A Rush For Seats.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2968, 4 August 1888, Page 2

A Rush For Seats.

A disgraceful scene took plaok at. : Nicholson's Collins Street Warehouse 1 i (Melbourne), on July 10, when the box plan was opened for "Miss Esmeralda," the Gaiety Burlesque Company's next production*. The sale of ' tickets was announced to begin at . • eleven o'clock, but as early as nine, - hundreds of intending purchasers ■ . crowded the shop. Every reasonable ' precaution had been taken to prevent. .. unseemly crowding, especially ns _ regards affording facilities for ladies to procure tickets, but at eleven v the enormous crowd had becocfluite unmanageable. Strong men v for places, and pushed women oW' of the way. Many. ladies fainted, and were dragged into the open air with dishevelled hair and torn dresses; chairs were, brokeu, and Brass rails and woodwork encircling , tlio ticket . office upstairs smashed to pieces, and at one time the pressure on the stair banisters was so groat that they bent like a bow, anda little more would undoubtedly have caused them to give - way, with n result whioli would 'J certainly have been fatal to many m the struggling crowd, Mr Nicbol- - son's manager was roundly abused ' - when he respectfully intimated that the men were not behaving themselves as gentlemen, and some of thoso - present took off their coats and wanted ; ■. to light him. At last things came to v such a pass that the plan was closed, : the manager declaring that ■: sell no more tickets to a cro\Wof : : masher blackguards. .Later in the ■: day the plan was again opened, wheii every available seat was.taken. ■ ■ ■ = 1