... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--In your issue of May 27, you refer to my letter in reply to Mr. Jack Hylton's in regard to the engagement of Paul Whiteman and a British band. I Should be glad if you would allow me to explain the position. The Ministry of Labour alJow to bands omploved in this country, a percentage oi American players not exceeding 50 per cont. Tlus is taken advantage of in ...

... Sir,--The correspondence in THE STAGE on the subject of amateurs prompts one who is disinterested to express another point of view, and perhaps indicate a solution of the problem. As for qualifications, I doubt whether there are many towns where there are more amateur dramatic societies than in Bournemouth, and it has been my lot sometimes a happy one and sometimes quite the opposite to see ...

... . Sir, There is one point in con nection with amateur show that seems to have been misled. Tii re are certain weeks in the year :nat are notorious for bad busim and the amateurs frequently come in on those weeks. I have known them, in recent years, to put 0:1 Gilbert and Sullivan opera* for (he week preceding Christmas and Edward German opera in Passion week. I have loved the theatre for ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,-- I think it is a pity that paint-frames are done away with in many of the provincial theatres. I have painted in a good many theatres in the provinces, and very few now have paint-frames. There fore. the scenic artist has to do his best on the stage. Cloths can not be painted properly also if there is much work to be done, ho cannot work in the evenings. ...

... . Authors' Royalties. To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--While congratulating you on, and thanking you for your leading article on 44 Plays as Films, may I, as one of the exploited authors, point out the difficulties attending the taking of your excellent advice to demand a contract similar to that which Mr? Bernard Shaw insists upon. Moat of us in these hard times are afraid to miss a sale by ...

... . Sir,--My attention has been drawn to a letter on the above subject published in THE STAGE of Thursday, June 9, over the signatures of Mr. Ben Webster and Mr. J. Fisher White, and sent from Mr. Webster's private address. As the only member of either tho Stage Guild or British Actors* Equity who has l>oon in every su p yet taken in the present in-got ia- tions for Actors' Unity, will you allo ...

... . EQUITY AND THE STAGE GUILD To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, A reply to Mossr-. hen Wobster and J. Fisher White's letter ro Unity had been drafted, and it would havo been submitted to you for publication in your columns; but since then a com munication has been received from Equity, as a result of which we hope tnat moetings between their repiesentatives and ours, as sug gested at the Stage ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. From Sir Arthur Carlton. Sir,-- Mr. St. John Ervine has made a slashing attack upon the No. 2 theatres of the country, just when it is most difficult to answer him, since it is common knowledge that all theatres (not only the Number 2's, but the Number l's, and even the uonaon tneatrnsl are having a rcrj* hard time, principally owing to the lack of availablo ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE Sir, --In reply to Mr. W. Scott Philip I should like to ask him if he would be agreeable to pay extra for his rooms to meet the present price of coal. It is quite easy to blame landladies, but I think if some of tho present-day profes sionals had to wait on landladies like they expect to be waited on £3 3s. per week would not satisfy them, let alone 30s. for two ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--Now that the Equity has practically cleaned up the bogus-manager business, will it be good enough to take a look at the faults of some ot the artists. Tho people I mean may not come within its jurisdiction, though many may be members of the society for anything I know. 1* or several years 1 have had a resi dent concert party in Scotland and elsewhere. ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--Sir Oswald Stall suggests that the theatre is dying. To my mind we need intensive propaganda, carried on in every town, large and small, in the Kingdom. The younger generation must be captured. It is largely their absence that is injuring the theatre. Years ago kinema managements showed genius by giving children's matinees at a penny admission. They got ...

... Dependents' Fund. To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--The majority of your readers may recall reading in your issue of March 2, that Percy Hammond, publicity manager, passed away on February 26. Having been taken suddenly ill on the previous day, he died in Chesterfield Hospital without regaining sciousness. I doubt whether his many friends and business asso ciates are aware of the dependents ...