SUNDAY CONCERTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 14, 16 July 1931, Page 8

SUNDAY CONCERTS

LEGALITY TEST CASE

PHILOSOPHICAL .SOCIETY

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, ICth July. A test easo launched by tho Auckland City Council to determine whether certain Sunday gatherings in theati'es are legal, was heard by Mr. M'Kean, S.M., in the Magistrate's' Court. , Mr. Butler, for, tho City Council, pro* secutod Arthur Douglas Wylie, who was represented by Mr. Slipper. The prosecution was' brought under section 30D of Tho Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, said Mr. 'Butler. The section stated that concerts wore pro-' hibited unless the sanction of the local body concerned had been obtainod. The prosecution had been brought against Wylio, who styled himself the "organising manager" of the Auckland PMI6S sophical Society, which for some time past had rented tho Civic Theatro on1 Sunday night. At the entertainment a lecture was given, but a substantial part of tho programme was devoted to music and talking pictures. A silver coin collection was takes ap, but anybody was able to reserve:,a,seat for Is., .;,,..,., j,.,-,,^ - fit was advertised sthat' -.part ,'bfjit.he proceeds were tobegiveni tothe/^enaployment.relief.fund,?' sai<TMri; Butler, ''but just how much 'wasigivenw&liave been'unablp.to:ascertain, and we^can.libtV'find /out what ■•receipts haye' been ■ secured'-from ;.,the'entertainnieiiia.'" A:,Cifcy Council officittl' said 'that no application had been Uiade by:the'Auckland /Philosophical Sojeiety to 'run a Sunday entertainiaenti.'and.nb^consent had been given, by the.';council; j. In evidence,jWylie said thevwhole of the proceeds from the Sunday night entertainments, above the] administration and running costs of the theatre, were used for the relief of unemployed girls. A charge for admission had never been made, and botween 200 and 300 seats had been reserved. ' . A BIG HELP TO GIRLS. Mr. M'Kean: "Are there any profits from these ( e'ntcrtain3nents2"---".yes, considerable profits.i The society' has found ,230 • positions - for. - out-of-work girls at wages of 10s'a^veek and.over. Wo supply gitls with tramfaresj 'and give' them.'clothes to go to. their now jobs."-.'-:, .. :'.ry\r.--l~'f-' '"■•'.•.;" . rMr. M'Kean: '"What is the position then? Do you 'giv^.one-third..of the proceeds or do'yougive thewhole lot'i" —f'More than thg wholo'-lot." " ;■ ! Mi-. Butler: "And- what; do you get a ;week?"—"t have had nothing for some,.. tim.Q, : ;l' was oo' ~teive;-g6tv'£;s a week,-'but':they pwe'ine^about [ *3o. I am. working for, nothing.^,1 ,i, " Mr. Butler: "Yon have the.,' Melody Boys' '■< String.: Band and things-: like ithat to got people to go to hear the lec-tiu-.o?','—" People don't go to church until they' hear; the. bells ringing." : !;In ■ opening the /defences-Mr.', Slipper wanted to know- whetherj a permit was required for the ringing of church bells which ..played a tune, that '.couldfr be regarded as an entertainment.: TheT Salvation Army-played a band -i plong the streets to draw people to their citadel. Was that entertainment? Entertainments, were given in Auckland on Sunday nights until the Auckland Philosophical Society commenced these entertainments and brought the question of Samoa before thepublie—then they were prosecuted. "If this is regarded as a test case, perhaps I should reserve judgment," said Mr. M'Kean, "but 1 don't know that any amount of consideration will induce me to eomo to the conclusion that tho programme is anything other than an entertainment. If tho lecture is to be regarded as a pill, it seems to me that it has a very thick sugar coating." Judgment .was, reserved.