NO DRIVE-IN THEATRES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 3

NO DRIVE-IN THEATRES

Licensing In N.Z. To Be Deferred

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 10. Regulations would be gazetted this week to defer the' licensing of drive-in theatres in New Zealand.

This was announced today by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Anderton), who said the decision was not lightly reached by the Government.

“In view of the present economic outlook and the speculative nature of the enterprise, it was our considered opinion that postponement of the introduction of drive-in theatres to New Zealand was in the best public interest,” the Minister said.

The regulations giving effect to the decision had been drawn in such a form as to leave the question open to review at a more propitious time.

Mr Anderton said that among the many points which had had a bearing on the decision was the fact that generally the public was being reasonably catered for Iby existing theatres. At present the establishment of drive-in theatres would amount to an unwarranted duplication of capital expenditure. Finance provided for the construction and equipment of such theatres would, moreover, be a diversion of capital and industrial resources which could much more usefully be employed on works of high national importance. A further drain on overseas funds could also be avoided.