LICENSING OF SHOWMEN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 11

LICENSING OF SHOWMEN

STRICTER REGULATION WANTED CONFERENCE URGES NEED FOR POLICE APPROVAL (PRESS association telegram.) AUCKLAND. June 3. The difficulties of licensing showmen and the need for excluding undesirable characters were discussed at the annual conference of the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations in the Auckland Province held to-day. The chairman (Mr S. Austin Carr) presided. Discussion arose when a remit was moved by Mr C. S. Leggett, that there should be only one authority with power to issue licences to showmen, namely the Royal Agricultural Society, that licences should be granted only to persons approved by the police and that a list of licences should be made available to all affiliated associations and to the police. Mr Leggett said that sideshow men had caused a great deal of trouble, particularly at smaller shows. The opinion that the assistance of the police was not necessary was expressed by Mr W. F. O’Donnell. Legislative provision had been made for the proper handling of sideshows. The movements of' overseas sideshow proprietors throughout New Zealand were described by Mr O’Donnell. He said there was a big influx from Australia and America in October, and the showmen travelled from one show to another until they left for Sydney at Easter. Smaller men preferred to spend the winter at Auckland and begin travelling again about September. He suggested that the police should not have power to veto a showman’s licence. The remit,''with the addition that the Royal Society should be assisted by metropolitan associations, was then carried.