"THE PRIVATE SECRETARY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7602, 3 April 1886, Page 6

" THE PRIVATE SECRETARY."

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,-Your correspondent, "Playgoer" perhaps did well in selecting '• All Fool ' Day " when inditing his letter in reference to the abovenamed piece. His epistle, to a «v the least, is impertinent, if not actionable for when he make use of the word " inaposi' tion," he directly implies (according to Ogilvie, Chambers, and many other lexicographers) fraud, and it is to me a matter of wonder that your editorial hanl did not conI sign it, as it deserved, to the wasted paper basket. Concerning charges, what would you say if it was dictated that yon should only demand one penny for your daily issue instead of twopence, or that the rata per inch for advertising should not exceed that of any other journal. Now the manager of a theatre m»y, I presume, lib any tradesman, sell his wares at whatever price seems best to his judgment. The public will soon decide what is a fair valuation, or otherwise, and in the case of the "Private Secretary" the brilliant array of ladies and gentlemen who nightly crowd the dress circle and stalls goes to prove that the bulk of the people are willing to pay au equitable price for a good article, "P'g,. goer" will perhaps be surprised to learn that we travel in all sixteen people, and that the salaries alone are nearly double those of any ordinary dramatic troupe touring New Zealand. Throughout the colony the entira Press and public have admitted the general excellence and completeness of the cast. Messrs. Williamson, Garner and Mußgrove do not rely upon one name in large type, and fill up the remainder of the dramatis persona; with a number of no doubt hard working yet worthy members of the profession, but lacking the particular faculty tor properly interpreting the ideas of a particular author, Mr. Frank Thornton is travelling through Australia and New Zealand as a star, and consequently comes in for star's share. "Playgoer" .nd others will scarcely credit that it cost him upwards of £1200 for the author's right (too frequently neglected by some adventurous minagers), the requisite stock of really handsome wall pictures, the excellence of which speak for themselves, to say nothing of loss of time and passages before commencing his antipodean tour. Messrs. W., G., and M. spare no expense in selecting a good company, also sending with it appropriate new scenery, properties, etc. Travelling by your excellent Union Steamship Company costs no inconsiderable sum, and levees of New Zealand theatres ask for a rental double what they used to some time back. If theatre-goers in New Zealand desire to have entertainments placed before them in a fairly complete form, they must be prepared to support them at the same rate as in the sister colonies. Contrast the prices of amusements all over Australia and New Zealand with London ones, which are fully 50 per cent, in advance; compare performances, and amusementseekers will find there is not much to grumble at. Apologising for occupying so much of your valuable space,l am, &c., Henry R. Harwood, Manager for Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove, Australian Entrepreneurs.