ASBESTOS CURTAINS. Wanted in New Zealand Theatres.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 186, 23 January 1904, Page 6

ASBESTOS CURTAINS. Wanted in New Zealand Theatres.

THE wonderful unanimity which has characterised the action of civic governing bodies throughout the world in endeavouring to safeguard theatre-goers from fire is gratifying. Since the disastrous fire in the Iroquois Theatre, at Chicago, it has been demonstrated very forcibly that most alleged safeguards were hollow shams. Hundreds of theatres have been closed, pending a thorough overhaul of exits, fire-escapes, and those paraphernalia that frequently hitch at critical moments, and assist the destruccion. • * * We hear of a Continental theatre, in which a fire occurred, having all its exits locked, and the keys lost! Perhaps there had been no fire there in a century. What would you have ? In the majority of instances, fires in theatres occur on the stage. The inflammable materials used ignite 1 almost spontaneously, and there is, at least in New Zealand theatres, absolutely nothing to prevent a spread of fire into the auditorium. Up to now, there has been no indication that either Wellington or other New Zealand theatres will be forced to employ asbestos drop curtains, although it is certain that this fire-re-sisting substance almost entirely protects the auditorium should a fire break out "behind." • * • It is, of course, essential that fireresisting curtains should not hitch, and it would be entirely reasonable to lower such a curtain at each interval in place of the nearly always hideous and ill-spelt advertising daubs with which Wellington is so familiar. In Sydney and Melbourne the theatrical authorities have at once recognised the utility of the asbestos curtain, and extensive trials are now being made of the appliances. The curtains to be used are in one piece, from the stage to the top of the proscenium opening, and nothing short of a deliberately-placed obstacle could prevent them working. • * * The destruction of the Queen's Theatre at Manchester will be remembered. The fire was on the auditorium side of the asbestos curtain in use Mr. J. Pitt Hardacre, manager, stated that "although for a long

time tlie extent of the fire on one side of the curtain was so great that it must have been red hot, still it remained intact, and its value was such that the stage was saved, and the stage stock uninjured. Had it not been for the curtain, this part of the theatre would have been as big a wreck as the other." • * * It is highly probable — supposing the curtain at the Iroquois Theatre to have been genuine asbestos — had the device been working free the lives of the unfortunate six hundred people in Chicago' might have been saved. It isn't worth while "spoiling the ship for a penn'orth of paint." Wellington theatres, which, we believe are to receive much attention, want asbestos curtains. There is no need to go far afield to get them, for business people, recognising that disaster may be averted, have already keenly interested themselves in the matter, and a warning from the authorities would result m the fitting of these safeguards in a very short time.