The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-30 00:00:00

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Meeting of the Proprietors of Drury-lane

Theatre,

On Saturday the annual general meeting was held
in the saloon of the theatre to receive the reports of
the committee, and of 31r. 0. Marsh Nelson, archi-
tect to the company of proprietors, to fill up the
vacancies in the committee caused by the retirement
of six members Who go out by rotation, to elect an
auditor, and for other purposes. Mr. Joseph Arden
was called to the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said that those who had for many
years attended the annual assembly of the proprie-
tors were best aware of the progress that the theatre
had made in the estimation of the public, and to the
patronage..and success which had attended it was
owing the increased dividend they hail received. He
thought they might congratulate themselves on
having so enterprising a lessee, and another gentle-
man associated with. him, who had displayed an
amount of zeal and indust.►y never surpassed in the
management of the theatre. There was another
matter which was also deserving of notice, inasmuch
as for 'years thererular drama had notbeenwitnessed
in that theatre, die lessee had made it profitable by.
restoring this temple, hitherto famed throughout
the world, to its proper and legitimate objects.
The SECRETARY then read the advertisement con-
vening the meeting, and afterwards the following
report of the committee : _ _

The accounts for the last 12 months ending Dec. 31,
1864, duly audited, and the annual report of the architect,
cairue submitted to the general assembly. The receipts, in-
186d2in, theagrn9u_ n
tbtaoltixn679.
rogf
5a£,11,5d3. 4 IT4hse. 7pad .
yomnehtthse
amount3lstDe et;
rtse,esB.lo4`lB:(;hsipd.,v7leavik; a balance of £1,334 ss. 3d. The
:wm4ekt:oluzffii:.fglzt•i:lll:l;6esisa.itstsol.nn2oodff.
fi£oB;fi_ol,4(te. fKom the lessees for
and furthe-r sum- of £lOO for extra
grtuhaeetpearynie
reenhttstcootmhe-
liriSe the AAR
Duke of Bedford, and £760 4s. sd. for rates and taxes. The
sum of £1,950•-bas been paid to the traitres of new renters,
and all the ordinary current ei:peniAs' of the 12 months
-have been.paid lip to Cbristmasrday T •
Itvith pleasure to the continued e lesSaes d
they feel assured that the general assembly. wllll-eive
with satisfaction the report of the architec • cl* 1 Tor y -
tion of the propeity."
114. MARsIi NELSON, theaftliteractalitaoi
lowinireport:-;-
"My Lords and Gentlomen,--I;adiliflon to the ordimay - -
affairs of the theatre, the following works have been done
during the past year, namely, the reconstruction of a por-
tion of the Main Northern Longitudinal Sewer, which had
given way ; the rebuilding of the property-rooms,chimney
stacks, and the fence walls on the southern side next
Vinegar-yard. Two houses on the estate, Nos. 16 and 17,
Marquis-court, have been thoroughly repaired, and the
ground landlord (the Duke of Bedford) has converted the
two houses into three, and effected other permanent im-
provements, at his own cost. The result will be an increase
of rental to the proprietors for the remaining term of the
lease. By direction of the sub-committee, I prepared in
March last valuations of the theatre and properties, and
gave evidence at an appeal before the Property-tax Com-
missioners. A reduction of £B4B was obtainedin the amount
of the assessment, and a proportionate annual saving will
thus be effected. The monthly report from the firemen
shows that the fire-cocks and apparatus throughout the
theatre for the prevention and extinction of fire are in good
working order, and I have the satisfaction to state that the
lessee (Mr. Falconer) has faithfully carried out the instruc-
tions of the sub-committee, referred to in my last report as
having been highly approved by the inspectors of theatres of
the Lord Chamberlain's department, in removing all barriers
and keeping open all doors of exit communicating with the
various fire-proof corridors and staircases, and in guarding
all exposed lights, both before and behind the curtain.
These precautions, especially the latter one, add to the
security of the property, as well as to the safety of the public.
On the motion of Mr. RAWLINSON, the report
was agreed to.
Mr. BURTON moved that the report be adopted.
Mr. ROBINS seconded the motion.
Mr. SHARPE said before the chairman put the mo-
tion he wished to make a few remarks. He wanted to
know if he was right when he said that two quarters'
ground rent were owing to the Duke bf Bedford?
The CHAIRMAN said it was paid up to Midsummer.
Mr. SHARPE said it appeared that they had
,in
hand a balance of £1,334 ss. 3d., and, such being
the case, he begged to repeat what he said at the
last annual meeting, and to express his opinion that
they ought to get out of debt when they had the
means. As they had a sufficient sum in hand, he
thought they ought to pay off the two quarters'
ground rent they were in arrear to the Duke of Bed-
: ford, and so get out of debt, and especially as they
, would then have in hand a sum sufficient to meet
the ordinary requirements of the committee. He
moved that the two quarters' rent in arrear be paid
to the Duke of Bedford.

Mr. PYEFINCII seconded the motion. He had ex-
pressed the same opinion at their last meeting, and
he was surprised that the suggestion had not been
acted upon by the committee. At a subsequent meet-
ing of the renters, who were only interested in the
finances of the theatre, there was a unanimous feeling
that this debt should be paid off. As the committee
had a sufficient sum in hand for the purpose, he was
surprised that they had not done so.
The CHAIRMAN said it would be better that he
should give some little explanation of the matter,
as it might save some misconception and discussion.
It was true that at the last meeting the hon.
gentleman moved a resolution almost similar to
the one he then offered to the meeting. At the
meeting of the new renters a resolution was passed,
and the committee stated that they would, as far as
their views were sound, endeavour to carry them,
and to some extent they had carried them out. Any
suggestion from the new renters would always be
received with courtesy, and as far as was consistent
with the protection of all the interests concerned
they would endeavour to carry it out. In 1863 they
paid four quarters' rent, and in the last year, fall-
ing in with the suggestion to which he had referred
and having a large balance in hand, they paid five
quarters' rent instead of four, and thus brought
down their arrears to a lower amount than was ever
known in the memory of anyone in that room. In-
stead, therefore, of being admonished for not having
done more, they expected to have received credit for
their prudence. Supposing their balance at their
bankers should be reduced by the amount suggested,
and any serious calamity should occur, how would
they be placed ? They would have to pay the rent,
taxes, fire brigade, besides payments which were re-
quired to be made monthly and quarterly, and if
anything were to occur to interrupt the prosperity
of the lessees, and they had no money to go on, the
hon. gentleman would not like to be called upon to
put his hand in his pocket to meet the current ex-
penses. Although they had paid the Duke of Bed-
ford five quarters' rent, they had made also an addi-
tion to his income of the renters, for it was treble
over what it was ten years ago. Things were pro-
gressing, and their prosperity was most unaccount-
able,w for property which a short time aasgonwoNays
wofotrthhe
value of £B,OOO at a sale by auction
from £50,000 to £60,000. The eased
the
Duke
independent zealke
and
was a proof of the earnest.tnteesse
, and
emreusditaesxfearr
as prudence would allow, -
iur sum of
money which had been paid to of Bedford
eise
some
Any suggsti
would be adopted and
followed up, and as t
anxietyo of thei
the future.
discretion. committee,
heyliaind
adnohnaedin
madethe apastea spio..
tal speech, but it was only
they would do in ebutonthoeffy
Mr. SHARPE said the chair
plead-
ing after all. He contended that they had the
was no complaint that their rent was not
r apiece of special
means of getting out of d ebt they ought to do so.
There
regularly paid, and as they had the means of get-
ting out of debt to their ground landlord they ought
to do so.
• The CHAIRMAN said the facts were not as the hon.
gentleman had stated.they eg
If paid the Duke of
Bedford they had an outstanding debt of £270 to
pay for the repairs of the dilapidation of two houses,
and
.
and they would then not have
enough. money la
hand at their bankers
to carry on if the lessee was
not to pay his rent.
Lord W. LENNO x was about offering some obser-
vations, when the chairman ruled that he was out of
order.
The motion was then put, and negatived by a
large majority, and the report was received and
adopted.
The six members of the committee who went out
of office by rotation—viz., Mr. Holmes, Lord Wm.
Lennox, Mr. H. Wilson, Mr. O'Dowd, Mr. Arabin,
and Mr. Bond Cabbell—were then re-elected.
The following gentlemen were re-elected as the
sub-committee :—Mr. Joseph Arden, Mr. B. B.
Cabbell, Sir W. De Bathe, Mr. T. Rawlinson, and
Mr. T. Waring.
Mr. Crombie was re-elected auditor, and thanks
were voted to the auditors for their services.
A vote of thanks to- the chairman and to Mr,
Falconer, the lessee, closed the proceedings.

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