SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 13 March 1913, Page 22

SOUTHERN STAGE NOTES.

(By

“Lorgnette.”)

WELLINGTON, March 10. “The Butterflies” opened their Dominion tour at the Opera House on, Saturday evening, the Bth inst., and achieved, a decided success. We havehad various costume comedy companies touring New Zealand during thepast. few years, but not one of them, can be named that is in the same: class as “The Butterflies.” They are only, seven, but they are seven of the most versatile and talented artistes that. . have ever visited, these shores. The programme submitted for approval on Saturday evening-.; was. of al distinctly varied nature, , besides being lengthy, and it seemed a great pity that the audience, which filled every part ,of the Cpera House? should have been so insistent in the matter of encores. It is light enough to demand an encore, but when an artiste does his or her work well it is a’ crying shame that two or three, ana sometimes four encores have to be given belt, e . 3 audience seems satisfied. Such was the case of the first appearance of “The Butterflies.” “The - Butterflies” were in happy mood at the cordial reception i.e? rtcsived, and generously, acceded to the countless demands made on their talents.. Every item on the programme was enthusiastically received, and it augurs well for the success cf their season in New Zealand. The programme < n Ith the concerted item “The Tamarind Tree,” which put “The Butterflies”. immediately into the good graces of the audience. Mr. Wylie ...Watson’s .humorous song. “Stopping Out. Late” was given in a. style that earned for him three en cores. One of the many gems in the programme was th e duet “The Cat’s. Courtship” by Miss Cecilia Gold and Mr. Jack Waller. It was inimitably done and had to be repeated several: times before the audience was satisfied. Mr. Robert Foster-Hine is the possessor of a very fine baritonevoice, and his rendering of “Rosary” and “The Toreador” (“Carmen”) fairly brought down the house. MissMarion Armitage is a regular prize packet as a comedienne. Miss AdaSmart has got a well-trained soprano voice which she knows how to use to the best advantage. Mr. Jack: Waller is a comedian with a style peculiarly his own, and his “Types of Artistes” was most enthusiastically received. Miss Cecilia Gold scored, big with her humorous songs “Jeremiah” and “Ebenezer.” Mr. Frederick W. Dennett is in the forefront as a pianist. His work can be most favourably compared with many pianists who have visited us as “stars.” Thegem item of the programme was theimpression of a Hungarian orchestra one hears in certain parts of .London and on the Continent. It is a. shriek from beginning to end, and Messrs. Watson, Dennett, and Waller added further to their laurels by the unrestrained and prolonged demands for a repetition of the number. The programme is full of good, things that would take up too much space to describe- It is sufficient to say “The Butterflies” have got the “goods,” and what is more to the point know how to deliver them. 1 confidently predict a highly successful tour for “The Butterflies” both

A transfer of the license for the Masonic Hotel, Tauranga, from Mr H. P. Smith to Mr M. Quirk was granted by the Tauranga Licensing Committee. * * * * Extensive alterations are about to be undertaken to the Coronation Hotel, The proprietors, Messrs. Williams and Sherratt, have let a contract for the erection of a large addition in brick. * * 4« * It is announced that Philadelphia is to possess a special aviation hotel, which is at present in process of construction. The building will be crowned by a huge terrace, which will serve as a garage and landingstage. It will be so arranged that descent upon the terrace will be a comparatively easy matter, and will relieve intending visitors from the necessity of undue manoeuvring. The dimensions of the terrace will be about 150 ft. in length and 50ft. in breadth, which may be enlarged at will by the Extension of a movable platform me chemically propelled, bringing the total length to nearly 250 ft. Ur * * * • At the quarterly meeting of the Wellington Licensing Committee, Inspector Ellison said he had on several occasions spoken to licensees about allowing professional betting ,to go on in hotel bars. Several cases of that sort had been before the court. Some licensees had csone their ‘•best and endeavoured to prevent it, but a great deal could be carried on unknown to the licensee himself. Some of his employees might wink at such a thing, but where he knew that it was permitted he could not report upon a house as being well conducted. It was very difficult to prove a case in court. Pie mentioned this simply as a warning to licensees who had not exerted themselves to prevent such practices. It had been carried on occasionally for years, but latterly, since restrictions in other directions came in force in regard to gambling, there had been a number of men waiting about bars to pick up bets with customers. Licensees should exert themselves to see that their premises were not open to suspicion in this respect. & * * * The licensee of. the Union Hotel, Napier, E. J- Warren, and T. Spear, licensee of the Crown Hotel, were fined £5 and £lO respectively for permitting drunkenness on their licensed premises and serving drunken persons. Both licenses were endorsed. The magistrate (Mr. McCarthy) made strong comment -on the fact that it was apparent witnesses had been tampered with. He said that within the last two months there had been no fewer than three licensing cases in which it was apparent witnesses had been tampered with. ils did not blame counsel, the harm having been done before the witnesses reached their hands. jt. & Sfc * A cable from Sydney states that the Dubbo Licensing Bench has reinstated a hotel ruled out under the 190 5 Local option vote. After the hotels had been reduced Oo the statutory number one failed to obtain a renewal of license, leaving an opening for the present application. The. bench overruled the police objections that another hotel was not wanted and that the • Bench had no power bo reinstate premises closed by the special Licensing Bench, as the result of the local option vote. This is th e first instance of restoration. * ■? * « It is estimated that one out of every fifteen Frenchmen is connected either as vendor or distiller with the liquor trade. The keepers of cafes and bars alone are close fcm 1,000,000 in number. There are also 900,000 wine-growers—that is, who distil alcohol from their own products, in addition to the 12,00 0 odd aniseed distillers and brewers. The wealth and political “pull” of this “bistocracy,” as it is sometimes called, are so great as fib make its position almost impregnable. * At the Newmarket Hotel, Wanganui, on Friday, there was a large gathering of commercial men to bid au revoir to their host, who has disposed of the hotel to Mr. Cormack, of Wellington. Mr Alex. Strachan presided, and after speeches eulogistic cf Mr Forbes had been made, Mr Forbes was presented with a valuable tea and coffee service, an illuminated address, and a large travelling trunk. The recipient suitably responded.

“The manufacture of Prohibition laws in America has only increased the consumption of intoxicants, the number of disreputable saloons, and corresponding lawlessness.” —Ernst Frohlich, Russian sociologist At the quarterly meeting of the Otago Central Licensing Committee held at Naseby last week the following transfers were granted:—• Sowburn Hotel, Patearoa —Thos. Duck to Christopher D. Dagg; Newtown Hotel, Matakanui —Edith Mary Whitlaw to Donald Wm. M‘Farlane; Butcher’s Gully Hotel —David Low to John Petrie Baird (temporay transfer only). The committee desired the chairman to say that it noticed that several of the hotels were doing a fair business, but the furniture and appointments were not being kept up to the very modest standard required. This was especially the case where the owners had leased the premises. The committee would not sanction transfers where the houses or furniture had deteriorated without renewal. * * * * And this in a No-license district! We understand that the very first case to be tried in the new courthouse at Masterton after its formal inauguration was one in which a first offender was charged with having been drunk- “As accused has the distinction of having been the first person to be brought up in the new courthouse he will be convicted and discharged,” said the presiding magistrate, and .the Court and Bar smiled.