AMUSEMENT HALLS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14993, 13 June 1914, Page 7

AMUSEMENT HALLS.

ALLEGED FATLURE TO KEEP EXITS CLEAR.*

A case of considerable importance to proprietors of theatres and publio halls was heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. .. William John Frazer Voitch, of Wellington, was charged that, being the occupier, of a certain building, the Grand Picture Theatre, he did use the;building, for public performances -without providing, to the satisfaction of tbe Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, sufficient means of escape in.case or fire, by permitting the exit stairs to bo blocked by pel-sons standing and remaining in and about tho same during tho performances. Mr Harper appeared for the Fire Board, and Mr Dougall for defendant. Mr Harper said that the charge was laid under Section 51 of tho Fire Brigades Act. 1908. The Grand Theatro in Cathedral square had beon licensed by tho City Council after it had been inspected and certified as satisfactory. On May 9th, whilo a performance was going on. the exits from the theatre were blocked by people standing on the stairs and waiting to get into the gallery. Thero was a small vestibule *ust> off the footpath, and stairs about 3ft> <wide led up, on each side to .tho gallery. After getting their tickets in tho vestibule, the* people should have gone into the gallery, but,it wo_a.be shown that defendant had allowed theso people to stand on tho staircase, a very "dangerous thing, as in case of-a fir* o> a panic, the exits would be blocked. Ho submitted that, the case was of grave importance. The building was licensed by the City Council, but under the Act the Superintendent of! the lire Brigade had power to deal with such a< case. The Superintendent had complained three times previously about, the blocking of the stairs,, and had also written about the .matter. Mr Dougall said that he was pre-. pared to admit that thero were peoplo on the staircase, but ho submitted that it could bo no offence under, the Fire Brigades Act as laid down in the informations. Mr Harper had said that' the Firo Board had authority either superior to, or co-ordmato with, that of the City Council. He submitted that the Superintendent had no power to regulate the people in' tho theatre. Section 51 of tho Firo Brigades Act dealt solely with the structural arraneements of a building, and with the providing of free access so far as the structure was concerned. Tho information had been laid on a matter that was solely within the jurisdiction of the City Council, and it appeared as if every hall in Christchurch was under the jurisdiction" of. two conflicting bodies. Fnrthor, Mr.Veitch. who was merely a shareholder in tho Grand Theatro Company, and the holder of its license, which was not transferable, could not bo held to be the occupier of the building. Tho Magistrate reserved his decision.