THE TUAM STREET THEATRE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8557, 10 August 1893, Page 3

THE TUAM STREET THEATRE.

TO TUB EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sin, —While the case concerning this theatre was sub judice I refrained from writing and pointing out the petty annoyances L have been subjected to by Councillor Grey and several other Councillors ever since I took charge of the theatre, and which the following extracts from the Town Clerk's letter book will prove :—

Copy.—June 10th, 1893. To the Inspector of Police, Public Buildings.—l see by the papers that meetings are to be held at the Tuam street Hall and Oddfellows' Hall and Theatre on Sunday next. The Theatre only has.a permit. Will you kindly have the necessary information, if the meetings take place, to enable action being taken if the Council desireß to do so.—F. T. Has__i*ns, Town Clerk.

Copy.—July 6th, 1893. Informations. — I have instructed the city solicitors to draw and scud you the informations as desired, and also to conduct cases in Court re Tuam street Hall and Oddfellows' Hall for openiug them on Sundays without permits.—F. T. Haskins, Town Clerk.

Copy.—Messrs Garrick and Co., 'P. buildings informations. Please draw informations and forward same to the police to be laid. I saw the Chairman of the By-law Committee, and he directs the informations to be gone on with, as in the face of the fine inflicted on Mrs Beatty for similar offences no other course is open.— F. T. Haskins, Town Clerk.

Copy.—July 22nd, 1893. To Mr Inspector Broham. Tuam street hall. It is not true what Mr Brooks states, as the doors were shut, and Councillors tried the doors to make sure they were fastened, but they decline being dragged into Court, .as the Mayor is concerned iv the matter. I am directed to ask you to give instructions to the police to try the doors whenever there is anything going on there, and insist on all doors being open during the whole time the hall is used by the publio, and in every case of default information to be laid. —F. T. Haskins, Town Clerk.

This is 4 a sample of Councillor Gray s merciful consideration of the Mayor being interested. Councillor Gray is evidently acting on the advice of Shakspere—"Assume a virtue if you have it not." What hypocrisy! Why, Councillor Gray and his colleagues have been straining every point to force the police into useless prosecutions. Sevetal of the CounciUors, espadaily Councillor Gray, have been constantlyhanging round the theatre doors at night (as one of the above letters prove) in hopes of discovering some breach of the law in which they might prosecute. Can the public imagine a more deplorable sight than seeing Councillors hanging round the doors of my theatre like so many detectives ? They want mc to open all doors, to blow my audience out on these cold nights, but I am not going to do it. CounciUor Appleby stated that it was a breach of the by-laws to close any doors. Poor Appleby! He is a splendid feUow in company, can sing a capital song, but of him I can say no more. He knows as much about the by-laws of the Council as the man in the moon. In fact, he is the weakest member of the Council, and he is the only respectable member who can be induced to throw the balls of mud prepared by Councillor Gray or Mr Haskins. Perhaps Councillor Appleby would point but the by-law compelling all doors to be kept open in order to kiU an audience with cold. Councillor Appleby says it is a pity the Mayor did . not get the information sooner with reference to the mortuary chapeL . Why, I have held the opinion all through that it would be illegal to spend the Council funds on the, mortuary chapel, but' Councillors preferred to" take the cheap advice of the three Richmond lawyers, and 'in Committee ordered the two expensive plans, and when the matter was brought before mc I immediately ruled the work illegal, and the unemployed who were present .will remember, the . unseemly wrangle. that took place owing to tbe three Richmond lawyers opposing my ruling and quoting 1 their cheap " law on the subject. It was Councillor Appleby and- his friends who should have taken advice earlier and. saved . the cost of the plans, as I only armed myself-with the authority of the Auditor-General. when notice of motion was given by Councillor Flesher to traverse my ruling. Of course, had it been a legal expenditure! should have voted for it, if only out of commiseration to Councillor Gray and the three Richmond lawyers, who will require a heap of praying over when they die, and there is no doubt that the worries of the Tuam B_reet Hall doors will land them in an early grave. Councillor Fiesher gave notice of motion that Council meetings were not to extend after 10.30, and yet he is the gentleman who. moves the Council to adjourn for a month, and consequently accumulates the work, which means .late meetings. Look at my proposal regarding hoys. " What would our Labour Government say if other tradesmen were" to employ boys, of from five to ten years of iage to hawk goodround our streets until all hours at night * They would step in and say. you shall not ruin the future Ond constitutions of these young lads. Councillor Gray that he was a newspaper boy himself.* Perhaps that will acco__t for the vagaries and peculiarity of his actions, which have proved so harassing to the few friends he itiU possesses. If his yearly drink bill is to relied upon as much as his public statements I fear the public have been sadly deluded by the figures of this apostle of aqua pura. —I am, &c,

Eden George.