THE OLD AND THE NEW, OR WHICH IS WHICH.

Hastings Standard, Issue 260, 2 March 1897, Page 3

THE OLD AND THE NEW, OR WHICH IS WHICH.

"To Thk Enrroi:." •Sir —Hastbgs has . tiVv.iys been the Leip.-ie of Nc-w Zealand, and it is therefore not surprising to find tli.it we can now rmi two operatic societies—the old and the new, bnl after reading a list of the ofii-i;ds it is di'lb-wlt to decide which is which. I noted in your advertising columns for the last few days that a meeting had been called to form a " new '' operatic society —is it usual to form old ones ? lint this is frivolous—let's Jo business. I have before me a list of the le.rt.dnig official* of both societies, and the more I study them the more I am puzzled. Here is the list : Thk Oli>. Thk Xkw. President: President: Captain Piiisseil. Captain llnssell, M.11.1i. M.H.K. Vice-Presidents : Vice-Presidents : Mr C. A. FitzKoy Mr C. A. FitzKoy Mr Maddison Mr Philson Mr Philson. Mr J-'raser. Now the difference in this list appears to lie- to.be such that it would require the X li.'.vs to discover it. The old society I understand, owes the tiades people of Hastings and others some i'oO or ,-£'7o, of which no doubt the Sta>:?-a!:;> is entitled to a share. Seeing that the leading officials are pi.ictieally the same would it not have been more business like, or at the very least more honorable, ' before starting n " new " society for the " old " society, or at least its leading officials, to have insisted on the members calling their creditors together and endeavoring to make some honorable compromise. This is all at present, but 1 may have a little more to later on. In tlie meantime I subscribe myself St. Matthew.