UNEMPLOYED MUSICIANS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 November 1929, Page 10

UNEMPLOYED MUSICIANS

EFFECT OF TALKIES.

DUNEDIN, November 25. Avenues of employment for musicians have been greatly shortened by the inroads which talkies have made into popular favour. At present over 400 musicians in New Zealand are unable to turn their musical talent into a lucrative source of revenue, and their position was discussed fully to-day at the biennial conference held at the Dunedin Trades Hall. The talkies and the aftermath of their sensational capture of the public were set down on the order paper as the most important items for discussion.

The president of the conference is Mr. E. H. Moore (Christchurch), and the delegates are: Auckland, Messrs. F. Edgerton and G. Poore; Wellington, Messrs G. Dalton and J. Drew; Christchurch, Messrs. F. Woolley and L. Marston; Dunedin, Messrs. G. Kerr and J. Pettet. Mr. Arthur Tongue (Christchurch) is the secretary. “In Auckland and Wellington some of the musicians have gone back to the talkie houses,” said Mr. Tongue. “The south will have to follow suit, as the public is getting tired of the ‘canned’ music. No doubt the public is also tiring of having gramophone records reproduced as talkie music.” No musicians were destitute, said Mr. Tongue ,as most of the players followed other occupations during the daytime. However, musicians who had no other means of livelihood, having played in orchestras from their youth, were feeling the hard effects of the talkies. The music teachers and the music selling firms were also being hit by the importation of “canned” music, but- so far they had hot offered any practical assistance to the unemployed musicians; who’intended to ask the Government to-take action. The talkies are killing New Zealand’s musical art,” said Mr. J. Robinson, secretary of the Trades and La-i bour Council. I