HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1750, 16 May 1906, Page 3

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

ANDREW BLACK ON TOUR.

Messrs J. and N. Tait havo arranged to afford tho Gisborne public a great treat in the appoarsnoo of Mr Androw Black, tho colobratod batitono vocalist, whoso ooncerts tsko plaoo at His Majosty’s Theatre on Monday and Tuosdny ovonings next at 8 o’clock.

Tho first nppoaranoo of Miss Ethel Sinc'air and Herr Adolphe Borsobk) are also vory interesting, both these eminent young artists having mot with greet succors during tho Androw Blaok tour. Tho soasous in Melbourne and Adelaide wore very successful, aud the enthusiasm displayed at tbe opening oonootts in Adelaide has been met with all Ihiough the tour,

Tho box plans for tho two oonoorts will open at Miller’s to-morrow morning at 10, whore day sale tiokets may also bo obtained.

Ia (bo Cabinet about to spend a few bousnnd pounds of our money, the money of the people, on a colossal work of fiction ? asks the Wairarnpa Times. The Wellington morning paper says that tbo Cabinet bas decided on tbo appointment of a Commissioner to ooileot information regarding iho early history of the colony. For this purpose tbo oolony is to be divided into districts. Collectors are to be appointed for each distrio'. They will bo directed to visit old inhabitants and learn tboir early experiences, keeping only those matters which are of public interest. Information is 10 bo gleaned from persons who landed in New Zealand before 1870, or were born in the colony prior to that year. We have koown some of theso ancient inhabitants ; wo have listened with ad--1 miration to their yams of the times of old ; we have felt that Barou Munohausen was less gifted, in coitiin respaots, than they were; and now their wonderful experiences are to be printed at the public expense I We would not, for one moment, imply that any ancient inhabitant would - swerve from the truth ; but, in old age, memoryJs apt to fail end beoome unre

liable. However, some people will make moooy out of the enterprise, and others will gain reputation ; but who will read the gigantio volume when it comes groaning from the Press ?

A Melbourne paper states: "They ■ waloh human tragedies with a cold, calm, ■ stony indifference upßreadlebane(N S.W.) ■ way. An Afghan called at a station there, and annaunoed that he intended to die. The populaoe respected the determination of the suioidp, and, lighting its pipes, perched in a row on the most eonvenirnt tbroo railed fence to see him do it. He approached a largo pile of wood with a blazrng fagot; nobody interposed. He set fire to the wood without hiodranoe; the thing was so absorbing that nobody thought to save the wool-heap. And eo on right through tbe hideous esoapade, even up to the time that gthe Afghan, with tbe fearless frerzy of a Hindoo entiee, vaulted by means of a long pole ioto the grave of flame, Not a fioger was raised to rescue the miserable maniac from his own fury. But an intelligent peony a-liner was able to wire every detail, even the leogth of the vaulting polp, down to the Sydney papers, aod, in the interest of eoienos, perhaps, that is something to be thankful for.” While be was in Bydney recently Sir Robert Smut made inquiries to discover tbe rates at wbioh laud was selling in tbe suburbs. Conversing with a Post reporter, be said he found at Milson’s Point, whioh was only a short distance from the oity, a matter of a penny fare on a ferry steamer, land and bouses were cheaper than they were at the Hutt or Petone, so that, within a mile or two of tbe great metropolis, people ccu'd be housed at prices rangmg from half to two-thirds of the amount rrquired for reaideuce at tbe Hutt or Petone. He had noticed a great increase in the suburbs of Sydney, but land, at about the same distance from Sydney as Island Bay was from Wellington cou'd be got at about a third of the price ruling at Island Bay. He did not know how the " boom ” in Wellington oould be kept up, judging by the comparison of prioes of suburban land in Wellington with the quotations for similar property in Melbourne and Sydney. Tbe extra rent that a working man paid in Wellington must be a very heavy burden compared with what a similar person would pay io a suburb of Sydney.

A communication has been received irom Pretoria, South Africa, asking

,he Exhibition authorities whether it Is their intention to make an effort to

run a special steamer from Durban to

New Zealand with visitors to the

Exhibition. The executive commissioners are informed that if such a

steamer were put on and due notice given, every available berth would be taken up. It is also suggested that

arrangements should be made so that

;he steamer would arrive in New Zea-

land so as to permit some of its

passengers joining the steamer which leaves for Milford Sound in January.

The months of December, January, and February being exceedingly warm in South Africa, it is possible that a

large number of visitors would be very pleased to avail themselves of the trip. The recommendation is being considered as to whether it is possible to give practical effect to it.