Major orchestra invited to tour

Press, Issue 33846, 19 May 1975, Page 16

Major orchestra invited to tour

(From CHARLES COOPER, London correspondent of "The Press")

LONDON, May 18.

An appeal for a major British Symphony Orchestra to tour New Zealand was made in London last evening by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. G. Hay).

The suggestion was directed at the Lord Mayor of London (Sir Murray Fox) when he hosted a Mansion House dinner for Mr Hay and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr M. L. Fowler).

Mr Hay, who proposed the toast to the Lord Mayor and Corporation of London, said that it would probably come as a surprise to his hearers to know that a major British symphony orchestra had never visited New Zealand.

Saying that he was much interested in music, Mr Hay said: “Your famous London orchestras have toured most countries on both sides of the Iron Curtain, but somehow have overlooked New Zealand.”

"I fee.' strongly that cultural exchanges, as well as visits by Lord Mayors and sports teams, promote international good will, and I suggest to your corporation that it use its influence to promote a tour of New Zealand by a symphony orchestra from London.” Mr Hay said

“This would be very greatly welcomed by the citizens of our country 7 , and

especially by the musiclovers of Christchurch,” he said.

Christchurch, “a city of fairly conservative and solid citizens,” was looking forward to the visit of Sir Murray in August. Mr Hay said that he would show him the Queen Elizabeth .II sports stadium, site of the successful tenth Commonwealth Games, and the new town hall with a concert chamber comparable in size with the Sydney Opera House.

Mr Hay also said that during his visit to Britain he wanted to learn anything of local government administration that would reduce the ►ever-growing burden of rates. The cost was increasingly falling on too few’ people instead of being equitably spread through the community by taxation on incomes, rather than just on those who happened to own property.

“We are all suffering from similar problems and perhaps your Government will solve this more rapidly than we seem to be doing,” Mr Hay said.

“If so, I hope you will share the solution with us, as an answer is urgently required,” he said.

Hockey. — Wellington beat Wairarapa. 6-0. in a men’s hockey mgtch at Upper Hutt on Saturday.