The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954)(about) |
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Saturday 16 April 1904
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AUSTRALIAN PIANOS. BEALE AND CO.'S PERTH BRANCH. THE OPENING FUNCTION. Yesterday, the Australian firm of piano manufacturers--Messrs. Beale and Co., of Sydney, opened a branch business in Perth. The event was marked by a function held in the ornate and hand some premises which have been secured in the new. theatre building, Hay-street, and a large number of ladies and gentle ann attended by invitation. Mr. Octavius C. Beale received the visitors, and some time was spent. in an inspec tion of the showrooms and the instru ments. The main room opens into Hay street, is bonautifully lighted, and has been ornamnentally treated wish very pleAsing effect. There is also a very Interesting collection of photographs de picting tihe evolution of the piano through the different stages of its con struction. At present the firm is showing only upright instruments. These vary in size from the "Cottage" piano to thi more elaborately designed "Imperial Grand." In appearanice, the instrmnents are all of handsome design, being cased in various woods:-Walnut, rosewood, c ebony, suine engraved with gold, and others beautifully carved by hand. The chief feature in their inechanism, as pointed out by Mr. Beale. is the substi tution of a steel wrest-plank (in which the tuning-pegs, or p.ns, are inserted) for one of wood. thereby ensuring perfect pitch and durability. The tone. of the instllrlelnts is clear and bright, as well n~ generally equable throughout. arid the touch is firm. light, and responsive. The piancs at present on view, range in price from £50 to £85. During the afternoon. iMrs. leale. who is an accomplished ama tour pianist. played several selections to enable the assembled guests to hear and judge the pianos for themselves, and the general verdict was a most favourable one. Songs were also contributed by Miss Adal Baker. Altoget'her, the open ing funution was of a most pleasant and intn:'e flnu character. T:u the bnsoie;ml., which was tastefully decorated with bunting. thep firni enter taitned the visitors to refreslmenhts. The Mayor, who occupied the chair, submitied the loyal toast, following which Mr. George Randell, M.L.C.. pro posed 'The Ministry." After paying a tribute to the work of, the Government siic:e it. came into office, he expressed the hope that the Ministry, during next Par liainent, would impose no harassing con ditio,ns on manufacturers, to whom the Stato lool:od for a gerat deal of its fu t:ire nro:.peritvy. I,:'. J. L. Nanson. 1M.L.A., briefly re plied. 'IThie Mayor proposed the toast of "The Firm of Bealo and Co., Limited." He enlogised the energy which hhad been dlis pi!ayed, and asserted that nearly the whole of the beautiful pianos which had been inspected had been manufactured i. the Commonwealth. (Hear, hear.) It was doubtful if. in the prero:it stage of Australian development, sufficient praise could be ex.ressed of a firm with enter prise and cli jck enough to ueter into coin petition with the makers of the old world, particularly when the latter had possesed such a complete monopoly as had been the case in the maiufacture of pianos.
In the circumstances, it was pleasing to known that the firm was meeting with great success-(applause)-for it had been able with a little protection, to place on the market an article with such very marked. claims to excellence. In appearance, tone, and touch, the instru ments seemed to be perfect-at least, that had been the\verdict of more com petent judges than himself. There was another phase of the question which ap pealed 'to those present, and that was that such an enterprising firm had estab lished a branch business in Perth.. He thought Mr. Molloy the proprietor of the new theatre, was lucky to secure such a good tenant for one of the. first of his shops to be opened, while the fact of the business being Idocated there would assist in attracting the people further along Hay-street than at present. Heo hoped .it would not be long before other East ern manufacturers opened businesses in this State, where other industries were so soundly established. (Hear, hear). Mr. 0. C. Beale. in his reply, remark ed that Western Australia was famed for the heartiness of its welcome to visitors from the East, and he had received an evidence of this hospitality, which he would not soon forget. He had found, in the course of his business esperiencc, that so long as a man talked of what he knew most about he was certain to say somethingr interesting. He had this qualification when he dealt with pianos and piano manufacture, and he was as sisted in saying something interesting by the fact that the piano was such a world wide, domestically popular instrument that it was a subject which appealed in some way or other to the majority' of people. , The manufacture of pianos in Australia arose in a.rather peculiar, way. His firm imported and sold over 12,000 pianos in 20 years, and being so closely in touch with the business, it was natural that they should hear the complaints which customers' lodged regarding their purchases. The defect encountered was a serious one. German manufacturers declared that it was an almost insuper able'difficulty to get a wrest plank to stand the strain which had to be imposed on it. The plank in its honeycombed state was asked to sustain a weight of no less than 20 tons, and in the Australian climate it was so affected that it was, a cause of general complaint. Beale and Co. set themselves the task of surmount ing the difficulty, and after along series of investigations and experiments they devised a method which permitted of the manufacture of pianos in Australia (Ap plause.) On the Continent nothing but complicated devices would serve but his firm devised a pin, 200;000 of which had been turned out, tested, and found to overcome the difficulty. They had na turally met with a great amount of op position from the agents of foreign firms in their business, but the splendid finish and the quality,of the pianos were fac tors which were daily increasing the lat ter's popularity. e also referred to the growth of Australian industries ge nerally.` In Western Australia their able champion, Sir John Forrest, might soon be seeking re-election. He trusted that in that event Sir John's return would be by a large majority, as he had done much in forwarding the interests and encouraging development of-Austra lian manufactures. (Hear, hear.). In the Commonwealth there was no panacea but industry, which alone could carry the country to a height of prosperity hi therto undreamt of. (Applause.)