OPERA HOUSE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18444, 30 March 1922, Page 6

OPERA HOUSE.

THE PRESENT LEA Sit. EFFECT ON LOCAL SOCIETIES. The fact that the Borougn Council will, at a meeting this evening, discuss the leasing of the Opera was referred to at a meeting of the Wanganui Competitions Society last evening. The piesiident (Mr C. Warden) said they should back up the councillors who had opened tip the matter. The conditions of leasing the Opera House should be more elastic to ensure local societies being assured of the opportunity of getting it when they wanted it. It should not be left to the picture people to say when tne Opera House would be available. They were not, asking ior anything that they were not prepared to pay for. They would have people solidly behind them. Mr Whiteford said that the Council was evidently considering the financial aspect.

Mr C. S. Brown said the Competitions Society and Operatic Society could guarantee to book the Opera House for a whole month.

Mr Atkinson considered that local shows could guarantee three mouths out of the year. The president suggested that the Competitions Society, Operatic Society and Male Choir should cooperate. The time had arrived for different conditions in connection with tne Opera House. The object of a municipal theatre was a theatre for the people. He did not Hunw that the people expected tfiat it’ should be a paying concern, although they Would like it to be so. Another member said that unaer the present arrangements dozens of shows had to cut Wanganui rigut out.

The president said that both the Competitions Society and Operatic Society could give three months’ notice when they wanted the Opera House.

Mr Atkinson said that the present position was that the picture people vere dictators to the Council. Mr Whiteford said if the Council liked to offer the Opera House to a syndicate the}- would have no trouble in getting an offer.

The following letter which explains the attitude of the Wanganui Compeitious Society has been forwarded to the Borough Council:— The Executive of the Wanganui Competitions Society desire to re spectfully bring under your notice their claim for consideration in the matter of Opera House lettings, more especially in view of the present arrangement with the Paramount

.'empany. We understand that this Will shortly come before the Council for review-, and, if the Paramount Co., are grafted a fresh lease, our Society will probably be up against the same serious difficulties w-hich so hampered us last December, when we were obliged to make four removals in eight days. It has been practically decided to hold the next Competitions during the first and second weeks of October, covering possibly eight or nine days. If the Council should renew tl: existing arrangement w-ith the .jmpany we trust that provision can be made for alowing our Society a continuous run at the Opera House. We believe the Pairamc-unt Co., thenxsel|ve-s would not offer any serious objection to this, allowing, of course, for an adjustment in rentals for the nights w-hen pictures are usually shown. In view of the difficulties which we had to combat before, we trust this matter will receive the favourable consideration of the Council.