MUSIC-HALL STRIKERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1907, Page 6

MUSIC-HALL STRIKERS.

Music-hall artists in London are determined to show the world that they, as well «6 coalminors, bootmakers, and other persons who toil for the comfort or annoyance of the general public, can strike for better things. They have resolved that they shall not fret and fume upon tho stage for their brief turn in vain. A cable message publishod on Monday announced *th.tt the music-hall strikers were hiring three halls in London, where thoy intended giving star entertaimaeute^ Thie

mojemust be something more than capitalistic managers anticipated. We out here have heard of trusts and corners in mimes and music. After captuung pork and other mundane goods, the American entrepreneur turned his thoughts to the muses. He had vatt ambitions. His pro. phetic eye saw the day when the world's hands, the world's eye&, the world's everything would be the subject of a trust, and a man would have to pay a fee for the use of his own nose for breathing purposes. The magnates in America, and even iv England, sought to "comer" the people's amusements, and acquire such a vast power that the public, as well as their enteitainers, would bo at the mercy of tho manager. This new development, however, carries war into the enemy's camp. Thero is no reason why the artibts cannot make their " star entertainments " a success, if their en.ausiasm. is tempered with common sense. They mny act on a co-operative basi3, abolish middleman's profits and cheapen tho uinufiement for the public, •while enriching themselves. Tho piospect *or them in bright. They may dream of tho day when th 6 tyrant, th& manager, whose lordly frown they once feared &o much, will come to them begging to bs engaged as a ticket-taker at the 'door, an usher, a scene-shifter, anything to give him a crust. In Now Zealand it i.s not likely that music-hall artists will be following the example of their English brethren, but in case they saw fit to make demands, it would be dietinctly interesting to see how they would conduct their campaign in this democratic country. They might form themselves into a union and register under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. They might draw up a log stipulating that no member shall be asked to give more than ten encores in a night, and that each artist shall have full time rates for ordinary iteais and time and a half for recalls! There are many other porsibilities, but it is sufficient for the present to watch the progress of the London strikers.

There are at present 50 males and 9 females in the Ohrro Benevolent Homo. Amongst the exhibits which the Government will forward to the Dublin Exhibition will be some fine epecimens of apricots, bottled whole and in halves by the Government canning expert (Mr. Jaccjuee) during his recent visit to the Teviot district. An unusual item of cargo is going to London by the barque Apollo (saya a Duneu.n paper). This consists of a number of cases of pianolas, apparently part of a supply from Home whkh has proved in excess of the local demand. Th« Apollo is now in readiness to lea-ve Dunedin for Wellington. The tender of Sykes and Harwood at £2230 has been accepted for tho erection of a block of biick shops and dwellings m Courtcnay-plcce, in accordance with plans and specifications prepared by Mr. O. Tilleard Natuscb. To fill the vacancies caused by ths resignation of four members of the Upper Hutt School Committee, the houwtiitldem nut on Monday evening and elected Mesrrs. T. F. Boyd, John Cameron, William Grtig, and William Wackrou-. Ihese will sit with the remaining members, Messrs. P. D. Davia, T. Edwards, and Jiio. WMteman. "The duty_ of a son ia to support 'his mother," said Mr. D. .Robertson, at a meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees yesterday afternoon, when an elderly vroinan applied for assistant*. She &tated that her son's wages were £2 * week, and he gave her £1, out of which she had to pay 8s Tent and keep the two. Mr. Martin Kennedy lemarked that many n lnbou:er in Wellington never averaged moie than £2 a week, yet had to support a wife and children on that. Mr. Londoa pointed out that sons who paid a pound for board generally thought they had! done a fair thing, and it was difficult to got more out of them than they would have to pay elsewhere. The trustees de» cided that the 6on should keep Himself 1 and his mother, and assistance will therefore be given only for another fortnight. Manufacturers in England are occasionally criticised for their lack of up-to-dateness and "push" m their business methods, but Mr. T. W. Bonthome, « local business man, who has been visiting the Old Country, is not inclined to side with the (rritics. What impressed him most was — c fact that heads of busin^ssei went out of their way to attend; personally to the visitor, and show him over big factories. The height of courtesy wa3 Teached by the head of one firm, who, after attending to the New Zealandex and his party, had his private brougham at the door, and placed ifc entirely at their disposal. According to Mr. T. W. Bonthorne, who has just come from San Francisco, there is plenty of work there for certain classes of artisans, especially plasterers and bricklayers, but he would not advise any to venture from New Zealand. Plasterers are getting seven dollars a day f bricklayers six dollars, and carpenters four to five dollars, but the conditions of work and the unending strenuous effort demanded would not suit the average colonial worker. Mr. Bonthorne met one young Englishman who had been getting top wages as a plasterer, bat he had decided to leave, as the ricks to life consequent on the Tush, were too great, and as he said, "Money is not everything." Municipal happenings at the Lower Hutt during the past few years were dealt with by Mr. J. W. Reade last evening at a public meeting in the local Oddfellows' Hall. Amongst otter things he paid a tribute to the good work done by Mr. T. W. M'Donald as Mayor, and by Mr.' H. Rix-Trott a« engineer. In regard to the coming elections he emphasised that the result was entirely in the ratepayers' hands, and they -should be up and doing, and, noting in combination, run those candidates they deemed most worthy of support. Mr. Reade was appointed organising secretary to arrange for further meetings considered necessary to f6rther these views, and he was also, on the motion of Mr. Trevethick, who presided, given a vote of thanks. 1 Now tha,t threshing operations have concluded in various parts of the district reliable information is available as to the returns (writes our Masterton correspondent). Although it is admitted that in certain parts the crops are lighter than usual, it is estimated that -.^e harvest as a whole will be quite up t© the average. In one or two instances phenomenally heavy crops have been threshed. On Messrs. Donald Bros.' farm, close to Mastorton, on a river flat, they have just threshed a crop of oats nine acres in area, which yielded eighty-two bushels to the acre, whilst two other intsances are known in which the yield went as high as seventy bushels to the acre. The splendid rains experienced early in the month wonderfully improved late turnip and rap« crops, and reports from the country state that there is an abundance of feed just now. The potato crops are looking healthy, and fairly good yields are. anticipated. Mrs. Feath-arstone Osier's 100 th birthday, which was celebrated at Toronto on 14th December, attracted much inter* est in New York, since the venexable lady is the mother of Dr. William Oskr, to whom is attributed the theory that the end of human usefulness comes at the age of sixty. The birthday was the- occasion of a family gathering of four sons, a daughter, and twenty-seven grandchildren and great-grandchildren, an 4 long accounts have been published of the assembly. The birthday-cake was lighted with a hundred candles, and a featnre of the festivities was a number of ornament--ed reliefs, representing tho five British, Sovereigns under whom the lady has lived. An address was presented to her by her descendants, which is an eloquent refutation of her learned son's theory. It says : — "What is a useiul life if yours it not? At a hundred you are more useful than before to each and nil. You hay« been all our lives a radiating centre of aa influence for, good, which still remains. To see you, to be with you, is to receive peace, calm, strength, and encouragement. Never stirred or excited, waiting patiently for God\s time to die, yon have shown us how to live." The Mayor of Riverton (Mr. R. Pankhurst) charged Councillor C. E. Johnetivne Li6t week with having used provoking and insulting language. The case was heard by Mr. M'Carthy, S.M., at Riverton. Th© Mayor in hie evidence stated that, at the conclusion of a council meeting, defendant had declared he (the. Mayor) was nothing but a rogue, at the sain© time* shaking his fist and inviting plaintiff to go outside. Previously, they had had words, on one occasion each accusing the other of being untruthful, and, some days later, defendant had interfered with him on the street. Mr. Carroll, one of the witnesses, who was asked by defendant's counsel what he would do if any one called him a liar, caused much laughter by stating that, if he thought he couldn't figlit the offender, ho would summons him ; bui, if hu could fight him, he would give him "a darned good hiding." Mr. W. Macalister, who represented defendant, contended that ib was difficult to see why such a trivial and trumpery cose had been brought before the court. Defendant denied assaulting plaintiff, who had called him a liar, and lie would ask his Worship to decide which was the more blackguardly. Mr. M'Carthy said he would not allow costs to defendant, who had been under the impression that unfair treatment had beaa , meted out to him.

, PERSONAL MATTERS.

The Rev. T. G. Kay, vicar of the parish of Northland and Wadestown, has returned from the South. Tho Hon. J. A. Millar left Christchurch for Dunedin yesterday, and will be back in Wellington on Saturday. The Native Minister (Hon. J. Carroll) returned from Palmereton last night, and left for Nelson this afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Geo Pjrie, of Dunedin, intend leaving on a visit to London by the Shaw-Savill steamer Mamari. The only members of tho Cabinet now in Wellington are the Acting-Premier (Hon. W. Holl- Jones), the Minister for Lands (Hon, R. M'Nab). Five months' leave of absence was granted to Mr. O. H. Izard at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Benevolent Institution Trustees. The Under-Secretary for Mines (Mr. T. H. Hamer) wilf accompany the Minister for Mineß during the JatteT's tour of the Southern mining districts. The Minister for Mimes (Hon. J. M'Gowan) left for the South last n»«ht on his annual visit to the South Island mining districts. Congratulations to the chairman of the Hospital Trustees (the Hon. C. M. Luke) on his recent appointment to the Legislative Council were passed by the trustees at their meeting yesterday. Detective Boddam of New Plymouth, has just received news of the death of his father, Major-General Boddam, at I Shankliu, Isle of Wight. Detective Boddam was stationed at the Lambton-quay I station for sevoral years. A dainty Christmas card has reached the Evening Post from the Rev. Dr. Watters, who was for many years rector of St. Patrick's College, Wellington. Dr. Watters is now president of the Catholic j University School, Dublin, Mr. Riddell is to act as Stipendiary j Magistrate for New Plymouth, Waitara, and Opunake during Mr. T. Hutchison's absence on leave. The last-named gentleman, according to the Hawera Star, is taking a trip Home, and will be away eight months. Representations have been made to Mr. F. de J. Clere asking him to stand for the Hutt Mayoralty, and it is not improbable that he will do co. Mr. Clere is a member of the present Borouga Council, and has also sat on the Welllufton City Council and on the City L'tuneing Committee. Mr. J. H. C&rrad, assistant clerk at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, went to New Plymouth this morning to relieve Mr. W. A. D. Banks, clerk of. the court there. The duties of assistant clerk here are being taken over by Mr. W. Tudhope. Mr. G. W. Cameron, recently in Wanganui, is now relieving in the local office. At a meeting of the University Senate at Christchurch yesterday, Mr. Cohen brought up the report of the examiners of the papers sent in for the MacMillan-Brown memorial prize. The prize was awarded to the paper bearing the motto "Antithesis," and on the letter being opened it was found to have been won by Mr. Herbert Edgar Evans, of Victoria College, Wellington. The subject of the essay was "East and West, a Contrast." Mr. Evans won the Bowen prize last year. The Professor of Law at Victoria College (Professor Salmond) has resigned in order to take up a position in the Crown Law Department. Mr. Salmond is the eldest son of Professor W. Salmond, of the Otago University. He took his M.A. degree at tae University of New Zealand in 1882, after which, having won a Gilchrist Scholarship, he .went to England, where he took the degree of LL.B.. at the London University. On his return to New Zealand he was admitted to the bar, and in 1897 was apopinted Professor of Law at Adelaide University. Last year he resigned that position to take a similar position at Victoria College. At a special summoned meeting of the Widows and Orphans' Society, a .branch of the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows in Wellington, held last evening, the resignation of Brother T. W. M'Kenzie from the post of secretary was accepted. Mt. M'Kenzie'e tenure of tho office totalled nearly fifty-eight years. The society, in accepting the resignation, placed on record its appreciation of the valuable and painstaking services rendered to the society by Brother M'Kenzie, and expressed a trust that "the remainder of his days may be full of peace, and that the expressions and tokens of the society's appreciation already given, and this further expression, may be a great comfort to him."