WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 39

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

I By P. RoayTßß.

April 7. Dear Pasquin, — The theatric drought is to be broken up by Frank Thornton's Comedy Company'on Saturday night. I expect a good flow of ! siller and laughter. Was glad to meet friend Lohr once more. " Miss Brown " opens the season. Our Amateur OperaVc Scciecy is hard at work I rebearsing '' Dorothy" for the comiDg season. ' The annual meeting of the Wellington Amateur i Operatic Society was held on Monday. The electioa of officers resulted as follows : — President, Dr Collins ; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Coate3, J. Dqthie, W. -Ferguson, J. C. Martin, and Pr Purely ; lion, 'secretary, Mr P. Levi ; treasurer, Mr C. Zacb uriah ; stage manager, Mr A. Levi ; committee, Messrs W. Bnstin, N. Eell, E. J. Hil!, W. D. Lyon, W Parsons, Haicus Plimmer (brother of Harry o' tbat clan, and a reporter on the New Zealand Times), and L. Woolcott ("Orpheus" of th,e Evening Post). The new committee met afterwards, when Mr W D. Lyon was elected chairman, and Mr W. P. Bastin property master. Several new members were elected. At a sacred concert to be given in the Opera House 1 to-morrow night Miss Annie Perry, a soprano from Sydiiej- now on a visit to this city, whose voice is highly spoken of, and who bus been specially engaged, will make hsr first appearance in Wellington. Mr John Prouse will also appear. In addition to the concert the management has arranged for the display of the cinematographic reproductions representing the celebrated " Passion Play," as performed by the peasants at Oberammergau. In bis judgment delivered last Monday morning in the theatrical case O'Sullivan (Tom Pollard) v. Brown and others (proprietors of the Nap:ev Theatie Royal)— to which I made reference last week — Mr Justice Edwards held in effect that a theatrical manager is not responsible for rent for dates "pencilled in" aud not taken up. The Napier magistrate had held Mr Pollard liable for rent. His Honor said the respondents to maintain their action must rely upon an unqualified promise by the appellant to pay the specific sums , claimed, and he did not think that that promise could be made out from the facts stated. Even assuming that all that took place between the parties had been reduced to writing and signed, he did not think the respondents could have sucj ceeded. No doubt if the appellant had entered ' and occupied the theatre he would have been liable to au action for use and occupation. His Honor allowed the appeal, but as the appellant had failed on the grounds upon which he had relied, and had succeeded only upon a matter not appearing in the. original case, and as moreover, the objection was one devoid of real merits, no costs would be allowed. j The Bland' Holt Dramatic Company left our shores last Satuiday night. Mr Holt says it will be quite" two yeara ere he will return to Maoriland. What are we to do for melodramatic fare in tbe Interim ? The Nelson Philharmonic Society has arranged to produce Messrs Barnett and Adams's cantata "A Song of Empire " on the 14th of April. Mr Barnett will go across to conduct the performance. The German lesidents of our city attended in force last JMrlay evening at the Dresden, Rooms.

to confirm the birth of the newly- formed Deutsche Liedeitafel. The Chairman, Mr E. Focke (German Consul), pointed out that tha day ■ was the eighty-second birthday of Prince Bis- ! marck, the statesman who bad succeeded in creating a United Germany. This fact lie considered an augury of success for the Liedertafel. Amidst general enthusiasm the Deutsche Liederj tafel was declared to be in existence. Mr Focke i was unanimously elected president, Mr C. Hulke vice-president, and Mr Gerritzen secretary. Mr Lehmau is musical director, and other leading musicians fiom the Fatherland have promised assistance. Mr F. A. Krull, German Consul in Wanganui, was elected an honorary member by acclamation. Mis 3 Sheen, a sweet singer from the Wairarapa — of whom I have made special mention at tin ea, and who won the Exhibition gold medal for singing— sang at Wednesday's Pop- at the Skating Rink series. A scheme for an opera hou?e is to be formulated by a committee of the Wanganui Borough Council. If the council erects the building, an offer has been made to lease it at a rental sufficient to cover interest and sinking fund.