EASY TO PLEASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1924, Page 1

EASY TO PLEASE.

A US’J'RA’bIAX PICTURE I’ATRONS.

WELLINGTON, October 1. That Australian picture audiences are- much more easily pleased than New Zealand audiences is too conclusion arrived at by -Mr Ferguson 13. -Mason tutor visiting Sydney, Alelbournc. Adelaide und Brisbane. He lias spent two months in Australia partly on holiday but partly to look into the picture business on the exhibiting as well a.s the Him handling side.

Alter an absence of nine years from Australia Air Mason finds the audiences there much easier to please, and quite content with what would lie called “dtul stuff” in New Zealand.

“In pietuio music Christchurch is well ahead of Sydney and .Melbourne,” Air -Mason said, “despite the larger number of playeis in some of the orchestras there. And the same applies to presentation. Outside of tile new theatre in Sydney (the Prince Edward) the Winter Garden in Brisbane and Hoyt’s in Alelboiirne, Christchurch theatres are superior in evety way to the Australian city houses.”

The greater courtesy shown to the public by theatre stall's in New Zealand was another point that struck Mr Mason forcibly, and he commented on the more friendly looting between management and patron. He praised the practice' of closing the programme at 10 ji.m. in New Zealand instead of carrying il on until 10.1,3 p.m. in Australia. Australian houses started their main programme .it 8 p.m., hut they put no mere into it and their prices were higher, especially for a pit.lure classed a.s goo;:. Matinee business appeared to be having a wondoiful run in Australia, and Mr Mason found it quite a common thing t:i see a theatre packed to capacity by 2 p.m. Jo Brisbane they opened at 10 a.in., or if there was a special attraction at !) a.m. U was a common occurrence in Brisbane to see a theatre filled by !) a.in. And the pictures were holding their own even against Grand. Opera and all outdoor attractions. As in New Zealand the motion picture has been taken up by llie educational authorities on the name lines.

Altogether Air Alason is well pleased with the standard of New Zealand pictures, and is glad to he back in the Dominion again. He will remain, in Wellington for a day or two.