To the Editor of the Nowrn-Cutna Dany News"
Sm—When the Municipal Councit aceepied_a small donation from the Ballan Government it surely was not the intention that in return the Municipal Orchestra should give us absolute surfeit of Italian music the weekly concerts, and advertise alin composers on every possible 'Some of it is undoubtedly good, but the bulk of in certainly is not, and it isa waste of time to listen' to the Tatter" when one remembers how uch of the finest music ever writter Isat the disposal of Mestro Paci making up his programmes. Furth the orchestra is heard at is very best on the old favourites, 1 is positively lamentable to read your critic's fulsome praise of sccond~ stut, and his. ret ion "of the. term Beethoven and others of the grea masters, Unless Maestro Paci can be made understand that what the Shanshal musie that it loves and which it is willing to listen to week after week, has only himself to blame if in terest in. the orchestra wanes, and with It the financial support of the ie payers of the International Settle= ment who pay the piper and are therefore entitied to call the tune.
It will no doubt be claimed that the full attendances atthe Sunday concerts justify and endorse the musical selections of the sestro, but ihe Lyceum ix small and ensily filled, one has only to see the crowd concert, nine-tenths in the direction of to appreciate that it jot the ratepayers of the Inter~ tional Settlement who are getting value for their money, Shanghai, Mar, 8
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.