night has been the meeting held at. the the greatest event during the past fort-
Haymarket Theatre. It was called to discuss an offer made by Mr. Passmore Edwards to build an orphanage for the children of actors and actresses who are left unprovided for. Sic Edward Lawson occupied the chair and ably fulfilled all his duties. The offer he characterised as most generous one but the question was whether they were in a position to accept it, as it would entail heavy responsibilities, The building would require endowment and that would mean finding-a large sum, probably about £40,000. At present they were providing for eighteen orphans cost of about £2,000 a year, and he did not think they were justified in increasing their liabilities to any large extent, Mr. Lionel Brough moved che first resolution gr al for the offer, they felt they must which was to the effect that though deeply decline it on account of the responsibility ceted,. Mrs. codol, followed ar made a most humorous speech in which she audience not to think £40, thing to them: "Why we constantly givelaway cheques for that amount every night—on the stage!" Thera were other reasons, however, why they thought it better to decline the offer for the present. Later on, Mr. Carson ye what I thought was a splendid one for dispensing with it altogether. He said, according to their present mode of, working, no one, except the immediate committee, had the least ides whose the orphans were who were being helped—in an orphanage this would hardly be possible and he thought it would be an additional atief to a dying actor who know that his children would have to {be provided for by charity after his death if he felt that all the world must know of his failure. Under their present system this was to a fat extent obviated and he thought it fter not to interfere with this arrange: ment. Additional funds are.needed but a plan has been proposed which if carried out will meet the difficulty without any help outside the profession. As Mrs. Kendal said: We must doi—off our own bat.' theatrical managers to contribute lil to the fund. London managers it is thought might give £100, Suburban managers £50, and country manager £25 each. From leading players. sub. stantial help is expected. Certain Librari-
costumiers, perruquiers, and.others. It is aps have y promised to assist, also estimated that there should never, be mora than twenty orphans at a time needing help. For this purpose the sum of £10,000, well ested, should find sufficient income, as there is an additional source from which it is proposed to obtain funds. It is suggested that every actor and actress on marrying shall agree to pay the sum of one guinea annually to the fund, in consideration of which they shall have a rentee that should they, when they die, unable to provide for their little'ones,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.