THEATRE DAMAGED.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18426, 6 July 1925, Page 8

THEATRE DAMAGED.

SERIOUS SLIP AT LYTTELTON. Tlio Harbour Light Theatre at Lyttelton received rather serious damage at an early hour yesterday morning, through a clay bank slipping and pushing in a brick wall at tlio back of tho stage. Tlio part of tlio building affected was built about four years ago, as an addition to the main building. To build tlio stage it-was necessary to excavate' tho bank to a considerable depth. The wall was heavily buttressed, but evidently the recent abnormal rains loosened the bank to such an extent that the wail was unable to hold it. (Shortly before three o'clock yesterday morning neighbours heard a loud rumbling noise, and later in the morning the damage was discovered. It was found that several tons of earth and bricks had fallen on to tho sia'io. doing damage to tho extent of hundreds of pounds. Mr A. W. Lane, managing director of the theatre company, inspected the damage yesterday. Ho stated that although tho losr to tho company would be serious, the public would 'not b» affected. The stage is almost a separnto building from the theatre itself, having been built three years later than the theatre. The main building was quite undamaged. To-day the screen would be brought forward to the front of the stage and pictures would be shown as usual to-night. "I nm most thankful the fall did not occur during n performance," said Mr Lane, "as, although the audiencs would have been quite safe as regards the fall, it njight have caused something in the nature of a panic." He added that arrangements had been made for work to be started this morning clearing tho debris and the recreation of the wall oh, a saior plan.