STATE ORCHESTRA TO GO

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11226, 3 June 1922, Page 8

STATE ORCHESTRA TO GO

•DECISION LARGELY DUE TO VER. BRUGGHEN’S ABSENCE. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. ~ i By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. SYDNEY, June 2 The Government, within a few days, will give three months’ notice to the members of the State Orchestra. The final decision in regard to the State Orchestra is largely due to Mr Verbrugghen’s acceptanoemf an appointment at Minneapolis, involving a second half-year’s leave without pay, and delaying his return to Australia till next February. The directors have recommended the termination of all the arrangements connected with the fund, and that any eventual small surplus should be distributed amongst the shareholders pro rata. Altogether £IO,OOO was raised by the shareholders, of which amount New Zealand contributed £IOOO. When Mr Skalski took charge, there was about £4500 in hand to carry on his engagement, which ends on September sth. APPEAL FOR SALVATION. " SYDNEY, June 2. Mr Cyril Monk, leader of the orchestra, makes an eleventh hour appeal for the salvation of the orchestra. He states that it could be made a good business proposition by holding fewer performances and reducing the prices. Sydney, having wrested the musical palm from Melbourne, should make extra efforts to retain it. VERBRUGGHEN’S TERMS NO SENTIMENT IN BUSINESS. (Received June 2, 11.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 2. In the course of a letter to Sir Arthur Rickard, chairman of the trustees of the State Orchestra, Mr Verbrugghen states that he will not give up the wider field in America unless some real understanding is arrived at. He will not allow sentiment to override commonsense. He gives the terms on which he will remain iii charge of the State Orchestra, namely, his salary as conductor at the Irate of £ISOO a year and the position -as Director of the State Conservatorium to be made permanent at a salary of £ISOO a year, on the understanding that, should the orchestra cease to exist, the salary as director would automatically rise to £2OOO.