AMUSEMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 607, 1 October 1913, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

THE UREAT-McEWEN

The "Great McEwen," with his company, appeared in tho Town Hall, Te Kuiti, on Saturday and Monday everiing last, and created a very favourable impression. Mr McEwen'a slight of hand tricks were well .done and thoroughly mystified the audience, his card manipulation being particularly clever. Mies Florence Hartley, who has a pleasing mezzo-soprano voice, received encores for her various items. Will Bolton is undoubtedly a clever dancer, his sword dance and Bailor', s hornpipe were very well done. The pianiate, Mr Cerile Long, proved to be a decided acquisition to the company. The sceond portion of the programme was devoted to an exhibition of hypnotism and mesmerism. This was decidedly interesting, and caused a huge amount of fun. Miss Grace Maynai, the cataleptic wonder, who was suspended across two chairs, neck on one chair, ankles on the other, and on whose rigid body a number of men stood, ca jsed a great amount of wonderment among the audience. On Monday evening the same company appeared before a very good house. A chnage of programme was given and met with appreciatidn. Altogether the entertainments were good ones, and should Mr McEwen again visit" Te Kuiti a good bouse should be assured. EMPRESS PICTURES. The star picture for to-night's programme is a glorioußlv coloured drama by the Pathe Co., entitled "The Black Countess." Professor Mable, a distinguished scientist, and his daughter, j Germain, live in a beautiful home. A young doctor Raymond, helps the professor in his laboratory, and is in love with Germain. All three attend a ball given by the Countess Roinler, who is much impressed by Raymond. During the ball she is called away by the Duke of Narba. Raymond bears a quarrel, and meets the. duke threatening to strike the counters. The duke, ashamed of his action, j leaves suddenly. Ton ne:ct morning 1 tbs councass sens in the papers th-.i i engagement of Raymond and Gari it. She writes to both the profa--I so? and Raymond to call at tha same j hour, and Mis former sees his nrosj peativa Fov:-iii-l:Vv'" in the. eouru,aaa ; ! arm.-. Some time alter the countess ! apoeal-.' to th= professor to coma to ' her little daughter who is ill. The i child is cured and the countess conj fe=s = 3 the evil she had done. The ! lovers are again united. This star j picture will be ouoported by another ! of the popular "iVlary" series, fe-atur- [ in:? alary Fuller, also the latest GauI inont Graphic, and other interesting I pictures.

in j'GUI' paper re the rating v.n unimproved vsiiu-y. I niao notico with s;Hisf;H'iion tiKtt '!k- A'.vslurj! l County has decided io rata 01; the unimproved value?, which ia undoubtedly, in ;:;y opinion, the fairest method i f collecting a rate .trom Jand. It seems to rue to be the height of iniquity \vhare two sections are side by side with equal values and facilities, that one holder improves his section to the best of his ability, often working early and late and denying himself little luxuries and pleasures to make it more pleasing to the eye, more convenient or more productive, to be penalised, by having to pay t) the local revenue a much higher amount than his neighbour who does nothing, or very little, to his section, but enjoys the enhanced value created by his neighbour's indmtry. 1 contend that each area of land of equal value should pay to the local rates an equal sum, and that no man should be penalised for his industry. Some time ago tfie members of the Waitomo County Council sent out circulars for signature by tiia ratepayers to get the rating based on unimproved values. A considerable number of signatures were attached to same, and I should like to know what became of them, as I understood a poll was to be taken on it. I should like it to be the basis of rating in the Waitomo County, where there are a lot of good industrious settler 3 doing good work on their sections, and others who are only doing as much as will allow them to hold them, and contributing very little to the county funds.—l am, etc RATEPAYER.