SUNDAY CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 8

SUNDAY CONCERTS.

THE COUNCIL OP.CHURCHES CIRCULAR.

A CANDIDATE'S REPLY..

Candidates for the City Council, as well as those for the Mayoralty, have been circularised by -the Council of Churches requesting their views; on the question of holding Sunday concerts in tho Town Hall. The following reply has been forwarded to the secretary of the Council of Churches by. Mr. W. H. Morrah:—- ' r-;

"Dear Six/—1 am in receipt, of your- circular, and while I, object'to the methods pursued by your council ■in endeavouring to intimidate, candidates for the City Council by holding out a t-hreat of blackballing them if they do not agree with your opinions, I will briefly : state my views on the Sunday' concert question. I fail to see how the rendering .of high-class orchestral and vocal music on Sunday evening can in any way interfere with the spending of a quiet Sunday by those who wish it, : and no offence whatever can be given by th<i . most rigid church attendant. I may state that; not a single complaint has been made to mei as a city councillor with reference to the conducts ing of . these concerts except - the vague charges made by your counoil. If any member of your council "can- bring before me any .specifio oharge in connection with these concerts I would willingly ■ inquire into the charge, and if it were proved I should certainly. do my best to have those responsible for any breach of the by-laws debarred from holding any further concerts. -That the City Council is alive to its responsiblity in this matter is shown by the fact that.many applications to display moving pictures on: Sunday evenings, have been refused. I, consider that the concerts at present held in the Town Hall are productive, of a great deal of good in keeping the people off streets and other less desirable placcs on Sunday evenings, and as long as they are conducted, on the same lines as at present and are advertised "admission free," -I would, not interfere.withdut some specific charge -being brought against the promoters. I understand'that the performers' receive n6' fixed payment for their services, but that in the event of there .being any credit balance from collections at the end of the year, they , share the'proceeds equally, thereby taking considerable risk that their services may not be paid for at all.— I ain, yours faithfully, : "W. H. MORRAH."