LONDON GOSSIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23333, 29 April 1939, Page 10

LONDON GOSSIP

[PISITOB PROM POLAND COLONEL BECK'S MISSION THEATRE TO DISAPPEAR ENTERTAINMENTS IN PARKS [from otje. own correspondent] LONDON, April 6 The visitor of the week to London has "undoubtedly been Colonel Josef Beck, Poland's 44-year-old Foreign Minister, who arrived to discuss with the British Government what the Times described us "a bold and resolute enterprise to prevent the law of Europe and the independence of individual States from being destroyed by the juggernaut method of the most powerful nation on the Continent."

Colc tiel Beck was warmly welcomed in London. His visit marked a new phase in British foreign policy, and there was almost as much interest in his personality as in the result of his talks with the British Foreign Office. Colonel Beck has a reputation for smiling rarely, for being the toughest arid the most tenacious negotiator in European politics. The bitterness of his tongue has been felt at some time or other by nearly every Foreign Minister in Europe, and he has been nicknamed "Beak and Claws" in Poland. He leaves nothing to chance, takes a long time in making a decision, but, having made it, never changes "his orders. More Human Side of Personality Another story is that Colonel Beck "often works throughout the night in his study, and that he can do with a minimum of sleep. While working under pressure he chain smokes. He likes two hours for a nap after lunch. The more human side of his personality credits him with a fund of good anecdotes, a taste for detective stories, an immaculate wardrobe, and 300 ties I Colonel Beck has great prestige in Poland, for he was a protege of the late Marshal Pilsudski. He was a private in Pilsudski's Legion to march against the Russians in 1914. Later he was commissioned, and when Pilsudski was interned by the Germans, Beck was with him. In 1926, when Pilsudski's military junta overthrew the Government, Beck was chief assistant to the Marshal at the War Office. When Pilsudski became Premier/; Beck became his deputy. Finally, he was appointed Foreign Secretary. Gaiety Theatre Coming Down

Another London theatre is to be pulled down, namely, the Gaiety, in the Strand. The London County Council refused to renew its licence until structural alterations, which would have cost many thousands of pounds, were mad*?. For the past five years it has b«ien prosperous under Leslie Henson's ' regime, but these days are over now and the theatre will be replaced by offices. For many years the Gaiety has been the leading London theatre for musical comedy. George Edwardes, who had already made his name at the old Gaiety, farther along the Strand, opened the present building with "The Orchid," which rah for more than 500 performances. Many a now well-known performer first came into prominence at the Gaiety, including Leslie Henson himself. who went to the United States as understudy in"; the musical comedy "To-night's The Night," and returned for the London production as a principal. Audiences enjoyed the last score of that brilliant composer of light music, Stuart, and applauded the earliest/full-length composition of a rising young man called Ivor Novello. Under George' Edwards, a. brilliant .team, headed by Gertie Millar, George Grossmith and Connie Ediss, reached the top of their popularity, the most successful show being "Our Miss Gibs."

Television at the Eoyal Academy It seems that no outstanding event l$ complete nowadays unless the television camera is present. Football, cricket, rowing, boxing and tennis are televised as a matter of course. Now the Royal Academy is breaking precedent by agreeing that Varnishing Day on April 24 shall be televised. This day is one of the great occa--6ionis in British art life, andthe bustle and excitement at Burlington House •will be conveyed to thousands of screens. The selection committee was busy' last week reducing the average number of 12,000 works submitted to 1500 or 1600.

Waterloo Sridge Construction If all goes well, the* new Waterloo (Bridge across the Thames will be opened for traffic in June, 1940. Although Londoners are well used now to the sight of staithes and scaffolding, and all the intricate apparatus of building, it is hard without special engineering knowledge to follow the exact course of. the work. This has advanced so far that preparations are being made for erecting the Superstructure. When finished the bridge will have four piers and two abutments. Engineers are now placing over the piers the centring girders, upon which the actual superstructure of the bridge will be built. The southern abutment is completed to high-water level, and excavation on the site of the northern abutment is proceeding on the Strand side of the Embankment. At present 420 men are employed upon the work. Whereas the old bridge was built on 320 piles driven into the river bed, the hew one is being laid on more solid foundations of reinforced concrete, and the piers are faced with granite, portions of which come from the materials of the old bridge. When the bridge is ready there will be five wide arches springing from shore to shore, the first of them stretching right over the Embankment and out into the river. These arches have a span of 230 feet, as against the 120 feet of the old bridge. {The spans are of reinforced concrete, and the facing is of Portland stone.

London Goes Continental The London County CounciJ plans to introduce a Continental atmosphere into its entertainments in the parks this summer. Besides gaily-coloured cafes, which are being built to replace the drab refreshment huts, there will be free dancing in the open. Last year, dancing in Highbury Fields, Meath Gardens and "Wapping recreation ground proved such a success that it is to be allowed twice a week in 10 parks in the last week in July and the first week in August. The council will bring more concert parties to some of the poorer parts this summer. Where there are no parks, fjortable stages will be erected in pubic gardens. The council spends £425,000 & year on games and refreshments and receives about £76,540 in return from the public. Refreshments bring in £15,000, while the average takings for summer games on tennis hard courts are £O9OO, grass courts, £5700; golf, £10,250; boating, £0690; putting greens, £4000; bowls, £2900; cricket, £2550. Croquet is not popular, and only about £lO is taken at the solitary pitch, at Thistle Park. A cricket pitch can be hired from 2s to 3s per match. A season 'ticket on a good turf bowling green coifts only £2 ss.' The fee for 18 holes of golf is Is 6d, and Is for nine holes. Tennis on hard courts is Is 6d sE\hour and Is an hour on grass courts. ChiuJyjjin can exercise at 36 gymnasia and tftMr in 188 open spaces.Gamea leaders luunmstructon *ill he ia attendance \