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Above: The stepped auditorium walls at Tooronga. Right: Ascot Vale.

The Board of Health continued to Of the rent received all but £7 is
press the company to make paid direct to the holder of a Mortgage
improvements. The final letter from the debenture. The £7 per week is all that
secretary, detailing ‘a most disastrous the company has to pay current
time’ soon followed. expenses, water rates, municipal rates,
‘One trouble followed another and railway advertising etc.’
by the end of 1925 it became apparent By 1930 the Waratah was
that the Company could not carry on. officially a Hoyts suburban theatre. It
For more than five weeks constant was substantially re-modelled by
endeavours were made to lease the architects Taylor, Soilleux and Overend
theatre at rentals which were gradually in 1935.
reduced and finally, when it appeared Sadly it became an early casualty of
that it was impossible to lease the television, closing in 1959. Across
building, there was no alternative but to town, the big Gardiner Regent that was
go into liquidation. the cause of the Waratah Picture
However, a few days before the Theatre Company’s first big stumble,
meeting of shareholders, Circuit closed the same year.
Theatres Pty. Ltd. agreed to lease at a
small weekly rental. The financial Photographs of Tooronga - Ian Smith.
position of the company is as follows: Ascot Vale & Gardiner - Kevin Adams.

Below: Auditorium of the Waratah. Right: Hoyts big Regent at Gardiner.

CINEMARECORD 2011 21