THE RECENT ENTERTAINMENT AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5456, 21 September 1878, Page 2

THE RECENT ENTERTAINMENT AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES,

Sin,—Probably it may bo of interest to know in what way the proceeds'of the Maori entertainment at the Opera House have been distributed. In the first place the total balance was £7fi -is, 2d., which in the first instance was intended to been handed over to the Benevolent Society.'' If they had ac- - cepted this rifer as proposed they would have received, together with the Government subsidy, the handsome sum of £152 Ss. Id. After the letter from Mr, Powles appearing in the New Zealand Times ignoring 'the affair, pressure was brought to bear outside on the;Maoris, and it was with difficulty that they were persuaded to take part. Consequently half the profits have been divided amongst the two tribes, leaving the balance, £3B 2s. 2d,, which has been distributed as follows :—Hospital, £ls; Lunatic Asylum, £ls; poor-box at It,M. Court, £3 2s. 2d. The total amount taken at the doors was £IOG 125., Owing to the tremendous crush occasioned at the ticket office, it is estimated that fully 300 people obtained admission without ‘paying, besides about 100 on the stage, who gained access free of charge. The expenses in connection with the entertainment are* as follows:—Printing, &c., £9 9s. Od. ; pianist, rent of piano, and refreshment. 1 ?, £7 3s. 4d. ; rent of theatre, cleaning the same, money and checktakers, stage hands. £l3 155.—1 am, &c., . B. \Y. Cast. Wellington, September 20.