The Hutt News Wednesday, September 18, 1946 CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 16, 18 September 1946, Page 7

The Hutt News Wednesday, September 18, 1946 CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Wide interest is being taken in the proposal before the City Council to provide a hall to "house" some of the cultural activities, present and prospective, of the city. It is generally considered that Lower Mutt is badly served in this respect and thai something needs to be done to provide better facilities for artistic expression and development. The City Council has, very rightly, planned playing fields for the sporting and recreational activities of residents, and many people would like to see it give equal

thought to the artistic and cultural needs of the rapidly-grow- " ing community. As Councillors pointed out at the special meet.ng ,of the City Council everybody does not care for outside games and recreation; there are many who are keenly interested in indoor cultural and artistic activities, and the needs of these should be met if at all possible. As showing what can be done in this direction the case of

Hamilton .may be mentioned (Hamilton is quoted because it also reached city status recently and because the writer has a good knowledge of conditions there). The Hamilton City Council has recently provided a Little Theatre for ' the two Repertory Societies (Playbox and Peoples Theatre), and among the organisations in the city are a Civic Orchestra (which has just closed its first year with a profit of £289 after' giving four concerts), a Civic Choir, a. Competitions Society which, recently gave 1000 guineas in prize money, an Operatic Society which gives a standard of performance not excelled in Auckland or Wellington, an Arts Society which runs an annual exhibition, a Winter Show Association which holds, probably the most comprehensive exhibition in New Zealand for a week every June, a Beautifying Society which has made the city environs very lovely, a beautiful open-air theatre on the river bank modelled on the lines of the Regent's Park Theatre in London, five picture theatres (one capable of taking any stage show, no matter how spectacular), and a Music ' Association. That is what one city, much smaller in population than Lower Hutt, has done in the way of providing for the cultural activities of its people. If Lower Hutt had a suitable hall there is no doubt that it, too, would-find that its artistic life would develop tremendously. The suggestions made in this column, some weeks ago for an extension of the cultural life' of the city aroused interest, judging by comments made, and may lead to artistic developments. The final decision of the City Council regarding the proposed hall will be awaited with great interest. AVhatever it may be, 4 the thanks of the community are due to Councillors E. P. Roth well and H. P. Muir for their persistent advocacy of facilities for the finer things of life.