TARANAKI AMUSEMENTS, LTD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1915, Page 4

TARANAKI AMUSEMENTS, LTD.

VERY SUCCESSFUL FLOTATION, Tiie Taranaki Amusements Company, Ltd., went to allotment on StUiirdav, nearly the whole of the 27,000 shares being allotted. The successful flotation of the company in a comparatively brief timo is no mean achievement, everything considered, and shows the public confidence in the town as much as in the proposition itself. No 1 brokerage was paid, and no prospectus was issued. The company is taking over the Theatre Royal freehold property and tha Umpire Picture Company's interests in the Empire Theatre and at Waitara. It is purchasing the valuable freehoia block between Avery's and the Criterion Hotel, and the section immediately behind, facing Powderham Street. At (he rear of the present buildings a modern picture theatre, to be known as "Everybody's," is to be erected, with an entrance through one of the present ihops. The plans are almost completed, and tenders will be called for the work almost immediately. The architects (Mttttt Grierson and Aimes, of Auckland) h»*e instructions to make the theatre equal to the best in New Zealand, A feature of the theatre will be the lighting (which is to be on the latest American principle), the ventilation, and the fire safeguards. Tt will have a commodious and luxuriously appointed lounge, the appointments including the latest American soda fountain. The seating, too, will be a distinctive feature, the chairs being spacious and comfortable. The company proposes rebuilding the whole of the front as soon as the present shop leases expire. It will be oitl*r a three or four storey building, which should considerably improve the appeariinc of this portion of Devon Street. The company is also purchasing the corner site near the Red Post, whereon it is intended to build at a later date. The company will extond the pre»ent theatrical operations in Waitara, and is already negotiating for the building of a new theatre in keeping with the importance of the river town. The provisional directors of the company comprise: Messrs T. C. List (chairman), G. H. Saunders, E. P. Webster, James McLood, James Clarke, H. Collier, and R. Neville Renaud. The solicitors are Messrs Roy and Nicholson, the bankers the Union Bank of Australia, and the interim secretary Mr. j. Clarke. T>o services of Mr. G. H. Saunders, who has managed the local theatres with considerable success for some years, havo been retained for the first year as manager. "Everybody's" Theatre will be ready for opening early in the new year. The Empire Theatre is to be altered and brightened up, and. the Theatre Royal will be set aside for travelling companies. Under (he new arrangements it is expected that most of the travelling companies will later include Waitara, in their itineraries. ' The promoters of the company are to be congratulated upon its signally successful notation, and the Daily' New* trusts they will meet with the succew their enterprise and opportunity warrant them in anticipating.