N.S.W. ORCHESTRA.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1919, Page 8

N.S.W. ORCHESTRA.

VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH. j The New Plymouth committee which] has charge of the arrangements in connection with the forthcoming visit of the New South Wales orchestra to New Plymouth met yesterday. The date for the visit here is January 15, and the concert will be given in the Coronation Hall. This has b-on arranged in order to provide accommodation for the large number of patrons (including town and country) who will wish to hear the orchestra, as there has never been such a combination in thc_ Dominion. The orchestra is the finest' in the Southern Hemisphere, and tho string quartette in which the conductor himself (Mr. Berbrugghen, plays, is said to be the best in the world at the present time.

The orchestra will arrive in New Plymouth from Auckland by the Karawa. on the morning of Thursday, January 15, give a concert at night, and leave for Hawera by the train on the following morning.

The sab-committee appointed to go into the matter of luill accommodation for the concert submitted a plan 'of arrangements for a platform for the orchestra and seating accommodation sufficient to provide for over 2000 people. Tlie prices of admission have been fixed at lfls (reserved), 6s (with a booking fee for reserving certain of these), and 3s. The number o£ seats at the latter price will be somewhat limited. The scheme submitted by the. sub-committee was approved. The question of the accommodation of the orchestra while in New Plymouth, was gone into and it. was considered it would be to the mutual advantage of the members and the district, as well , as to the financial success of the town, and therefore to the guarantors, if the members could be billetted out. It is an arrangement with the management that the lady members of the orohestra (20 in all) shall be billetted. as nonpaying guests, and a similar arrangement for the men will add to the assurance of financial success. It would be a splendid compliment to the members if this could be done, and when it is remembered tlmt the visit of the orchestra to the Dominion is one. of the biggest and best advertising mediums that New Zealand has ever had. the advantage of as many people as possible coming into close contact with the memJbers must he seen at once. There are RO members in the orchestra find the total party will probably be 90, though the committee's responsibility only concerns the. players. It is hoped it mav be possible to arrange a trip up to the Mountain House <!nring the day they arc here. A subcommittee was set lip to deal with accommodation matters, and any resident, who is able to offer hospitality to one or more members of the orchestra should communicate at once with either Mr. P.. L. Cooper, care, of the News Office, or Mr. R. Day, care of the borough office. A complete itinerary of. the orchestra's tour has been received bv the local secretary, and those who are desirous of hearing the orchestra, but who will he away from New Plymouth on holi-

days on the date of the local concert can ascertain dates of concerts in othei places on application to Mr. Cooper.