OPERA HOUSE BOOKTINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 13 August 1929, Page 4

OPERA HOUSE BOOKTINGS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —-May I crave space in your columns to ventilate a grievance in connection veit.lt the booking of seats n't the Opera House. On the morning of the opening of the box plans for “Rio Rita” I, fallowing my usual custom, rang up the booking office and. engaged scats in a certain row, the attendant saying that I could have ttliem. On all previous occasions I have paid for the seats on the night of the performance. but on this occasion as a member of my family was going into town later on in the day he was told to call in and pay for them. Upon arriving at the office to do so, he was informed that there was not a single seat available and that bookings over the telephone could not be considered until after the demands of those in the queue had been met. This is ithe first time T have ever had such an experience, and I want to know, if this is the rule, why the attendant did not say so when T rang up. It was only by a mere chance that I was saved a ten-mile trip into town on a fool’s errand on Tuesday night. People out in the country cannot come into town before daylight and stand for hours in a queue, and if this attitude is to continue we country people will be debarred front the best things that come along. The townspeople will take all the cream, while we have to be content with the skim-milk. It has also been alleged that certain well-known residents of the town have an annual lease of seats in the Opera House and colour is lent ro this allegation by the fact that they are always seen occupying the same seats. In connection with “Rio Rita” there is a certain amount of irony in the fact that I received through" the post an illustrated advertisement which concluded with the advice “book early.” Tn conclusion, X might add that business men do a great deal of their business over the ’phone, and any engagement entered into thereby is invariably honoured. Why not by the Opera House Company?—T am. etc'. RURAL RITA.

| It should be explained that tli'osc patrons who are seen occupying the same seats at various theatrical entertainments have entered into an arrangement to itiiat end with the firm of .T. (’. \\ illiainson. This privilege is available to any member of the public who cares to apply and give the requisite undertaking to J. ,C. Williamson. The booking' and other arrangements in connection with the local presentations of touring theatrical shows are not the concern of the Opera House 'Company.—Ed. “Star.”]