A Theatrical Manager's Misfortunes.,

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 2747, 14 June 1894, Page 2

A Theatrical Manager's Misfortunes.,

(BY TELEGRAPH.) (Wellington Post's Correspondence.) JPER S.S. WAIRABA?A AT THE BLUFF.]

MELBOURNE, Jane 5. Alfred Datopier appeared in the Melbourne Insolvency Court on Monday in support of an application tor bis discharge. He stated chat when he took the Alex? andra Theatre in 1388, at a rental of £60 a week, he had £4COO capital. He remained there four years, produced 150 plays, and lost all his capital. After exbauetin * the private means of his wife, amounting to £3350, being harraesed by debt, he was forced to give np tbe theatre, having daring the whole time barely kept himself and his wife and family with the necessary means to live. He would not have remained so long bad it not been for tbe BQoeesßeß wbioh had in his experience — not only at the Alexandra, cut during the 30 years of bis professional experience in England, America, and Australia — frequently followed almost empty houses. After he gave up the Alexandra, a benefit was organised for him, which resulted in the sum of of which he gave £100 co bis wife as a present, and with tbe balance and money realised by the sale of soenery he formed a company to go to New Zealand. ' On arriving there in July, 1892, he found nearly 40 companies all treading on one another's heels, and: owing to the competition was forced, after straggling for some months', to dis- ' band and pay tbe company's expenses back to Melbourne. He bad to sell what portable property he possessed, including numerous parsonal mementoes, and also jewellery belonging to bis wife and children. Daring tbe time he had bad the Alexandra Theatre he paid away £91,000. After his return to Sydney he, with his wife and daughter, were employed at tbe Theatre Royal at a salary of £20 a week, bat owing to the failure of tbe banks their employer was unable to pay them more than sufficient to meet their accounts for board and lodgings. His Honor granted a certificate dispensing with the statutory payment of 7s in the £.