NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1929, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL.

TOSCANINI’S PROTEST.

NEW YORK, Alarcli 10

Signor Toscanini, the conductor of tin* Seala Opera House at Alilan, who is worshipped here as the world’s greatest conductor, is an autocrat of the concert room and has no mercy on lute-comers. He rules his audience with an iron hand, as though they were members of his La Seala orchestra .

He administered a stern rebuke at the opening of the Philharmonic-Sym-phony Society concert yesterday at the Carnegie Hall—a rebuke which echoed al round the vast auditorium. His baton was just raised to open the second movement of a concerto by Pizetti when a group of late-eomers clattered noisily towards their seats. Signor Toscanini turned on his stand crossed bis arms with a Napoleonic gesture, and looked sternly at them with his brilliant, deep-set eyes. The beginning of the movement requires pianissimo, with muled strings.

“You are late!” exclaimed the conductor in a voice heard all over the hall.

Then he turned sharply to his or chostra, rapped loudly on his stand and continued the concert.

The is the first occasion on which any conductor has rebuked a New York audience.

POISON MYSTERY,

MONTREAL, March 10,

Air Phillip. W. Robertson, aged 50. head of the International Paper Company, and his daughter, Phyllis, aged five, have died at their home in Bishopstreet from the effects of a mysterious poison. Airs Robertson, her son, Kenneth and Alary Walker, a maid, are ill in hospital. Airs Robertson telephoned to a doctor at two o’clock this morning and told him she had been unconscious since l noon yesterday and had revived to learn from the maid that her dauo-l'tor was dead. Mr Robertson, who was missing. Was found at four o’clock this morning in his garage. He had apparently been dead several hours. His hand was grasping the door nob, showing that he had attempted to reach the house.

He left his office before noon yesterday to go home to luncheon. His staff was not surprised at his absence, ns he had complained that he was no l feeling well.