THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 3538, 25 June 1874, Page 3

THE CHORAL SOCIETY.

To the Editor. Sir, —At the last annual meeting of the Choral Society a number of the performing members made a protest against the manner in which the affairs of the society were mismanaged. The accusation, which was only tdo well grounded, was indignantly "repudiated and pooh-poohed by the Managing Committee, and we were told that the society was in a most flourishing condition, and that other Colonial musical societies, after having tried various codes of rules without success, were at last constrained to take a leaf out of our book and copy oqr rules verbatim. This was no doubt very consoling, especially if rriere financial prosperity is to be our aim. ■ : But now I wquld just beg to draw the attention of honorary members to this “ flourishing condition,” and to the amount of interest taken in the progress of the society by the Managing Committee. Last night I arrived at the University hall exactly at eight o’clock—the hour at which practice is “supposed” to begin—and found the door shut and all dark within. Two members went round to the backhand succeeded pi gaining admittance and in getting the hall lighted and opened—no thanks to the committee. _ Whether during the interval any performing members came and went away again I am not prepared to say, but when the practice did commence, which was not till twenty minutes past the appointed time, there were present—six sopranos, four basses, and one contralto! The usual muster of ▼ocalists in these parts is seldom much better. Now, sir, the reason why the lady members in particular do not come to these practices in the same numbers as they did some mouths ago is simply owing to the fact that they are disgusted with the treatment they receive at tne hands of the committee. There is no punctuality in commencing practices, and such distrust is felt by all that no one is quite sure that there will be a practice on the appointed evening. Most of the members show their disapprobation by absenting themselves altogether. It is to be hoped that both honorary and performing members will make further inquiry into the matter, and not leave the society at the mercy of a clique, as is the case at present. We are aware, from past experience, that it is no use attempting to remedy our grievances by appealing to these persons. because they know as well as we do of the existing dissatisfaction, and have a convenient method of shifting the blame on each, others’ shoulders, when any complaint is made, Apologising for trespassing so long on your valuable space,— l am, Ac., t, ~ , ’ 'A Member. Dunedin, June 24.