MR. NORTH IN REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 13

MR. NORTH IN REPLY.

Sir,—Your correspondent considers that I wronged the ladies of tho comic opora who appeared at the Town liall at a sacred concert last Sunday. If tho ladies in question sang for nothing on Sunday, and if the wholo proceeds went to tho professionals, tlion 1 wronged them, and am sorry. But it was not a malicious wrong; the ladies have tho orchestra to thank for it. Tho concert was one or those Sunday speculations foisted 011 this community by this band of professional musicians. Tho ladies must recognise that when tlioy help the orchestra to break the custom wnich lias prevailed in this city from its foundation, tliey lay themselves open to tho supposition, that the orchestra treats them in the ordinary business way. 111 no other great town hall in Australasia would these opera ladies, or tho professional musicians either, have becu licensed to give a Sunday entertainment. May I assure your two correspondents that wo are not protesting against the moneymaking clement in Sunday concerts for narrow reasons, and certainly not for personal reasons. Tho admission of the mouoy-making element into Sunday lifo means good-bye to tho quiet Sunday. It means an over-in-creasing army of Sunday workmen. It means an invasion of the 0110 quiet opportunity in tho week which our homes have. Tho churches which, according to the census, represent 99 in every 100 of tho citizens, are asking tho incoming council to do a very just and very sensible thing, and that is to refuse their sanction to any concerts save for distinctly charitablo purposes. This programme is more liberal than obtains in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Christcliurch, or Dunodin. This city has just reason for complaint that the existing council should have violated tho traditions of the city and tho common custom of tho British race by sanctioning concerts for private profit or for purposes rot to bo distinguished from private, and which are for diplomatic reasons conceded. —I am, etc., J. J. NORTH. March 25.