, £2826 in rents, &c, £1411 in printing and advertisements, £1478 in lighting, £1119 on scenery, and £1452 on wardrobe. If the tax had been put on this firm would have had to pay £910 additional. The theatrical profession was over-crowded because so many thought, until they found out their mistake, that it provided an easy living. An actor's average earnings, he said, were from £1 per week to £40 or £50 "according to merit and brains." Mr Williamson then proceeded to show how already the profession did sugreat deal for charities. No one need to be told of the generosity of theatrical people, it ia proverbial, but Mr Williammh.b statements are instructive. The profession, he said, already paid a voluntary charity tax. "It supported its own poor in homes at Northcote, founded by the Dramatic and Musical Association in 1872. In 1883 the whole oi the capital which was invested to keep the home* going,

£4768, was swept away th._M_.l7_, failure of the Banks. £ then established, called the I)i,i Actors' Fund, and in four years ft?**' fession had raised and disbursed in P * o " ti«» with it £3742. The profession, &. maintaining its own p,«>r iodepondcntlvj thc community, had contributed W e by means of benefits to the MrfJ 1 Hospital, Children's Hospital, Wo Hospital, Fever Hospital, the JubileoDin Fund, and many other charitable obiLT' During last year £884 waa raised for ,2 purposes in the Princess's Theatre a * o » He did not think that these facts could"*,' known to those who advocated a tax * amusements. Theatrical management is „__ however always unprofitable. Another issue of the Melbourne papers contains ■_, account of some legal proceedings h? which "the firm's" gains in the eighth come out. M. Arthur Garner, a member tf the firm of Williamson, Garner and Mua grove for nine years from 1882, deposethat his income from the theatrical business for those nine years was always £400Q year, and often a great deal more v •* 1888, when it was £6000. Ihose' Wew however, the days before the finauciaj crashes, and one can hardly expect aucV good times to come again.