MAORIS IN CHICAGO.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 878, 26 July 1910, Page 4

MAORIS IN CHICAGO.

WOULD NOT WOEK .ON SUNDAYS. A special message to the Auckland "Herald," dated Chicago, June 3,. says:— Chicago has seen the Maoris —and been astonished. is the second largest city 'in the United States, and it takes a lot to astonish it; but when Chicagoans learned that the Maoris, who were billed as "wild savages' from New Zealand—tho most startling 'act on the vaudeville stage," would not perform on Sundays they were amazed. Tho, Maoris had a nine months' engagement with Shubei't and Anderson to appear'at the New York Hippodrome, and it happened that the Hippodrome season —which has proved a record 0110 financially—closed two weeks before tho Maoris' contract expired. But Shubert and Anderson, instead of losing anything, saw a means of "sub-letting," and made a contract with William Morris, the big vaudeville manager, for the Maoris to perform for two weeks at tho American Music Hall. in. Chicago.

I This, contract, as the .Maoris'; manager (Mr. Whyte) soon learned, called for performances "each and every day" during the' two weeks. The' Chicago Music Hall, like most of the.places of amusement in this.city, remains. open on Sundays—performances every afternoon and evening of the week.-' Mr. Whyte immediately notified tho management that the Maoris would not be available for Sunday performances, they haying a distinct understanding on this matter with Shubert and Anderson's representative before they left Rotorua. Pressure was brought to bear both by William Morris and Shubert and Anderson, but the Maoris stood firm. Sunday came and they did not appear; and in spite of the difficulty they were paid every penny due to them.