YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS’ CLUB CLOSING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 71, 30 March 1949, Page 5

YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS’ CLUB CLOSING

Following a short concert by a troupe of juvenile artists from the Opotiki Young New Zealanders’ Club at the Regent matinee on Saturday Mr A. R. Chapman announced with regret that the idea of Young New Zealanders’ Clubs as such was to be abandoned by the Ker-ridge-Odeon organisation. However, it is intended to maintain a local children’s club in connection with the theatre, provided there is sufficient support for it. Mr Chapman read the following letter from Mr R. J. Kerridge explaining the reasons for the decision that had been made:— As you know, results from the conduct of the Young New Zealanders’ Club have been most disappointing but when these Clubs were first organised it was not anticipated that the results would be commercial, nor did we even aspire to make them so. Our idea was actuated to ensure that children had available selected and wholesome entertainment suitable to juveniles. Regrettably, our motives were in many cases misconstrued and we have failed to obtain the interest of the children inasmuch as results everywhere clearly establish that invariably they patronise regular screenings in preference to Club screenings. For the above reasons it is intended to abandon the idea of the Young New Zealanders’ Club as such. It will remain our duty to see that children’s matinee programmes are in the main suitable for the purpose, and managers will be able to make up programmes from the film they have on hand. We will continue to circuit the special children’s films we receive from England and these will of course be screened at • all matinee sessions and . when suitable, at the evening sessions. This does not preclude your maintaining, if you so desire, a local children’s club, but you will not t conduct this as a Dominion-wide arrangement. We are naturally reluctant to take this step but circumstances justify our doing so. Announcing the decision to carry on a children’s club with the accent on encouraging talent, Mr Chapman said that Mrs D. Cairns and he had worked for three years to organise a really good team of juvenile entertainers and to overcome for many children their natural shyness' in public. They wanted to continue that work, with parents’ support.

There were fourteen children in the Opotiki concert party, and they presented a variety of talent with real artistry. Tom Martin, “cowboy yodeller”, particularly impressed the audience as one almost up to professional standard. Following were the items: Mouth organ, Norman Price; songs, Fay Sergeant “My Happiness”, Dick and Jane Poihipi “Sentimental Journey”, Jill Martin “Little Yellow Bird”, Pamela Day, Fay Sergeant and Anne Clarke, and Tom Martin; cornet, John Clarke; clarinet, Gavin Cooper.