The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-22 00:00:00

Drury-lane Theatre.

A general meeting of the resters or debenture
holders in this theatre was held yesterday in the
saloon of the building—• Dr. Beaman in the chair.

Mr. JAMES ROBINS, the secretary, read the report
of the sub-committee which was laid before the meet-
ing of proprietors in January last, and which stated
that the accounts for the year ending Dec. 31, 1865,
showed that the receipts, including a balance in hand
of £1,334 ss. 3d., amounted to £9,478 2s. Id., and
the payments to £8,356 13s. 7d, leaving a cash
balance of £1,121 Bs. 6d. The receipts comprised a
sum of £5,000 from the lessees on rent account, and
a further sum of £ll5 for extra performances during
the season 1864-5. The payments comprised a sura
of £1,330 17s. 3d. for four quarters' rent to the
Duke of Bedford, and £6ll 12s. for rates and taxes,
£2,100 to the trustees of the new renters, and all the
ordinary current expenses of the 12 months up to
Christmas last. The report of Mr. Marsh Nelson,
the architect, which was appended, assured the pro-
prietors and renters that the theatre was in good re-
pair, and that the fire cocks and apparatus for the
prevention and extinction of fire were in satisfactory*
order. The two reports were adopted. The report
of th renters' committee was then presented. It
stated that the committee congratulated the renters
on the improved aspect of their affairs ; the amount
of the last dividend being the largest that had been
declared for many years. One of the committee
having suggested at the former proprietary meeting
that the balance in the names of the trustees should
not lie idle that wish had been acted upon, and 3
small addition to the income was the result. The
committee, in alluding to the misunderstanding with
the lessee, were happy to announce that an amicable
adjustment had been effected, and they were 0°
more pleased that such was the case, because a con-
trary course would have been detrimental to their
interests. The theatre was like to be open during
a portion of the year, when, indeed, it should never
be closed, viz., the " London season"—for the pro-
duction of opera and ballet on a grand scale---311
arrangement which, if carried into effect, would,
it was hoped, be remunerative and satisfactory to
all parties. This report was ordered to be received;
A desultory conversation then took place in regard
to matters of practical detail, and amongst them 5
question was mooted as to the condition and charac-
ter of a wooden spiral staircase leading to the flies,
an opinion being expressed that that staircase was
unsafe, and that, in the event of a fire occurring, the
consequences arising from its insecurity would be
most disastrous. Ultimately a resolution was Pr°-
posed by Mr. Tegg and seconded by Col. Challonert
to the effect that the attention of the architect 1/8
called to the wooden spiral staircase leading to the
flies, and to report thereon to the proprietary ; an
that the sub-committee be requested to take every
precaution against the possibility of fire in tlici°
theatre. The motion was unanimously adopted, allot
Mr. Reddish said he would speak to the arehite
personally on this important subject. al. a
It was stated that the receipts to the renters
increased gradually every year during; the 134 fcli
years. Four years ago they were £4 15s. per debeiej
ture, and they afterwards rose to £6, to £6 65.,1
now to £7, while formerly the amount was as -"
as £2, and for a considerable period there 105u°
dividend at all.
whether
the
Col. CIIALLONER put a question as to whe
n
doors of the theatre were made toopen outward: :
inwards—the former plan being doubtless the ..,
safe and convenient ; and the answer was that eve"
door in the building opened outwards.
Resolutions were then passed re-electing
an
tnl:iatntekei.n gT
Thanks
kssulbv-ocronnallisnoitvt sub-committee
voted to
tAhiensrenters
ceo°:01;
uhnatiftoerrmton,cotuhretemsyanaangdersa o ttfontthieont;henantr a c, for
mra.
their
Chatterton having acknowledged the comp the,
similar tribute was paid to the chairman, and
business terminated.
Cond
At the half-yearly meeting of the Oriental
mercial Bank, held to-day, the report recomra t
e 13cr
an interim dividend at the rate of 10 per C-1.
annum, free of income tax.