In the Public Eye.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume VI, Issue 2, 1 May 1902, Page 83

In the Public Eye.

The well-known actor, Mr. Charles Arnold, paid Aucklaud a visit of some weeks on his retireARNOLD. ment trom stage lire. New Zealanders have had many a good laugh over " What Happened to Jones " aad " Why Smith Left Home," besides making the acquaintance of " Charley's Aunt," " Hans the Boatman," and sharing the secret of " The Professor's Love Story." After a round of

sightseeing and a course of baths at Rotorua, Mr. Arnold left for New York, whence, in a short time, he

proceeds to London. There he will have a thorough rest, and his return to work will depend upon his own pleasure. Should anything of merit come before him, and should Mr. Arnold feel disposed to

organise a company and make a tour, we may have the pleasure of welcoming hi m again to New Zealand. Mr. Arnold

has a very pleasing personality, and does not mind frankly confessing his impressions. His remarks on colonials and the behaviour of his audiences here are decidedly complimentary. He is much in love with our climate, our blue skies, our " clean " air, free from fog and intense extremes of temperature. A reference to dirty Sydney streets reminded him of the ravages of the plague, and the actor spoke feelingly of

Miss Booth aud Miss Lee, who succumbed recently. The former had been long with him, and in her younger days had done first-class work on the English stage. She had one great desire — to die in harness ; and when suddenly taken ill had no idea of the nature of the disease, which carried her off, mercifully while in delirium. Mr. Arnold has erected to her memory a monument, the epitaph upon which is from

" King Lear " : — "Blow wind,

come wrack, at least I'll die with

harupss on my back." Mr. Arnold remarked on the difference between the English provincial and the

colonial audiences. The latter follow the play with interest, and appreciate good acting. The former go — the women often with shawls over their heads — because " something is on." The actor sees his audience, and his heart sinks. Throughout the performance is heard the strik-

ing of matches, the popping of ginger beer corks, and the steady fueilade of nut cracking. Imagine the actor in the middle of a pretty piece of sentiment, when pop ! crack ! keep up a running accompaniment. It is not surprising that the county families in most cases despise their local theatres. Speaking of audiences reminded the actor of the difficulty of procuring plays to suit the

colonial stage. Whereas in London, with its twelve million inhabitants, each theatre has its own class of frequenters, who go to hear a special kind of production, our small population sends its representatives all to one theatre. One set likes melodrama, another clever dialogue, aud another classic setting, etc. All go to be amused, and it is difficult indeed to get something that will be a universal success. Asked how he managed so well with his stage babies, Mr. Arnold answered that he procured them by advertisement, taking tho^e that shewed least shyness of asi ranger. "Then I get at their hearts through their stomachs." He told of an amusing scramble during his recent tour between two crawling mites for lollie-sticks which he threw to them on the stage. The audience were fairly " caught " with the antics of the youngsters. One of the late Company's most interesting tours was made at the commencement of the present Boer war. They played in Johannesberg vvhen hundreds of refugees were leaving, and more dying of exposure in open trucks. When the exodus ceased they moved on to Pretoria, whence they themselves departed upon the declaration of war, thence to Port Elizabeth and Durban, where they played to large houses at a distance of three hours' journey from the disaster at Tugela River. Twelve hundied ■wounded were brought into the same town, where, to escape the horrors of real life, crowds laughed at comedy every night. Of his companies JVIr. Arnold speaks very highly. They were always as one happy family, and this is probably one of the chief reasons of their successful tours. The actor looks back, with wonder, to the time when, at twenty-one years of age, he as manager paid the salaries of eighty-eight people and acted as well. In some of his American tours he had a new Shakesperian r6le every evening, and by the contract of lease had often to act on Sundays. He is thankful that he no longer takes a play to bed and wakes again at five a.m. to study it, thankful that his "wet towel " days are

over

The winner of the Championship Belt sit the recent meeting sit kSSESS* Tventham of the . New Zealand Rifle Association was Rifleman George Hyde, a member of the Opaki Rifle Club, Masterton. Hyde, who is only thirty-three years of age, is a native of Blenheim, where he spent his youth. He achieved some distinction as a shot while at school. On leaving Blenheim, about thirteen years ago, he abandoned shooting for a few years, but resumed later.

He fired at the Association's Meeting at Oamaru in 1894, and again at Trentham in the following year. He then went to Australia for a few years, and during his absence did no shooting whatever. At the recent meeting at Trentham he shot with remarkable coolness and consistency all through. His style of shooting is a contrast to that of most marksmen. He holds his rifle very high, and appears to sight down upon the barrel. Rifleman Hyde's success is another indication of the utility of rifle clubs for the attainment of a higher standard of markmanship.