MUST CLOSE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18571, 22 December 1925, Page 12

MUST CLOSE.

NO FILMS ON CHRISTMAS DAY. I THAT ««WILD WEST SHOW." There was some discussion at lust night's meeting of the City Council regarding Wild West and picture entertainments on Christmas Day. Cr. W. E. Loadlcy asked Cr. C. P. Agar, chairman of the By-laws and FinonCo Committee, why local picture theatres were not allowed to open on Christmas Day, whereas the committee had given permission for a Wild West Bhow to be given on that day. Cr. C. P. Agar Said that last year, after the Council had gone into recess, tho thon chairman of the Committee (Mr J. W. Beanland) had granted permission for a cycling meeting to be held at English Park on Christmas Day, this being regarded aB a precedent. The application this year had been granted on a misunderstanding. Had the full information been before tho committee permission would no doubt have bcetl refused. "Day of Rejoicing." At a later stage of the meeting Cr. O. W. B. Anderson moved that permis--1 sion be granted to picture proprietors to open theiawtheatres on Christmas Day. Ho would like it to be known, ho said, that in moving such a motion he was not himsolf interested in any such business. He stated that Christmas Day was a day of rejoicing, and that there could be no objection' on religious grounds to a Christmas picture entertainment Christchurch was behind other centres in refusing permission. HO had looked into the »»«« * aß w ft? that such centres as Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Napier Invercargdl, Wanganui,. Gisborae, Greymouth, Westport,and Oamaru granted permission for picture entertainments to he given on Christmas Day. He understood also that in Dunedm such permission would be given on tho present occasion. The motion was seconded by Cr. c. Catt, who said that he to Cr. Anderson's remarks. Christmas DaV was a day of rejoicing, and he did 2? Sk a ffi the 'council had any right to curtail the P«f * tt J Or. D. G. Sullivan said that the picture shows were open six nights a week all the yoar round, and he thought that on Christmas night *° £•*"• theatre employees should, be allowed a holiday to spend with their families. He til%] fhSt to allow picture, theatres to remain open would he to interfere with a goodf wholesome M^ant. Cr A McKellar opposed the mdtion on the grounds that both front a re. g*ouMd a health point of jgj »* was undesirable to allow the "theatres | to remain Open. j On consistency. Gr. W. E. Leadley thought that the Council should be unfair to allow rodeos and Wild West shows on Christmas pay, .and "fuse mature theatres a similar privilege. P The Mayor said that it was more objjaiffito allow a Wild WesC show during the day than to allow pictures to be shown at night Fermi*g»toj been ?X* beS«swn! "e SL tjttjibjt permSion would not have IJJSIJf»*t he had voted against _tne rnotS in 'committee, and he would do "Vr g Agar: And I was not there. Si W g J Sim said that on the founds of consistency he would,..orn r the gj «» fl f occasion, vote that the picture proprietors"ft allowed to remain open on Christmas D fl y. gaiat . atiie Jee with the principle of making second mistake because a first had P«* to tkc meeting .the asfessass the Mayor. *