AN ENTERTAINMENT CLASH.

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1909, Page 2

AN ENTERTAINMENT CLASH.

(To the Editor.) Sir,— Under the above heading your Refeton correspondent ,in last Saturday's. Argus practically accuses the management of West's Pictures of booking a season in Reefton with the deliberate intention of injuring a local entertainment which is, I believe, fixed for -Wednesday next. Your correspondent evidently knows little of the workings of the theatrical business or he would be aware that towns

are booked, a v very long way ahead, and that h6 gbod manager ever attempts to make enemies of residents in towns he wishes to visit. The date in- question (Wed. April 21) was booked in"; March last from Wellington. How the. West Picture management were to know so far ahead or from such a distance .that: a local entertainment was. fixed for that date I do not know, arid even if they had known, is a whole tour to be reorganised because a particular section of the community' desire lor^^old a function on ; that particular night. Had the residents, ihv question/ desired the use of. the Princess Theatre, and we had refused it, there; might have been cause fofC complaint;; but such' is not the cajsei and .consequently I can cinlyrassume,that ypur correspondent desires to l- stir up a feeling against : West's /Pictures for some reason known^only to himself, or has rushed into^ print and unthinkingly imputed motives to my management which I can .assure him; exist only in his pwn imagination. >' A local entertainment Qf: one night only can be easily fixed and as easily postponed, a theatrical r tpufi on -the? contrary has. to be fixed ymany ;Weeks. aheadi, and postponement 'of /dates entails much more trouble •to the/mahagement and to the dozens ,' of people the managements employ than your correspondent imagines. In conclusion, ■■'• if I foolishly claimed that.; the. fixing of the local .■'entertainment for / Wednesday next was done with the intention of injuring West'srEictiires' 'season how' Justly indignant your correspondent would ; be|? and (how would such a indiculous; suiarfifestipn ; be received by the public of Reefton: I am, etc. , ■■■". ■ / ; .: ;V ■/:/■■ -■;■ MANAGER, ; • Pictures/ Reefton.