DR. THACKER'S VERBOSITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18017, 16 February 1922, Page 8

DR. THACKER'S VERBOSITY.

AUDIENCE HAS ENOUGH.

INCIDENT AT A CONCERT. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] CHRISTCHURCH. Wtdnesday.

Christchurch has evidently decided to "put the clock" on its Mayor. At the recital o! the New South Wales Orchestra last evening in King Edward Barracks, Dr. Thacker, M.P., was the recipient of a stonewall of applause. Previous to the last number on the programme Dr. Thacker mounted the dai* on which the players were seated and grasped Mr. Yerbrucghen warmly by the nand. So far so good. Then he" commenced a speech in which he referred eulogistically to "Monsieur Yerbrugghen, our conductor," and to the "Jxarniony men and melody ladies" who were with him. There was, too, "Our man, Mr. Alfred Hill, 'WaiatotPoi, who is with us to-night." At the doctor's bidding rounds of applause were given for e&cn person named. Warming up to the business in hand, tho Mayor thanked the audience for its patient silence. (Gasps on the part of the orchestra and Mr. Verbrugghen.) Mr. Verbrugghen, he said, played on tho world's greatest instrument—his orchestra. He. also played on the public. He had plaved on the audience present, for they had to sit the music out whether they wanted to do so or not.

The audience became a little restive here, but the Mayor continued blithely that ho would like to see a conscrvatoriurn oi music foundod at Canterbury College, with Mr. Verbrugghen as its founder. "Pooling" was a word of which much had been heard lately. Ho would life© to sec the New South Wales Orchestra pooled in Christchurch. Having got thoroughly into his Parliamentary stride, Dr. Thacker threw in a gratis remark or so about hydro-electricity, and then diverted the current on to the subject of a ooncert hall Here tho audience took a hand in the proceedings and applauded loudly. After waiting a moment or so for the applause to subside Dr. Thacker raised an admonitory hand for silence. It came not. 'Ihe applauso deafening. Dr. Thacker resumed the delivery of his "few remarks," tho applause continued to deafen, &nd h6 ap* peared to be going through some energetic pantomime performance. After the "stonewall" had continued for several minutee the Mayor realised that further effort was useless, and he then made tho presentation of a rug to Mr. Verbrugghen.