"Aladdin’s Lamp."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13053, 22 April 1910, Page 2

"Aladdin’s Lamp."

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Can yon suggest any reason for the most ill-natured and uncalled-for criticism that appeared in Tuesday morning’s Chronicle on the performances of the above at the Aramoho A.B.C. Hall on Monday evening. The object was a good one, the charges moderate, the performers kindly amateurs. Generally speaking, such efforts meet with, and rightly, generous treatment at the hands of the press, but Tuesday morning’s critique was a glorious exception; in fact, it was an unwarrantable slaughter. The thorough appreciation of ■'he packed ambience present was a sufficient denial of the criticism I refer to, and this its writer must have known before he wrote it. To give an opinion, individually, of the performers is quite beyond me, though I hesitate to pass Mr Melville without saying he would be hard to beat. I only want to protest against the strictures of that critic. I. have taken the trouble to look through seveial Chronicles immeliately prior to Monday, and cannot find any advertisement of the coming uerfo?’mances in them, but surely, sir, such paltriness as allowing that to weigh would he beneath any fair-minded person. Trusting, sir, that I am not the only one voicing a iust and very general annoyance.—l am, etc..

LISTENER.