THE COST OF AMUSEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 9

THE COST OF AMUSEMENT.

■S there : ii) tnlfc.of. ;inoney being .tight ■'ii. ; lieM''''(Mys-;-Wn' i -Aucklandiwnter:;iniaiiyiiiitor-': j/ : (BS|ang. : :a)rticle' , ";i" [commencing; hiere) • we'.; see I that • tho ■ Various. i'hbuses^cf'-.entertainment continue !tb- flourish. V 'Theißubiedt. i»'.worth, sbmq-.analysis. l-Jn-thei 1 ;!•;%&! thitji''theatrical; ';frnahaeers ; idb 'not Tpbse , as:;."philanthropists; -;■! that; \ m 'i act, -they seldom;enter. uponfan' en-, .''?': terprisef without- reasonable", prospect,of'gain." ■■'. ;; Thoref ore, ■ the; fact <is: signifioaiit.tnat (during; ■■:'.;■ thelhext.-fow weeks t.three unusually."strong' ty attractions'-.•jwill; bo;presented"-.:.in;' : Auckland; ? ; l' : (twg. : nights). ;,^an'd.vMr. i VJv\P.'rj'WiUianisan's"' ::ii:Royal;.'Cpmio iOperai-Coinpany .^nigljtly)*' The: r);.weekiafter,' .and' for;.-'soino;.-period -to follow, ■i :;■ if thesS \ ;yisitirig;; attradiioris , , 'wo Aliaye.;;'.' always M ,i .:)[• which •and'suburi.4' ban: patrons.;.' ;It; is .impossible;-..without pow■?;;era of prophecy or.■ second sight, to; state pre-' ; j-:s«ftlyj,.what;;-m11:b6 , -,teken;;byv'ihe-;winpanies' , . ■J' mentipnedjv'but' an'iaverago may; ; be struck ' riot be'far out. -.'Based, on .the, Jycap'acity;of the!.Oporav-Hpuse, v .the big,"rush '; ,for';seats, and the. prices being charged,.the; ; v : v grose, yppst/!to':Aucklandeirs.-.'for. the' ; privilego '•;;of>listening : to:,MadAinb : Melba:wi|l-bD ; in.the ';! neighbourhood.'of i^800, , ; 0f.£.400 "per'-.night' ■; : t (iri Wellington the. diva ]sang .to, £500;.; per : knight). ■■■>;'-■ -Mr.':-: C.^Williamson's; company's fare duririg:.the : ;Barhe'week should ;|extraot-;from},thei pockets:',Vpf ■'theatfegoera -~r,about: £l6OO, or,, in other, words,'anything ■v : :'from';'£2solto ;'£2Bo,per.night.;',-Thus' during. ;v. xierA \ week tho ;chances .are '4; the 'pictnr'o ! shows,: a-'siim ',':' 'approxi- :,:: mating :£3OO 'will bo spent on amusements. ;,-.;3nv:.the: ■.succeeding ■ wecks; .when; big '•■ 'tidns wi(l:bb in;full .swing.at;bbthrtlio-.prm-■■.icip'aT theatres;'and with;two picture shows ■);;etill Vunning, tho total;nightly takings at-the ■■■;.| collective .!'3obrs" l rnny.be put .down atsome•.fining like.£6oo ) wb4chwouldmake the week's >v i expenditure. on' pleasure ■ 'total' 'about £3600. ;; ; : This :figurfl 'Icaves-niatinees put .of the .reck-, : ;\oning, ; -but ;on. the : -other'hand it'-represents' fjthcfsnm outgoing 'assuming ",. :pames:cpnperned.;play'.to;.full houses, nightly. vBuV, it',would : bo ;a;.mistakp..to : imagine that • the,: cbmmtinity/ compensating behe- - fits' from -what !'tne, ; .people .sjicnd." Wfor v .'ex-: , ;;ftihplo, it', issestirnatbdfthatl.th'p , visitiiig-per-' .. formers .wUr'npmber over-250, without con/■■'::sidering tpe- great -number of'• local workmen ■ engaged forjthe production of such '.'. elaborate ;,:theatncal relituresi'VAll.thpso pcbple:travej : .by J riil and^boat;frpm : pnb.endof- New: Zen-land..M,[-the v btlier,-,.and'this alone is a very itherb; are. upwards of 250, ;vpppt)le,to.bo'provided for in hotels and board-: -~• lncheuses, wliich-in'directly'■ nffeots.butchers, ;■-. bakers,;gTocer's, ;»nd 'all' tradespeople", tp ; say' -. nothing ; pf tho cuuAl'cxpcndit'uro in vAtious' ■ .ehops by,-so.;rriany visitors. Even:this.is but a.small-.estrmatfl of the.real benefit to ; thp ..■'.bitvj- , .as'.attractions' of such' magnitiide draw hundreds from tho country and .surrounding districts,-and-all"'must/spend money on railfares; and. accommodation in Auckland,.while ■ most of them take advantage of tho dccasioii tb;do general shopping,in: town. Tlio'carry- . ing. business; benefits greatly, and large suras :"; of money: aro expended. upon itho'■;. various ' mediums : ofVadvertising. ..-Counting.- theatre • , rents,; lighting,- and the -/hundred and ono .''email expensps, sueh.a. 'fcarnival'.'-'as. we are. to hiivc in tHe next few weeks,means at.a: ' reasonable • estimate -tlie expenditure of .con- '.. Biderably bver : £3000 a wepk in ■'■Auckland by : those_ cohnedted directly with the attractions, nnd it'would be difficult' to estimate tho 'in-' :■■ direct, benefit,to'.local trado f and lalxiur. These . combined attractions : will (cbnclndes the .writer); ; give. a/vory good'.test na.to tho declared financial and- it will be interesting to . note tho results. '■ ■• ■ Meantime. the booking'is; very heavy.'' 'f " : Jmeplsatfull-ky ; . :■- V- ■ .':'•'-:■ :■■■■'