CHORUS GIRLS' PAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1977, 6 February 1914, Page 3

CHORUS GIRLS' PAY.

A NEW AWARD. ' i Recently, a few*, details of'- the new award- afeting Hie wages paid, to chorus girls and men as well as ballet dancers ■ wefo cabled from Australia; The award mentioned was obtained ,rc.cently in Sydney by tjio Theatrical Choristers' and Dancers' Association. of Australia, a body with. a- membership of about. 130, consisting at . present•solely of memb.els of' J. C. Williamson, iLtd.'s chorus and ballot Tho ,-»ew award,.which has a lifo_of three years, provides that male choristers travelling in . New Zealand shall bo paid '£3 15s, per week, and females £2 los. per week •in the centres and £3 pcr.weels in the small towns. The dancers are pa.icl attlio Sa.mo. rate as the chorus girls. For-- ■ merly the men got £3 10s. per week and ' the girls £2 10s. in the cent-res nnd £3 in "the smallsj" the award, therefore, means ait'increase of about 17 per cent. ' In Australia tho new award; .provides that the me.n shall bo paid 10s. in t-lte centres (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisi bane, and Aifclatdc), and £-3 15 s. in "the smalls"; and chorus girls and dancers £-2 10s i in tlio centres awl £3 in -"the smalls.." These figures are,- of , course, the minimum Wages, and apply only- to choristers a\id dancers pure and simple, Small-part' people aro a little better paid, and understudies who are in tlio chords 7'cecivo ss. per week ostra for one or two parts ; if required to understudy three pints tho rate is 7s, (kl. extra.

A member of the chorus of the New Comic Opera Co. at 'present in Wellington states that tlio new award is, generally spmilnug, very satisfactory. \:«ars ago it was. quite possible to get very decent .board and lodging at a hotel for £1 per week, whereas to-day, at tho same class of hotel, the tariff is 30s. The same rise in the charges for breml ■ and lodging Isas been, made in almost' every- Australian State. The award was the; result of an agreement arrived at between representatives of J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., and tho association, and it holds good throughout 1 Aus* tratasia.