PICTURE THEATRES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 89, 13 January 1928, Page 5

PICTURE THEATRES

GOVERNMENT’S SAFETY REGULATIONS HOW THEY ARE WORKING Mr. Herbert F. Wood presided at the quarterly luncheon of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Association, which took place at Gamble and Creed’s, Lambton Quay room, yesterday. lhe guest of honour was Mr. Girliug-But-cher, of the Explosives Department, whose duty it is to see that theatre proprietors comply with those regulations having to do with the well-being of the staff and the safety of the public. Mr. Girling-Butcher, whose health was proposed by Mr. A. J. McCurdy, said that one of the duties of his Department was to see that the operating boxes in the picture theatres complied with the regulations. In enforcing such regulations it was the department’s idea to do so with as little irritation to the theatre proprietor as possible; indeed to endeavour to convince him that what was required by the department was just as much to his interest as to anyone else’s, and he was pleased to say that, as a rule, theatre proprietors recognised that in some cases, however, not until alterations had been done. There was a ease he had in mind of a showman in the south who was very loth to spend the money on a new operating box, but once it was done, he found that it gave him room for an additional eighteen seats in his gallery, and he was so proud of the new box that he made a hobby of showing it to his patrons. He assured those present that the department was only insisting on an absolute minimum under the regulations, and that these were not so strict as in many other places that could be mentioned, and all they were asking was that the operating box should be reasonably fireproof in respect to the rest of the building, and instanced the setback to the business that would ensure if there were a fire in a theatre, with an attendant panic. Mr. Girling-Butcher instancing how well the theatre proprietors were doing their duty by the public, said that there had only been seven prosecutions since the regulations came into force in 1925. One of those was for a man found smoking in the operating box (an offence for which the department would always prosecute) ; another was for a defective projecting machine, and the others were for failing to take out licenses under the new regulations. It would be seen that the department, which was protecting the public whilst it safeguarded the theatre-owners, was getting results slowly, and that with a minimum of irritation to the trade. (Applause). The present year promised to be an interesting one, as it looked as though there would be a crystallisation of legislation on the part of’ the Government. He expressed appreciation at the manner in which lie had been met, and trusted that the pleasant relations existing at the present time would continue in the future. (Applause). A Big Conference. The secretary of the Wellington branch of the Association (Mr. J. K. Robertson) said that the annual New Zealand Conference of the Association would be held on January 24. It was not anticipated that the business would last longer than up to 1 p.m. that atternoon there would be a cricket match between the exhibitors and exchanges at Kelburn Park/ and in the evening there would be an al fresco picnic with supper at Day’s Bay.