SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1894 THE PROPOSED THEATRE ROYAL COMPANY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4808, 25 August 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1894 THE PROPOSED THEATRE ROYAL COMPANY.

Tub inhabitants of Masterton are indebted to the promoters of the late meeting held at the Empire Hotol for their efforts to secure for tlio town a convenient Theatre but we aro not sure that they are not somewhat ill advised in tying themselves to an old building instead of constructing a new one. The experiences of a former company, floated some twelve years ago, led to tlio conclusion that the conversion of a structure intended originally for quite another.purpose was a mistake, and that evenputting tlio front of it into shops was unprofitable as tenants would not occupy them when they found that their stock in trade was liable to an insurance of £5 por cent. This insurance indeed is the ■ principal handicap to making such a structure profitable and it can only be avoided by the construction of new premises with brickwalls, Even if the proposed new Company ad. heres to the old building it does not follow that its fate will be as unfortunate as that of its predecessor, because it will acquire the property on much more favourable terms. ' Still the sinking of from one.to two thousand pounds in an old andsomowhat frail building which probably lias not more than six years lifo left in it, is a serious matter. A man who helped to build the place soino sixteen years ago tells us that it is mi- ; sound top and bottom and if this be ■ so, it will be well for.the promoters ot the new undertaking to consider i whether a jiew building would not be I a preferable investment. We throw 1 out this suggestion with the idea of 1 helping rather than hindering ,the 1 project of a TUeatro fop Jlastorfcon. j At present|iie enterprise'is a;t a , stago when it is quite practicable to ' reconsider.tlio lines on which if is Uj j be carried out, : j . . --ug]