NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1504, 29 July 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

It was an exceedingly graceful and well merited tribute which the Wellington Musical Union paid Me. liohert Parker on Friday evening last on the occasion of his relinquishment of the conductorship of that society. Mr. Parker's long and successful connection with music in this city has entitled him, not only to those expressions of esteem and affection which were so ably voiced by the Bishop of Wellington and Mr. George Shirtcmffe, but to the thanks of the whole community. He has been a sincere and enthusiastic worker in his profession, and none will begrudge- him that rest from the more strenuous side of it. One note Me. Parker sounded is worth more than passing notice. That was his expressed regret at the difficulty in securing young male voices which he attributed to the latter-day crazo for athletics occupying all the available spare time of the young men. After their days of athletics were passed he imagined that they would find life rather barren without other occupation. Many men have experienced the void in their middle ago, a period which would most surely have been brightened by the cultivation of the pleasant art—if one may call it so—of choral singing. With the finely modulated strains of the Sheffield Choir still pleasurably remembered, it must bo admitted that there is jet much to be learned here in this phase of music, and as its refining influence must trend toward a degree of culture which we cannot boast at present, Mr. Paeker's remarks on the subject cannot but be regarded as the word in season.

If the City Council lots the Town Hall for a Sunday night concert, should it have any voice in saying how the seating accommodation is to he allocated? That appears to he in a nutshell the question to be decided as between the Council and the Wellington Professional Orchestra. Per-' Imps it is just art well that it should he definitely settled and that- whilst the delegates to the Municipal Conference (lo sit to-day) are in town to pass judgment. The City Council officials evidently believe they have the right claimed, and we. suppose that as a matter of strict law they are correct. They may let the hall subject to such restrictions as (lie Council plcnse. (o impose, The ■ liuesilicm realty, is whether it is wise

or proper to impose restrictions which arc considered unreasonable. Any person or body hiring the liall for a Sunday evening is already debarred from making payment for admittance compulsory, and the most that can be done is to invite contributions from those who attend. On the evidence of the officials tiio amount received in this way amounts on an average to less than 3d. per head from those who attend their concerts. The Orchestra, which was doing excellent work, decided to endeavour to place itself on a more satisfactory footing by securing a number of contributors who would give a stated amount annually for pure love of good music; and to accommodate these the Orchestra has been in the habit of reserving a central block of seats until the concert began. The right to do this has been challenged by _ the Council's officials. It seems a little peculiar that a body of musicians, or anyone else, who pay for the hire of a hall cannot allocate the seating accommodation as they wish, more particularly in this case where no charge can be enforced for admission. Presumably the Council officials wish to treat the contributors to the funds of the Orchestra as purchasers of tickets, which'certainly is straining the point, particularlyin view of the tact that the contributors must know that the con certs are free. Those who have visited London know that it nits always been possible to book seats for Sunday concerts; in fact, the Sunday Concert League would not exist without that right, and they are attended every Sunday afternoon by some thousands of people who pei'haps_ do not get an • opportunity of hearing good music during the week. That the Professional Orchestra's good work is appreciated is testified by the large audiences which crowd the Town Hall at each concert. Instead of discouraging the work of the Orchestra one would expect the City Council to lend it every reasonable assistance..

The local journal which supported the Continuous Ministry so faithfully until it came to grief a few weeks ago is beginning tb discover the evils of party government. In the course of an article on the subject it made_ certain remarks, which in view of its intimate association with the late Government, may be taken'as an authoritative disclosure Of the inner workings of the "Liberal" party.

Already it has been shown to democratic communities (states the journal in question) that the grow-in.? power of Cabinets is a very real menace to political freedom. Indeed, there -is no such thing as political freedom nowadays, for Parliament is dominated by Cabinet to the extent that all sense of corpornto control of administration and policy has fled and an internal camarilla invariably controls the Cabinet.

This .no doubt is very interesting. We have the impression that the domination of Cabinet in' the closing days of the Continuous Ministry assisted largely to its downfall. In all such cases it is only a matter of time—unfortunately for New Zealand in this caso it was an unduly long time. The Reform party apparently is going to profit by the experience of its predecessors. In its case it is the party that shapes the policy—ov at least it has done so up .to the present—as witness 'the fact of its recent meetings at which the programme to bo carried out wis decided on. There seems every prospect of it doing this for some time to come. In course of time the Massey Cabinet, grown, bold by long continuance in office, may attempt to dominate the party and deprive its following of its full "political freedom" as its predecessors did. Who knows! One can only hope that if that day ever should come the Government will be taught the lesson it will deserve.