JUVENILE OPERA COMPANIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1040, 3 January 1884, Page 4

JUVENILE OPERA COMPANIES.

** - [riOMIHB “aqk.” . . Considerable anxiety has been caused to I a number of families about Melbourne 1 and the suburbs by what appears to be very improper conduct on tbe part of the manager and - hrgahisef )otj the Pollard Lilliputian Opera Troupe. It appears that a number of children were engaged to go upon.a tour; some being assured tl|af the,- trip, would, only be: for a few months; and others being taken on an engagement for two years. The agreements where they were put in writing do not seem to say a word as .to where the children might be taken, but several of tbe parents allege that the: understanding was that they were nof to be taken out of the Australian colonies The troupe went to Queensland, and in May last visited soma of the inland towns, returning to Townsville about the end of June with the intention of returning to Sydney and Melbourne, as the parents here understood. Instead, however, of coming south the children were given. to understand that they were going up* north, and' did not: discover till they were on the voyage that they were being taken, not ; to Cooktown but to India Some of ’the children, who belong: to -pepple in good circumstances, were reoemng salaries, though hot very large ones, but : the main body seem to have had an agreement for a two years’ engagement at Is per week for the first year, 5s per week lorithe second, and 2s 6d per week extra if- they played prominent to be properly limkeffafterbs.far aSi-clothiftgahd feeding an conmrned, and were to be taught to sing, So'as'to fiftheih for tbe stage. The troupe sailed by one of the {Torres Strait steamers on June 26, ahd were taken to Batavia, and thence Singapore and other places to Oalcntta. Letters have been received by the parents from of the children, but they seem very similar in their wording, and appear to have been copied or written,: fr,om , dictation. The juveniles tried to find ont“frbm Mr Pollard, sen., Mr James Pollard being dead, when they v.ould be sent home, but according to

the account of one or two, he only told them to mind their own business, and that,he jwould* take them. to -Europe or America if he chose. At Rangoon, James Po'lard, according to one authority, shot himself, and, according to another, was a pistol ,hp carried,. acci den tally imspharging. Ths control of the business hate passed into the hands of Mr Pollard, sen. On 3rd October the troupe was in Calcutta, at the Corinthian Theatre, and it seems probable .-that they were communicating with people there to the annoyance of the manager, as Dave Carson Jd tint theatre, inserted ah advertisement, threatening to prosecute anyone “ tampering ” vwith i any “ performer or performers.”. . Some of the parents have ntipie'application to the police to have aotioh'taken, but without effect, the police magistrate thinking that he had no power to move ih the matter. However, Mr Salinger* of Fitzroy, proceeded to India by the nudl steamer on October 30, with the viewv pf bringing to book the persop whoy/rons. the trobpe, though there is ■ome"«loaSciwho that is Mr Salinger, whoatt-aan ‘and daughter—Herbert and Lona—takcleading parts in the company, wrote from Colombo ,on November 12 that he wonld leave there on the 14th fop "Calcutta, where he expected to arave dn of last month. There are with the company from Melbourne Amy Brookes, Ruth Wallace, Lena Salinger. .Herbert Salinger, Minnie Reece, jUuo£ Cobh, •-Likzid Donelly, Violet Varley, Emily Wade, Mildred I'rigge, Rachel' Mark's,c&tneHa Abrahams, ‘Blanche Ewing, Bella Stewart, Marion Norman, besides one or two others whose names we cannot obtain. Some of the parents. ip tend aaking’.the Government of Victbrii to com-municate-with theanthorities at. Calcutta, with A view to having tHe juveniles sent back. The following are some ,of the

principal statements • . Mra Salinger,J>f Fitzroy, whose case is tboat dariijciß bf *ll, tdates that, her daughter Lena, who had shown' so' e aptitude and cleverness, was engaged by Pollafd," thlree years sines, for three months'-'to' go' to" - Tasmania and other Her hedtK being .far from good, mt alette:was 1 very eager to go with the fdihpaay, hor"parents made the engage-, Utedf,'her "'brother Herbert going alsoi They, hpwerer, would .not allow the chil- . dreh lb go e*eepttbey accompanied them, HA |firjNHogw'iW'ni' on''tbit trip, and btiebtly. ‘' Ibe tead If t troupe return mg, {b -"Kelbbnrt>e‘ 4a i! tbree mi'nifc*,; they stayed away a year. In last Fehruary the bhlf®bn|: > anil fifteen,, wbre fbt ‘another term, : the|r pi®btffB F illoiHi# i tneln to go owing'to, the Mite bf'the for travelling 6*o ,'bdt. as Mr aßffift 'iMUf SiHtJgerj went with 1 sSfih I wfii : ibbligba', howbver, to leave thpm at .Maryborough to. return to. Mblbbbfnei; I .hiir in6thfer:fn-laW ' (since pbitdyhavi^heeh 1 taken ill ; hmf she refdd: fb : Victoria; fully understanding that .the company would only visit Townsand then proceed Mf'Salinger intended to meet buPebji and 5 'dsfughter in ' .Sy.dnby, when fidtorkme ttrha'nd that they had railed fpr Herbert Salinger discovered was India! from the steward of the vessel by which the troupe, sailed, and, on remonstrating Pollard, was told he would be put out, and allowed to come back to Melbourne-aa ;£» : » . I written by James Pollard, was theprof moter of the company, the writer admitted that the children, did not know where r;*ter flailed for India, and this letter has been taken byMr Salinger to India with a view to probable legal proceedings .> TM letters to Mrs Salinger state:that .as the. troupe could pnly play In Calcutta eve y , other nighti-bwing-to the heat being too much :|or the jpfloplb attending nightly, the children were only- receiving half salary. Master Salinger , had ;been told'that he and his sister would be sent home if the he tbfire was a good amount due oi.-n''l o.n.i'l , tt i<Ml!>,ThQinM . Wallace, of South MelhM a, daughter, Ruth Wallace, withJhe>>tronp«,:,<uShe asLWelLas Amy Brookes and the Salingers, have engage)eadittgpa£te. She has Written to her parents several letters, in which she begs them to have her brought home, and iPollard sen .. on being applied -'tbibygth.b girlsto knowwheathey; would -;pe f«Sgmngj used very objectionable,language, and gave them,no; satisfaction. It u probable that proceedings will be taken respecting Bulk. Wallace <. :■ Mrs mother of Violet Yar.Jflß fc*lw: anther member of ithe company, say.j_»tibatj: besides making stateietters/cocroborative of the pothers; her daughter Writes that clothing 4ieed rfotbeSentr, as soibe gentlemen had mwrott^chil^rag. J iT^t.pf The uip/ifiS agreCmCrif was that clothing should be found by Pollard. , , girtnakupt wntteU. fo hen fora long time, a&dttße > tr i in very 1 lbW spirits regarding IlWfl' f ."*7, I. 57 AWafiifUis/bfPii'ar'oy, has a daughthe troupc. ’ Her cate is a T«B§?iifhlmicnoly F '6re ; 'The father of the givytt’m 1 J had an abscess in his tongn'6V;ind frpddrftbfJt an operation in order 'ffiriWle'wght bit able to proceed to India fori»is (I chUd.., , He. did pot, how- , Kate, S danxme. h'blonga to the troupe, • taiUr im r

port to that mentioned in the other cases, as well as Mrs Marks, of Latrobe street, and Mrs Wade, of Little Bourke street. It is probable an application wdl be made to the Government to have some decisive action taken.