MORE ARGUMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14344, 17 January 1911, Page 5

MORE ARGUMENTS.

FOR MUNICIPAL THEATRE,

"AN IUK.VI, SITE."

Mil L. D. CHATEAU'S VIEWS.

Mr Leo D. Chateau, Now SJoa'iaud representative of Messrs Clarke and iMcyiicll, butter known undor their old style of Meynoll and Gunn, one of tl>n principal theatrical firms controlling companies in tho Dominion, was in Timaru yesterday, and in conversation with a "Herald" representative, expressed some striking views in support of tho project of a municipal theatre for this town. Mr Chateau not only thinks that a municipal theatre is roquired for Timaru, and would receive strong patronage from touring companies, hut ho expressed the opinion that tho site adjoining tho Carnegie Library, which Imloiiqr to tho Borough Council, and which ho inspected, would make an ideal site for such a building The Kite, he states, has quite sufficient depth to provide a municipal theatre large enough to servo the noedg of Timaru for practically all time, and that without tho necessity for acquiring tho adjacent property which faces Latter Street. THIIEB REASONS.

" There aro three reasons, m my opinion, why you should have a municipal theatre in Timaru," said Mr Chateau. " First, tho existing theatre is totally inadequate behind lor the staging of big productions, and in front for tho accommodation of sufiicicnt people to pay for tho expense qf showing such productions at the prices charged in other towns. Second, we find that almost all the leading provincial towns possess, or _ are taking steps to possoss, municipally-ownod theatres. Third, this is a town which if. absolutely worthy of a good theatre. That lias been proved, and if it is worthy of a proper theatre, then it depends upon tho people of tho town whether they will budd it. I was with Walter Bontlcy when ho first gave an .address in the old thoatre at Invercargill many years ago, and wo played there in a theatre which was practically a barn. Bentley was tho first to" advocate municipally-owned theatres in New Zealand, and I was playing with him again when he opened the present municipal thoatro at Wnnganui, which I beliovo was the first ononcd in this country. We find now, about eleven years after his first address, and about nine years after his address in opening tho first of these establishments, that nearly all tho prominent provincial towns have municipallv-owned theatres. "You will a-Vk, how do they compare with private theatres? I say without fear of contradiction that there is no comparison. In many of tho privatelyowned theatres we play in in provincial towns wo find that tho ocpommodaA tion, particularly the back accommodation, is insultingly inadequate. It is an insult to modern ladies and gentlemen—and tlveatrical people are no longer mountebanks —to ask them to change their clothes and dress in the premises provided. The sanitary conveniences are often bad, and the general accommodation despicable. That does not obtain in municipally-owned theatres in New Zealand "

Mr Chateau stated that Greytown (population 1200) and Cambridge (population 1400) in addition to other towns which have been mentioned in the "Herald," havo municipal theatres. The figures are taken from the latest Official Year' Book, which' gives the population of Tiniaru as 8300. Carterton is a larger town than Greytown, and it is on tho main lino of railway, yet companies pass by Carterton and play to big money at Greytown because the latter has an adequate theatre. - A STRONG PLEA. On tho advisableness of combining new municipal offices' with-a new theatro Mr Chateau was most emphatio. "If you aro going to build municipal chain bers," ho said, "no matter on what scale, unless they are going to be a white elephant, tlmy must hivve something else attached to them, from which you can derive a. certain amount of revenue to defray rent and enable you to erect a .fairly imposing structure, which will bo in keeping with the advancement of tho town. Council Chambers by themselves would tnko up a very little room, but tho addition of a theatre or hall makes it possible to erect a building worthy of the place." Mr. Chateau stated that while tlic picture shows have swamped many of the smaller theatrical companies, thry have been of actual assistance to the larger companies, which more and more require up-to-date theatres for their productions. Messrs Meyncll and Gunn are now bringing out so mo of tho biggest attractions that ever London and New York have seen. For instance, later, on this year they will bring out "The Arcadians," a big scenic production on a melodramatic scale which cannot. Mr Chateau states, bo adcquat3ly produced in Tiniaru. Mr Oicar Aselie, the leading English actor, is also coining to New Zealand. "Ho had to omit this country in his former tour simply because there were not sufficient provincial towiiß that could bo taken in in his itinerary. It would be nearly impossible to' produce adequately and artistically in tho Tiiiiam Theatre any of Shakespeare's plays as they are put on by Mr Asche. Competition among theatres, as far ns touring companies are concerned, is ■simply a matter of adequacy. If companies cannot produce their plays efficiently in Carterton tlipv pass "it. by practically every time and go to Greytown. If they could not produce their plays adequately in a certain theatre, the for hire' might lie only nominal, yet if 'they could not get sufficient seating accommodation to cover ihe necessary expenses of travelling and production they would be unable to play there." Mr Chateau referred to the amount of money spent by touring companies in the towns in which they staged, and also in travelling, and pointed out that Mr Williamson and Mr Rickards were far from being millionaires, and Sir Rupert Clarke and Mr Moynell wore not wealthy men by reason of their expeditions into theatrical business. A SITE VISITED.

It 13 nocecaary iliat a site should bo available for a Timaru municipal theatre, beforo tho proposal goes before the ratepayers. The Carnegie Libraiy site has been mentioned in this connection, but a doubt is frequently expressed as to whether the site would have sufficient depth unless the Council chose, to acquire the adjacent property facing Latter street. Air Chateau, after making a caroful inspection of tho location yesterday, expressed a confident opinion that the :-,ite now standing vacant would bo deep onough for the erection of "as largo :i theatre as ever this town is going to demand, in addition to municipal <>fiices." Tn order to obtain the full

v:'.lue of the depth of the section the theatre, Mr Chateau states, should be huilt with its front to Latter street, .md with municipal offices, and offices for letting, frniitin/i Gonrgo 6trcot. An arcade or alloy-way might be constructed along the side of the news:>npcr premises converging on the back ■if tho stage, and joining with this there should he a second alley-way along tho had: of tho Library to Lnt- . tor street- Carts would then have

easy acoeaa »Ug» ftfom Ouoigo Btroot, withdrawing by the second &lley-way, and at night thai* ftvonucs >ould bdf ugod by the pBbKHU.af the thoatro. If a more narrow, t pmwr way were desired along the wtofl «* Outhbert's property twnejKWla up room for it. The <uitranee"*o' ton' Municipal buildings would bo from George etrro*. The slope of the ground, which fs coniidnroblo, would be oil to tho advantage of u municipal thc'tttfH to bo constructed on thin plan. If it was desired to further' augment revenue by having dnwn-sluii'H shops lor lotting in tlio iront of tho theatre, the most up-to-dutc theatres of Now Zealand mid Australia, not to mention othor countries, are uocustomod to proceed upon this plan. Tho now King a Theatre in Wellington, and now Thentro Hoyal in Christchurob, have boon to built, and among Australian buildings which assist their revenue and provide for tho oonvenienco of their patrons—hungry, thiraty, or unshaven—in this way are tho King'* Thoatro, Melbourne, Hia Majesty'* Theatre, Molbourne, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, King's Thoatre, Perth, Adelaide Thoatro, end othera. Mr, Chateau felt quito positive that an adequate thoatre and municipal offices oould he oonstructod on tho Oouneu't section beaido the Library now_ lying vacant, without tho least necessity for acquiring further property. "It ii the easiest thing in tho world," bo noolnred. , It is interesting to loam from Mr Chateau that municipal theatres are now well known, in Australia, being especially common in Victoria.