PROSPEROUS AUSTRALIAN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3550, 14 June 1912, Page 6

PROSPEROUS AUSTRALIAN.

MR. C. MILLER INTERVIEWED. TALKS ON THINGS THEATRICAL. Travel, a saying goes, is a ceaseless fount of education, and one is always glad to learn of the travels of others and to benefit by a little knowledge of the outside world. Interesting, therefore, are the observations made to a Times reporter by Mr George Miller, of Gisborne, who has just returned from an extended holiday in Australia. > Not altogether on business bent, Mr Miller was able to spend some time in travelling, although he was in Sydney for the greater portion and gained a good insight into things theatrical, especially in regard to the moving picture business—or rather art as it has become. Busy Brisbane. Altogether, Air Miller said, he had spent a most- enjoyable time, and Mrs Miller (who is remaining in Australia for some time) had benefitted in health considerably. With Brisbane, lie was particularly well impressed. In nine years since lie was previously there, the city had grown like a mushroom, it had grown in comparison the same as Gisborne. The amount of land changing hands, the advanced prices and the elaborate buildings, he described as marvellous. Residential properties, lie had learned from fraternal friends, were at a premium, while business sites were obtainable only at prohibitive prices. Brisbane was a centre of remarkable activity, _ and gave promises of even greater things. Speaking of the drought, which the cables credited as having parched up the country, Mr Miller said that he had not been further than Armadale, on the border of New South Wales, and the effect of the drought had merely touched the immediate district A few miles inland, however, lie had seen some of the burnt country. It was worthy of note that the drought was not the topic of conversation on “the other side” to anything like the extent it was in New Zealand. Although a great set-back was given to work in the country, the effect, from what he could gather, was nothing like the exaggerated cables indicated. Returning to Armadale, a glaring ! example of" the inadequate railway service in operation was brought under Air Aliller’s notice. A 300 mile run | had taken a sheep train 34 days to ; come from the interior and the sheep were in an exhausted condition and greatly (reduced (in value. Imagine ; such an occurrence in New Zealand, j The slowness of even our through sys- : tern is complained of, but the farmers ; would “raise Cain” if sheep were so • conveyed. (

The Picture Magnet. Like a magnet, Air. Aliller says, the innumerable Sydney picture shows are -attracting people day and night. He got into touch with the man of the moment in picture circles, Air J. D. Williams, who is known as “The Picture King,” and has become the principal purveyor of English and American films. Besides numerous smaller shows, Air AVilliams conducts two big picture houses in George Street. The theatres are almost opposite, and new films arriving from the producers are shown at both shows the same night. The system of interchanging films was carried out with marked celerity, and after going through the machines in the principal houses they were reeled off in the less important shows and sent on their long journeys round the several circuits. Air AVilliams is erecting a new picture theatre in Geogre Street, in the vicinity of the Crystal Palace, the most elaborate in the Southern Hemisphere, to be erected at an enormous cost. The place will be built largely iu marble, and besides the picturehouse proper, there will be numerous side attractions, including an American soda fountain, a billiard saloon, an amusement and novelty parlor, etc. Air W. Aliller is at present engaged in a picture proposition with Alessrs J. D. Williams, TAV. Carroll and J. Tait, and is at present' opening a new house at Brisbane. Afterwards, lie proceeds to Perth to open a continuoiis show there. In this connection, it might be mentioned that Air Aliller is contemplating the erection of a Gisborne moving picture palace oil the lines of Air AVilliams’ present George Street picture houses. As well, he as arranging for a direct film supply, which will enable Gisborne to have the latest and newest subjects simultaneously with the centres.

A Theatrical Boom. ! There is also, Air Aliller found, a general theatrical boom in Sydney, j and he found the class of entertain- j ment par excellence. Although people ; in New Zealand complained of high ; theatrical prices, the figures ruling in Sydney were 6s, 4s and 2s. For. an entertainment of any class these prices were paid. The present theatrical sensation is General Lew Wallace’s “Ben Hur,” which Mr Miller describes as “the most most magnificent spectacular religious drama staged for ■ many years.” Continuing, he said :- : “The curtain rose upon the picture of the wise men and the Star of Bethlehem at a quarter to eight. It fell upon the cleansed lepers at Alt. Olivet at a quarter to twelve. But, though the piece had lasted four hours, nobody was wearied. Nobody wanted to go. The play has a real plot—a rare thing nowadays—and is full of vivid situa- • tions and stirring incidents. Then it is mounted sumptuously. There is a real camel, who bears the vampire ] lady of the piece on to the stage. , There are real horses, who gallop mad- ■ ly, urged on by the whips and shouts of Ben Hur and Atessala in the great chariot race in the' Stadium at An- , tiocii.” !'

Air Eric Alaxon, a young English actor,, is assuming the principal role. When the first production of Ben Hur was arranged for Australia Air Williamson purchased an edition—so,000 of General Lew Wallace’s romance. On these £IOOO was spent, and the whole would certainly have been cleared hut for the ill-fate .of the piece. The balance of the copies were sold to a Sydney firm, and, with the present production, an enormous demand for them has set in.

“Ben Hur” is to be staged in Auckland at an early date, and Air Aliller recommends the romance as well worth making a big effort to see.