THE PIT PROBLEM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7680, 15 April 1903, Page 2

THE PIT PROBLEM.

From time to time we have had reason to complain of the behaviour of the patrons of certain parts of the Theatre Royal. Certain occupants of thfe' pit appear to consider themselves licensed to misbehave as u.u-h an they please-, and they take full advantage of this misconception by making themselves as disagreeable as they know how to the rest of the •• house." It might have been supposed that this nuisance would lu;v« beeu suppressed long ago. To inexperienced laymen all that seems necessary to suppress it is a little extra police supervision combined with a fixed determination on tho part of the police to put it down with a firm iand. But apparently either -he extra- supervision or the determination is wanting, and asaresult th© evil continues a; source of annoyance to theatregoers. It seems useless to appeal to the good sense of the habitues of the pit. The noisy element persists in making itself objectionable, and the better behaved section apparently shrinks from insisting on order. Other solutions of the difficulty have been suggested. Among them is one which has for its object the building of a new theatre. The author of this proposal declares that the conditions of life in the pit of the present theatre are largely responsible for the behaviour of the " pitites," and although he discounts the vailue of his declaration by a subsequent assertion that a section of the rowdy element contributes to Ithe amu_em.nfc of its fellow playgoers, we are ready to admit that his suggestion is not unreasonable. In other words the long wait, preparatory to a performance, together with the- uncomfortable conditions associated with the waiting is calculated to promote restlessness. Do away with the one and the other will disappear. And with tlie disappearance of discomfort it is possible that misbehaviour may come to

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