The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-17 00:00:00

GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA.

The traffic receipts on this c3rnpany's lines for the
week ending the 28th of December last amounted,
for the conveyance of 22,691 passengers, to £6,996 ;
for mails, &c., to £1,027 ; and for the carriage of
12,573 tons of freight and live stpck, to £13,819
total, £21,812 ; against £22,964 for the corre-
sponding week in 1866, showing a decrease of
£1,122. The total traffic receipts from the Ist of
July to Dec. 28 amounted to £711,650, and for the
same period in the preceding year to £730,810,
showing a decrease of £19,160.

THE RENTERS AND DEBENTURE HOLDERS OF
DRURY-LANE TIIEATRE.

Yesterday afternoon the renters and debenture-
holders of Drury-lane Theatre held a meeting in
the saloon of the building, for the purpose of consi-
dering a proposal made by Mr. Mapleson for their
accommodation during the opera season. The meet-
ing was well attended, and Dr. Deaman, the senior
trustee, presided.
Mr. JAMES ROBINS, having read the notice con-
vening the meeting, proceeded to read the following
proposals made by Mr. J. 11. Mapleson :
Mr. Mapleson proposes that a row of seats should
be made and kept exclusively for the use of the
proprietors having admissions, renters, and their
nominees, the row to comprise about 30 in number.
Also a certain number of reserved half-guinea
dress-circle seats, having a good view of the stage,
to be numbered and exclusively set apart for the
use of those who have proprietary or renters' ad-
missions, to complete the number to fifty. Mr.
Mapleson also proposes to give each of the gentle-
men who have proprietary or renters' admissions
an opera ivory, that the aforesaid may receive pro-
per attention and civility from the various officials
and employes, and which would also insure him a
seat, should the number applying exceed fifty ;
that each proprietor with a life admission, renter, or
his nominee to also have his right of entrance to the
pit and to the other parts of the house, for the pur-
pose of visiting those of his friends who may be
there. The arrangement to continue during the
whole of Mr. Mapleson's tenancy of Drury-lane
Theatre. If the renters require these proposals
embodied in legal forms, Mr. Mapleson agrees to
pay Mr. Kingsey, the solicitor of the renters, the
expense of so doing.
Mr. BYEFINCII explained that he, with other
renters, had had an interview with Mr. Mapleson,
who had promised to do all he possibly could for
the accommodation of the renters. There would
probably be an average number of 50 renters each
night, and the seats Mr. Mapleson proposed to set
aside exclusively would accommodate about thirty,
so that the remaining twenty would be accommo-
dated with scats in the dress circle. This he con-
sidered a very excellent arrangement, inasmuch as
it would give to those of the renters who did not
care for the trouble of dressing the advantage of
an entree without going to the stalls, for all those
who choose to occupy seats in the stalls would
necessarily have to dress. He could but think that
Mr. Mapleson had met them in a very liberal
spirit.
A VOICE.—WeII, I am sure we wish to meet him
in the same spirit.
Mr. BYEFINCII—WeII, I will simply move this
resolution :---." That the proprietors who have ad-

missions and renters of the theatre, and their nomi-
nees, having heard the arrangements proposed for
their accommodation by Mr. Mapleson during his
operaticseason,in the event of his taking the theatre,
accept thesame in good faith, and pledge themselves
to act conformably therewith, it being understood
to be without prejudice to their respective rights re-
lative thereto."
Mr. SHAW seconded the resolution.

Mr. M. SHARPE thought the proposition of Mr.
Mapleson very satisfactory, and if they desired to
bring the opera there, he was sure they could not
expect to get better terms.
Mr. CLIFDEN said he considered it a great privi-
lege to have Mr. Mapleson upon any conditions.
Mr. Deputy TEGG said that if the meeting did not
know their privileges he would read them the Act
of Parliament.

The CHAIRMAN said that was not the question
before them. They were there to consider whe-
ther or not Mr. Mapleson's proposition should be
accepted, and he would therefore put the resolu-
tion.

This he did accordingly, and the motion was car-
ried with acclamation, amidst cheers of " Success to
Mr. Mapleson."

A vote of thanks to the chairman then closed the
business.

ROYAL MEET WITH THE WEST

NORFOLK HUNT.

SANDRINGIIAM, Thursday.

The Prince of Wales has been a subscriber to
the West Norfolk Hunt almost ever since he has
been the owner of Sandringham, and Overton, the
head keeper, by the desire of the prince, has to
achieve what is by many persons believed to be an
impossibility, the preserving of foxes and pheasants.
During the past shooting season the royal sports-
men have had several passing glimpses of Master
Reynard whilst shooting through the coverts. The
Prince of Wales not only hunts with the West
Norfolk, but also welcomes the members of the
hunt to Sandringham, dispensing hospitality in the
most liberal manner, and one of those brilliant
meets on the lawn in front of Sandringham House
took place yesterday. Favoured with beautiful
weather, the sun shining as if it were a spring
morning, a large number of ladies was present, the
scene on the lawn from 11 to 12 o'clock being ex-
tremely gay. At the start the Prince of Wales rode
one of his splendid stud of hunters, and the prin-
cess drove, with extraordinary skill and nerve, her
exquisite greys in the waggonette. The departure
was witnessed by Prince Albert Victor, Prince
Geoige, and the Princess Louise from one of the
windows of the house. There were also present Sir
William and Lady Knollys and the Misses Knollys,
Major Teesdale, Sir Willoughby Jones, Capt. Lane
Fox, Capt. Bateson, Capt. Campbell, Mr. A.
Hammond jun. (master of the hounds), Mr. F.
Knollys, Mr. L. W. Jarvis, and the leading families
of the country side. At about twelve o'clock the
start was made. The hounds were first put into
the Jocelyn Wood, from where they did not suc-
ceed in getting a fox away, but all trotted off to
lYolferton Wool, which, to the surprise of all, was
also " blank," and no better fortune attended them
in the covers at Frankfort. The hounds were then
taken to the Anmer covers, where the squire, Mr.
Coldham, always keeps a few foxes for the amuse-
ment of his neighbours, and there, as usual, was a
fox ready to contribute to the amusement of the
field. The scent was but indifferent, and, though
Reynard afforded a run, it was but slow, and it was
at length determined to give him up. Their royal
highnesses returned to Sandringham House.
The Prince and Princess of Wales gave a ser-
vants' dance on Wednesday evening in the spacious
new servants' hall.