SUNDAY ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1522, 19 August 1912, Page 4

SUNDAY ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS.

Sir,—l am more than surprised in the action taken by some of the ministers of this city in opposing the Sunday evening orchestral concerts, and I feel sure in so doing they-will not strengthen their hold on tho respect and support of the people. I regret on their own behalf that they so consistently manifest such strange aptitude for alienating the sympathies of those amongst whom they work. The orchestral concerts have been carefully arranged for an hour that does not clash with Divine service, and the request of tho Orchestra to the City Council to retain only a few seats, : not. individual scats, to enable a number of musical enthusiasts who are mainly responsible for the continuance of the Orchestra to be accommodated, after service, I consider a reasonable one. The motive of tho ministers in opposing these concerts is very manifest. They can have no interest in the ordering of theso concerts, which they do not attend, but they think they see an opportunity of doing away with them altogether. As one of the Orchestra who has worked hard and given up Sunday leisure with only one object—that of supplying the people with good, uplifting, and educational music—and also as ono who has never received ono penny piece for all his work, I enter my earnest protest at this unworthy and narrow-minded attempt on the part of these men to order other men's lives by their convictions, and if the great mass of the citizens suffer their dictation, and allow these concerts to be dono away with, I shall bo astonished, and the citizens will richly deserve the loss they suffer.—l am, etc., ORCHESTRA.