"LOOK TO IT."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8056, 17 September 1887, Page 3

"LOOK TO IT."

TO TUB EDITOR.

Sib,—ln reply to Mr. Abbott I desire to state that in no case was there *' wilful " misstatements. What object could there be iu such, since it would be so easy to disprove them ? lam willing to and do apologue to , Mr. Abbott and the publio for one misstatement: namely, in regard to the door beneath the stage; and can only urge it} defence of my mistake *■ that though 1 have been in that portion of the house seveisal • times I knew of no suoh exit. Since it exii£ however, and if it is in working order 90< allow that the means of escape from the sta Q( j are adequate. At the same time, my mistake has been productive of good, in so far that has elicited the fact that there is such i door, for I am sure very few would have attempted to escape beneath the blazing part of the theatre without know* ing where the orchestra door led to. It i& a question how far such an escape as re« garde the auditorium is effectual, since this orchestra door is very small and leads on to a steep and narrow staircase, Mr. Abbott has volunteered no information in regard to the existence orothcrwiue of an iron curtain. 1 conclude therefore that I am not mistaken in that respeot. I should like very mach to know also whether there is any arrangement of water laid on above the stage. In most British and Continental theatres one or both ot these precautions are now thought necessary. With regard to the exits on th« floor of the house, my principal point was that in each case they are in a corner, and I see no need to point out further the grave danger of that arrangement. Mr. Abbott contradicts my statement that the doors are small. That is a matter of opinion ; they may be large for a sittingroom, but we are considering means of escape for hundreds of terrified men and women. The doors on the floor of the house should not be one inch smaller than that leading into the dress circle. The fact that other houses in the colonies are no better provided, is an argument so utterly inapplicable and without weight, that 1 am very much surprised at its being cited in the case at all. If such is the case, I am sorry for it, but any number of wrongs will not make this one right. lam sorry that Mr. Abbott should suppose for a moment that lam trying to do him harm. I am exceedingly fond of theatre-going myself, when it is worth going to, and should bo very sorry to see our handsome Upsra House closed. But. there is cot the slightest occasion for any such thing. I believe that alterations whioh would do away with the present danger oould be made at a small expense in comparison with the safety to human life thereby attained, and I alto believe that it would lead to larger houses than are at present usually accorded.— I am, * c '. Philothespian,