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Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 301, 15 August 1932, Page 7

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ORGAN MUSIC PEOPLE WILL NOT ATTEND CHAMBER RECITALS IN SYDNEY NEW ZEALANDER'S VIEWS Wellington is not alone in its controversy over whether organ recitals can be made popular, rematked Councillor J. Burns, who is just hack from Sydney, to a "Post" reported last week, for the Sydney city organ has been played to such poor attendances that purely organ music recitals have been, suspended and a trial is being made of mixed programmes, such as were sflggested — but turned down— for_.W©llmston. The Sydney oyganist, said Mi'. Burns, received a salary of £500 per year, and the organ is regarded as one of the flnest in the world, but Sydney people simply will not go along, and the attendances were so poor that the Town Clerk was asked to report. He suggested that. combined concerts should be held on Saturday nights, instrumental and other items being given between organ numbers. Sydney musicians indieated that they were quite willing to fall in with the scheme, and a trial will be given of the plan for three monthS* The musicians were not giving their services entirely free, but were to receive a certain fee. A suggestion was made that unemployed musicians should he permitted to assist, and that any profits should be used to benefit the unemployed, but the council . did not approve of the idea. The Sydney Zoo If Sydney was not lceen to hear its organ, added Mr. Burns, the people there at any rate were not talking about closing the Zoo at Taronga Park. The lay-out there, he said, was very fine indeed, for the elevated sunny position ahd ample space made possible enclosures fairly closely approximating natural conditions. The Zoo was about ten minutes' ferry trip from the city, and from it a wonderful panorama of the city and harbour — not forgetting the bridge was had; that, with its own attractions, made it a very popular resort for Sydney people and visitors. "It doesn't pay," he added, "but no one is suggesting it should be done away with." Camps in The Parks Speaking of other city parks, Mr. Burns said that the assorted and very primitive camps of unemployed — mostly single men, though there were some families — planted anywhere and everywhere in the Domain, Hyde Park and the Sydney Botanical Gardens, were a considerable surprise to visitors. Some lived in caves,. others in packing case sheds, and some apparently just anyhow. Those receiving the dole of 6s per week were quite satisfied to go on as they were and had turned down work. There had not been any trouble with the men as far as he heard, but their presence in the city's reserves rather turned visitors away. Altogether there must have been a good many hundreds of them, he said, for one came across their shacks and caves and camps all along the waterfront. If there was any danger, it seemed to him that it might come from the total lack of sanitation arrangements. . Firing came easy to the campers, for they simply took what they wanted, and there were complaints that the beauties of the reserves were being seriously affected hy the chopping down of trees. He himself saw an eight-inch freshly-cut log being hauled along to keep someone's camp warm. Hiking The Rage Hiking was only just reaching Wellington, he added, but in Sydney it was all the rage. One of the recent "mystery" trains swelled and swelled until it became eleven trains between half past 8 and half past 9 on a Sunday morning; six of the trains were of fourteen carriages and five of twelve carriages, and each train was drawn by two locomotives. In all about 8000 people set out, mostly women and girls, and were put down at the mystery starting point about three hours' run from Sydney. The thing was done in big style, and a lunch was ready for the trampers at a point along the route. An ambulance went too, as far as the road allowed, anyhow. The idea of Sunday hiking raised a storm of controversy in the churches, said Mr. Burns, and on this big day a minister went with the trampers and during the luncheon spell addressed them. The spot selected was a natural amphitheatre in a bend of a river, and the minister spoke to the great gathering from the roof of a car. The Sydney City Library was also visited by Mr. Burns. No charge is made for the issue of books there, nor is there a special library rate, a grant being made annually from the general account. Half a million books were in circulation last year, and recently a record issue of 5000 volumes in one day was made. The public apparently appreciated the free service, he said, for the loss of books was comparatively small, but he was not impressed with the institution as a whole, either in location- — in a side street and in an old building — or in the general appearanee of the library.