PICTURE THEATRES' HOURS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16398, 18 December 1918, Page 2

PICTURE THEATRES' HOURS.

DEPUTATION TO HON. G. W. RUSSELL. Messrs Willyams and Renn, president and secretary respectively of the Christchurch Performing Musicians' Union, waited on the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, on tho subject of the curtailment of tho hours during which picture theatres may remain open. Mr ltenn stated that as the result of last session 1 s Act prohibiting picture theatres opening before 2 p.m. daily and stipulating that they must close between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily, onethird of the staffs employed at local picture theatres had been told that their services would not bo required, amongst them being a number ot musicians. The union was aware that the provisions referred to were now the law of tho land, and it realised' the importance of protecting the health of tho public, but though it would probably involve considerable difficulty to effect an alteration, the union asked the Minister to do what he could to make a re-arrangement of the hours,. It was suggested that the theatres should bo allowed to open' at noon and close for an hour between 5, p.m. and 6 p.m. or between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Mr Willyams endorsed "tiheso remarks, and added that it was feared that the curtailment of hours would have the opposite effect to that sougnc to be allowed—that the curtailment of hours would result in the theatres being crowded. Mr Russell, in replying, said that they practically asked for the alteration of a law already on tho Statute Book. Whether it should be there or not could not now be discussed—there it was in black and .white. It was unfortunate that the rush of the session, caused by many circumstances that he need not v discuss, prevented, perhaps, the -frill publicity of these and other proposals with the consequence, perhaps, that people had been taken somewhat by surprise. Jhe Bill had been carefully considered, and expert advico was obtained with regard to the clause dca:ing with picture shows with the view of making it effective. The practice previously in force of cleaning picture theatres an hour or two before opening them to the public was very undesirable. As to tiie provisions regarding the hours during which picture. theatres should be open, he would favour an amendment' of tne Act giving Health officers the power to regulate them, but the Government was strongly of opinion that there must be sufficient time between the nerformancos, at some'part of the day, to secure the. purification and ventilation of the buildings. Ho regretted that the law .was likely to interfere with the em- : ployment cf a number of deserving peo- i pie. but, personally, he did not know 1 that there was much chance of modify- ' ing the hours: lie was quite prepared to ask tho Attorney-General to consider the matter, and he would make enquiries. If there was any way by which a modification could bo made, without injury to the public health, he 1 would be prepared to give the matter 1 further consideration. 1