Original Correspondence.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1374, 27 August 1895, Page 4

Original Correspondence.

We do not identify ourselves with the opinions expressed by our correspondents. ] YOUR BANNOCKBURN CORRESPONDENT. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I noticed in your issue of last week a few remarks from "Your Bannockburn Correspondent," wherein he treatsyour readers to acriticismof the opera "Pirates of Penzance," and in justice to those ladies and gentlemen who took part in the performance, I cannot allow his remarks to pass unnoticed. In the first instance he fancies that any attempts at criticising the opera are heresy, but in his case, judging from the latter part of his remarks, it is not exactly heresy, but a piece of cold cheek of the most frigid nature. In using the word "generally "to strengthen the qualification of opinion he writes from, one would think that the majority of Bannockburn had raised their voices to affect "Your Correspondent's" auditory nerves, hence the necessity of proclaiming publicly through the columns of the Press the opinions of all that he had spoken to on the subject. As to a comparison of the operas "Mikado" and " Trial by Jury," tastes differ considerably, especially in the nature of plot, etc. Mikado is an opera with quaintness of melody, novelty of dress, and also a depiction of Japanese court life, while the " Pirates " is of a distinct type to this; and as for " Trial by Jury," it is so short that a second piece is required to fill up a night's programme. As I mentioned before it is a matter of taste, and there is no way of accounting for the peculiarities of the qualities of it either. Some people, no doubt, relish a burnt-cork entertainment, or a " Service of song " led on by a rusty old fiddle, or else, perhaps, a clog dance. It's a matter of taste Mr Editor! The ideas of some folk re loss of individuality are limited to the use of burnt cork and an imitation of nigger lingo, and, possibly, the informants of "Your Correspondent" run in this channel. It is gratifying to learn, at any rate, that two or three of the performers were really good exceptions in satisfyihg their criticisms. On making enquiries, I ,am very pleased to learn that " Your Correspondent" does not echo the sentiments of all the Bannockburn folk, nor does his informant represent the district. I believe there were I two persons in particular who were not satisfied ; possibly he knows one of the two. I am sorry for their disappointment. And now, Sir, your readers are treated to a gem as far as cold cheek goes. "Your Correspondent" wants to know " what the funds are for, or does it all go in expenses ?" This is not bad, considering he did not grace us with his presence or his dimes, and his rampant ignorance is very forcibly betrayed. I suppose he fancies that the play-right costs nothing, the use of the hall is free both for practices and performances, advertising is gratis, music, etc. have been presented to the Society; and, again, his remarks as to his query "is it not a severe tax upon the district for the pleasure of a few?" apparently are only worthy of the person .who wrote them. My answer to this is, in considering this query, it all depends upon the amount of meanness or jealous greed which a person possesses, and in using the word " district," I can inform him that if he means Bannockburn, the cost of the dresses which some of the performers wore, and provided out of their own pockets, ~was considerably in excess of his district's contribution to the funds. Apoligising for the trespass on your space on such a contemptuous matter, I am etc., W. M'Lauohlin, Conductor.