LATE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1919, Page 1

LATE NEWS.

TWINS’ STAGE DAYS. London, May 4-

The .stage experiences of two Welsh girls, twin sisters, were told at the West London County Court yesterday before Judge Selfe, in an action by Mine. Victor, ot Hammersmith, against Mrs Jeanne le Claire, a widow, of Cardiff, to recover damages for breach of contract.

Mr Sinclair Cox, plaintiffs counsel, said that last September Mrs le Claire placed her daughters, aged 17, in Mine. Victor’s theatrical school at Broadway Hall, Hammersmith. under an agreement which pledged Mine. Victor to give them stage tuition for three months on condition that for the succeeding six months she should receive the value of their services, and for two years after ahould be given 25 per cent of their net salaries. At the end of a London pantomime tour their mother took them home to Cardiff and refused to allow them to continue to work.

Mine Victor said the company was booked for one week at Colchester, and, as that was out of London, she made arrangements that the girls should be looked after, but in the end these two girls did not go. Counsel: “Two other girls from \ our school went ? —Yes.

Is it not true that these two girls were iouiid wandering about the streets of Colchester late at night after the show ?—I do not know anything about that. And were picked up by members of the Women’s Legion and given shelter ?—-T know nothing about that.

Mrs Le Claire said her daughters were very much dissatisfied with their treatment and one came home very ill. “I went to London at Christmas,” said the witness, “and saw them on the stage. They looked like a couple of monkeys Their diesses and tights did 110 L fit them and they weie dancing in ordinarv street boots."

One of the twins, a dark, pretty irl, said Mine Victor di 1 ne t supply hem with proper dancing slices, and, as a consequence, a Russian dance they were to give was taken off by the company.

Judge Sclfc said lie was satisfied that the girls were exposed to conditions to which it was highly undesirable to expose girls of such an age, and the contract with the mother was not for the benefit of these infants-in-law. The defendant was justified in refusing to allow them to go back to London and lie gave judgmelit lor her, with costs.