"A MESSAGE FROM MARS"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2512, 13 July 1915, Page 7

"A MESSAGE FROM MARS"

PLIMMER-HALL DRAMATIC COMPANY "A Message from Mars,"a comcdy-tlrama in three acts, by Richard Gauthony. Cast: V Horace Parker Harry Plimmer The. Messenger AY inter Hall Tho Tramp Paul Latham Arthur Dicey Vivian Edwards Constable X Gilbert Emery Jim Arthur Stephins Raft'oi'ty Walter AVliite Coster Joe Arthur Brydonc Minnie Templar Ena Shanahan Mrs. Clarence Marjorie Soper P011y... Annis Saville Flower Girl Muriel Gray Little Minnio Ethel Martin Bella Alice Holroyd Aunt Martha, Beatrice Day In selecting "A Message from Mars" as itho medium for their reappearance, in AVellington', Messrs. Plimmer and Hall, either by luck or good management, hit upon a play that is based upon a themo precisely in tuno with the spirit of the times. The comedy has been played in AVellington several times in pnsifc years, and tho story is well known. The present cast is a notably strong' one, and the acting was -uniformly finished throughout. As Horace Parker, Mr. Harry Plimmer gives' us of his best. Mr. Plimmer's comedy sense was acute, and there, were Itouchcs of real humanity m the scene where he-is beaten to earth by the fato of his dreams. Mr. AVinter Hall was capitally suited as the Messenger, while another performance worthy of praise was the Tramp of Mr. Paul Latham, who was particularly finished in his scene in the first act with Parker. Miss Beatrice Day, whose appearance is always welcome, was capitally fitted as the eminently practical and outspoken Aunt Mattta, and Misa Eaa. fjhanahan was • sweet and .winsome and dramatically satisfying as Minnie Templar, Parker's pretty ihncee. Mr. Vivian Edwards made a clean-cut and extremely likeable young fellow of Arthur Dicey, and Mr. Gilbert Emery ivas quite good as Policeman X. Miss Alice Holroyd was pert and pleasing as Bella, and Miss Marjorie Soper was quite adequate as Mrs. Clarence.Several other minor roles were played with commendable finish, which lent an'.artistic flavour to the whole production. "A Message from Mars" will hold the boards for the next few nights and is well worth while. • PAYMENT FOR HUTT ROAD .'"' ■ ' » THE LATEST PROPOSAL. Tho Hod. AA r . Hi Herries, Minister of Railways, is promoting a Hutt Road Bill. whicJi has for its purpose the settling of the account between the various local bodies who are presumed to have a contributary interest in the highway, and tho Government,' for the formation of'tho new Hutt Road, which involved .tho straightening of many bf the curves and in widening the road throughout. Tho work .was none in a most primitive style, ~ and the most costly manner by the .Ward Government, and frequently during'its progress the attention of the Government was called to that wero, being employed in carrying out this work.. Ultimately the bill for the job burst like a bomb on the local bodies, who up till that time were.uridyl" the impression that the Government was., going to foot the bill, as the straightening of the .road meant a straighter run for the- railway lino, and the acquisition of. a good deal of land in tho bights and curves that were re'claimed in the course of the work. Indeed, the surprise was so. great that tho' local bodies havo not so far recovered 'as to pay. any portion of tho amount. In: lator negotiations, the amount of tho : sevoral local bodies' liability was reduced to £60,000, and still none of it has been paid.' Mr. AV. S,. Short,'- Assistant 'Under-Secretary, of Publio Works, . was commissioned* bv tho Government to allocate the cost, as between the various local bodies, and did so with satisfaction; to some, and to the dissatisfaction of others, notably. Potone, which borough probably benefits as much as all the rest of tho bodies put together (AVollfngton City excepted) by the improved road. " Mr. Herries, by . means of his Bill, which so far has not been submitted to Parliament, proposes that the boroughs should meet their Hutt. Road" accounts on-the basis arranged' by Mr. Short, by means of debentures upon which the. local authorities would pay interest at the rate of per cent., and establish a sinking fund of 1 per o/jnt., which is calculated to wipo off the debt in'the courso of half a century or so. . The Hutt Road Bill'also seeks to vest control of the load in the AVellington City Council, and on this'point there is_ likely to>ta a difference of opinion. A* conference on the point was held in the Mayor's room a few months ago, when it was decided that it would bo best to vest the control and maintenance of tjie road in a board, on which each local body, concerned would have representation, though it was stated at the time that the actual work of maintenance could perhaps be more economically carried out by tho AVellington City Council. which is indeed doing tho work today, to save the "new" road from disintegration through sheer neglect. Consulted as to the Bill, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) thought the proposal of the Minister respecting the payment of. tho capital cost of the road (the local bodies' portion) appeared to. bo one that the local authorities might consider favourably, but the Board of Control that was set up should be one on which,all tho bodies should havo representation, .as decided upon at the conference. Where there was joint liability there should be joint representation.: '