CORRESPONDENCE

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 32, 16 January 1930, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

THE "TALKIES"

(To the Editor)

Sir, —Professional musicians are niuch. concerned) over the position, created by the boom in ''talkies, 7' which, has already rendered many cinema orchestras unnecessary, and threatens others. Their anxiety is, of course, natural; yet each generation has had to accustom itself to new inventions which have effected^ major or minor, revolutions in most industries,' and teelmieal crafts. There is, however, this, difference —that the sound filma threaten the earning capacity of a class of non-manual workers which has not previously been menaced by ineehan-.-ieal competition. That the perfecting of the iiew. invention in sound reproduction will result in cases of individual hardships is scarcely to be doubted. The future for these workers does not appear so black as it may at first seem. For in/ the- past the enormous increase in production brought about by labour-saving inventions has almost invariably resulted in more .workers being employed to work the machines then were formerly needed to produce an infinitely smaller output tiian' under the previous existing circumstances. .It may, of be suggested that as musicians are not engaged in producing saleable articles the same law does not usually operate. Also that'musicians' are temperamental people and unable' to adapt themselves readily to other employment. But the chances are that- musicians no longer wanted in cinemas where "talkies" are being installed will be required in dance halls. In any ease it may be said of professional musicians, who gained comparatively extravagant pay as iperformer.s in picture shows, that they made rather a welter of- quite a mushroom demand for large orchestras—while many quite medidcre players, secured

employment at salaries far beyond their merits. Indeed, this artificial vogue of pressing into service poor and untrained musicians was destined to be short-

lived, because it was an uncalled extravagance. In a great majority of cases, the picture-going public -were not getting value for their money.—l am oto,

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