NAMED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1094, 5 April 1911, Page 6

NAMED.

A PERMANENT PICTURE SHOW. "THE NEW THEATRE." I QUAINT IDEAS OF NOMENCLATURE, 'j : i Messrs. Clias. MacMe.hon and M. J. | Donnelly, being in a iiuandary as to what , to call their new theatre in Manners J Street, to be opened as a permanent picture show at Easier, decided a few days j ago to lest the public idea in noniencl.i- | turn as affecting theatres. They oil'ered i a prize of ,I's ss. for the person who would ] suggest what a committee of outside \ judges would consider the best name, [ and' up till Monday night they received , over a thousand letters and postcards containing a wide variety ol names—good, bad, and indifferent. These were duly handed over veslcrday to Messrs. I'. Marshall ("Evening Pest"), E. Schwabe. ("Times"), and H. Plimmcr (The Dominion), who were asked to select the best title for (ho Manners Street theatre. By far tho most popular title nominated was the Coronation Theatre, the reason, no doubt, being that this was Coronation year, but this was discarded as being too long and cumbersome for everyday us?, although the applicability was admitted. Two or threo hundred must have submitted that title. The Dominion Theatre also found great favour with competitors, but it was considered that the word was being rather overdone lately. Loyalty led hundreds of applicants to suggest "King Edward," "Edward tho Great," "George V," "Eoyiil George," "Queen's," "Queen Mary's,'' "Coronet," "Dreadnought," "Regent," "Invincible," but they were all counted cut as rather flambuoyant for a picture theatre. Two applicants suggested that tho namo should bo tho Hugh Ward Theatre, in .recognition of the actormanager's great effort in connection with the Children's Hospital, and tho "Soddon," "Premier "Ward," and ,r ßip Van Winkle" were also nominations. One competitor wrote: "1 think Liver Theater and the llearin (harem) Theater and the Alexandra Theater." Strangely enough the "Harem Theatre" was suggested bv about ten competitors. One from Scatoun, who had evidently just been reading lha account of tho' Cam-bridge-Oxford boat race, suggested the Cambridge- Theatre, "with decorations in Cambridge blue, with Oxford blue facings, which would harmonise with the given name," and would further suggest a drop-scene with painting of the Oxford and Cambridge- boat race. A humorist (from Porirua) suggested the work "Macandon," emphasis on tho "an," as embodying the names of the proprietors. Others in similar mood sent in "Donmac," "Macmahonelly," and "Macdon." Other curious suggestions embraced tho ■"Mahunuku" (after a dead Wairarapa chiefi, "Royal Family," "Don." "Census," "Supremo Court," "Et Cetera," "Cleopatra," "No Flicker," "Bonaventura," "Bona Vista," "Merry Widow," "Dollar rrinccss," and "People's Pride." A tired competitor wrote:— Gentlemen,—l think, as your picture theatre is to bo kept open during tho day, a suitable name would be 'Rest for the Weary,' as it will prove. I think, to dozens of tired mothers, with their children in tho afternoon." After much deliberation the committee decided that the place of entertainment bo called the New Theatre. Tho competitors who suggested this title (some sent ! in as many as 49 suggestions on the one • sheet) were nine in number. Their names . and addresses are as follow:— C. V. Little, 7 Roxburgh Street, Wel- • lingtou. 1 Mrs. 11. Saul, Central Terrace, Alicc- ' town, Hutt. Miss Ivy Scott, 3 Majoribanks Street, ; Wellington. 1 Miss liubi Stuart, Ashley Street, Pal- ' mcrston North. Carleton Flavell, of Webb Street. Miss Inness, 55 llr.iikey Street, Welling- " ton. F. W. Potter, Harbour Board, Wellington. ; Miss Fairfield, Evans Bay Road, Welj lingtoiv. W. W. Corbett, architect, Kilbirnie, ; Wellington. The. £~i ss. will be apportioned between , these persons, who will get a postal note , for-the amount to-day.