POPULAR THEATRE MANAGER RESIGNS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18420, 29 June 1925, Page 7

POPULAR THEATRE MANAGER RESIGNS.

MR J. ROBERTSON HONOURED

Honour was done Mr J. Robertson, manager of the Liberty Theatre, who is about to resign from that position, on' ! Saturday night the entire theatre staff I and orchestra assembling in the lounge and presenting him with a solid leather suitcase, bearing his initials, and -Mrs Robertson with a bouquet of gold and amber chrysanthemums. -Air Robertson, who, prior to his promotion to the post of manager of the Liberty Theatre, [ managed the Grand Theatre, will sever his connexion with the New Zealand Picture Supplies Ltd. to-morrow. In making the presentation on beI half of those assembled, Mr C. Marks said it was felt that Mr Robertson I could not be allowed to depart without I taking with him some tangible token of the esteem in which he was held by every member of the staff. For ten short months he had managed the theatre, and it could safely be said that no other manager had conducted the place in a more capable manner. "Undoubtedly he will be misled by staff and patrons alike." Mr Marks concluded. He thm presented _ the manager with'the.suitcase and wished him every success 'in: the'■'future, while Mrs Rnbertsnn accepted the bouquet from Miss V. Watt, another member of the staff. "I scarcely know what to say; all this is so unexpected, so very good and kind," said Mr Robertson in reply. "But I thank you all, on behalf of my wife and mvself, for your gifts of gratitude." The staff of the Liberty Theatre, he continued, was one of the best he had ever worked with; it had given him every possible assistance m managing the place..... The theatre was a rather. difficult one to manage, as those present, no doubt, knew. Within a period of four and a half years six men had had charge of the theatre and he thought that pointed to the fact tha." the theatre was difficult to manage. "But," he went on. "the difficulty does not arise from the staff, for .all of you have been exceptionally good to me and I will leave here with regret. I have made many friends, .and that alone will make it hard to However, just as you have all wished me luck in the future, so do I wish you well also." Mr Robertson ended by referrinsr to the Press nf the city, saving his association with it had been a verv happy one. n ..' On behalf of the Liberty Quality Orchestra, Mr Howard Moody, conductor, said he and his colleagues were sorry that their popular manager wa.s lea vine them. "For no other manager at this theatre has done more for the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., and the public, than Mr Robertson," he concluded. (Applause.) The drinking of the health of the manager and his wife, and the singing of "For They are Jolly Good Fellows" brought the gathering to a close.