Draining the Substance.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 558, 17 January 1891, Page 3

Draining the Substance.

[To THE EDITOR. | Sir,-—ls it not time that public attention and public wrath were aroused concerning the multiplicity of indoor and outdoor shows that are now bleeding the district to death ? Racing is all very well in its way ; some object to it nn principle, but I am inclined to regard it as a luxury which is perfectly far and legitimate white one is able to afford it. : Then let me put the question, can the place honestly afford anything like what we have been having for a month past ? I suppose that within that month £12,000 has been put through tbe totalisator, and the Napier people who had a contract for two days of the racing must have taken away a large sum for commission on iheir totaiicator. Then passing the subject ot racing, and the interruption to business* just think at ail the theatrical and such like concerns that have been drain* ing the district, A company like Matdam? Burton's I agree is deserving of warm support, and should heartily get it, but the trouble ie that people find jt bard to distinguish between hfgb-elaas entertainments and the third-rate variety shows. The reason for this is that the papers do not always sternly do their duty. Thia I have heard accounted for in several ways, and perhaps is nearly always excusably A few chilling words from a critic may blast a man* reputation for life, and it would be hard if because an actor or actress had been unsuccessful through various disadvantages, their means of livelihood should be cut off without consideration — the Pressman, mayhap, knowing the reason of the frost,” while the audience have no such knowledge to help them to a fair judgment. The worst'of this [s that a Jot of “flyblown" companies are pampered up through that good nature, or they still continue to travel on some wornout reputation. The result of all this unfortunately is that the place gets relieved of hundreds d pounds (without satisfaction) that in the ordinary course would go towards the support of’deserving local institutions, It is about time a reaction set in against such a dissipation, and what support we can afford be given to languishIng local institutions. If the debt collectors kept their eyes open they might do big business at a period when ao many people can find money for racing, boxing, and mountebank shows,—l am, &c., Gxsbobjte.