A MUSICAL MUDDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 261, 8 November 1906, Page 5

A MUSICAL MUDDLE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Yesterday practically completed the first week of'the Exhibition. There was a drop of one thousand on the previous day's attendance, probably due to the international Show. The totai attendance up to last night was 107,117, an average daily attendance of 17,552. The weather has been delightful since the first hour of the Exhibition. Friction has occurred betwen the chairman of the Executive Commissioners and the manager for Miss Narelli, the Irish national songstress. It had been arranged between her manager and the Executive Commissioners that Miss Narelle should give two performances in the concert hall on Tuesday. The lady had arrived here to fulfil her engagement, and performances were fixed for to-night and to-morrow night, but yesterday afternoon it was announced that the Exhibition orchestra would play this evening in the main avenue leading to the concert hall. The manager appealed to Mr. Munro against lixiiig the first free concert id the season, on this particular night. The result of the protest is the abandonment of Miss Narelle's performance. Both morning papers have sub-leaders on the subject. The "Press" remarks that "it is unfortunate that the difficulty, as it is usually described in connection with the management of the Exhibition, should be intensified just now by a difference of opinion between the chairman of the Commissioners on one side and on the other the Entertainment Committee and representatives of Miss Narelle." The "Times" states "that the people of Christchurch will strongly resent gross discourtesy and worse that has been shown towards Miss Narelli by the Exhibition authorities." "The Times" concludes: "We have been loth to believe many of the things said of Mr. Munro, but this last example of his methods simply leaves us no alternative." It is understood that the Entertainment Committee has refused to have anything more to do with the musical arrangements.

Thirty-five bands have accepted for the quickstep and grand selection in the Exhibition band contest to take place in February.

Amongst the Auckland firms exhibiting is the well-known furnishing house of Tonson Garlick Co., Ltd., which has an ex. cellent display of patent "sit-easy" chairs upholstered in handsome saddlebags and tapestries. The exhibit looks exceedingly well, and shows the.-c well-known chairs to advantage. .Messrs. Strange and Co., Ltd., are the Christchurch agents.