ACTORS IN COURT.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 107, 9 May 1881, Page 2

ACTORS IN COURT.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, Messrs. Joseph Norgrove and John W. Tyrrel, members of the theatrical profession, Bued Mr. Walter Reynolds, actor and manager, to recover salary alleged to be due under an agreement. Mr. H. H. Travers appeared for Mr. Tyrrel, and the other parties were not represented by counsel. The action in which Mr. Norgrove appeared as plaintiff was first disposed of. His claim amounted to Jss, being two and a half weeks' salary, at the the rate of £2 per week. He stated that the defendant engaged him in Christchurch to play in Wellington for one month,,but owing to Mr. Reynolds' behavior the agreement— a verbal one — was not carried out. and he was unable to obtain tho balance of the salary due to him. He added that were it not for the benevolence of his landlady he would have been turned into tho streets before now, and taken up under the Vagrancy Act. The defendant here said, although he did not admit the debt, he would allow judgment to go for the plaintiff, as he knewjhe was in poor circumstances and had exerted himself to faithfully perform his duty Judgment was accordingly entered for the plaintiff. In the other case, the plaintiff (Mr. Xyrrel) sought to recover 4511 ss, the balance of salary alleged to be due under an engagement for one month, at £A 10s per week. It transpired that after playing a few nights at the Academy of Music, the plaintiff was discharged for mutilating the text in a certain part undertaken by him, and also for introducing certain "gag," considered to be insolent to a well-known entrep renew. On account of the delicate condidition o| plaintiff's wife, the offence was overlooked, and Tyrrel continued his duties. Mr. Reynolds denied that the engagement was for ono month; and in delivering his decision Mr. Shaw, 8.M., said he considered the engagement was a weekly one, and therefore tho plaintiff waa entitled to a week's wage 3in lieu of notice- For this amount —£i 10a — judgment was consequently given.