DISPLAY OF POSTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 10

DISPLAY OF POSTERS

UNfIEASONABUE BYLAW

INFORMATION DISMiSSED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

HOTORUA, This Day.

Holding portion of the Rotorua Borough bylaws concerning the issue of licences for the display of posters on the street hoardings to be; unreasonable in its terms, Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., yesterday dismissed an information brought by the council against Chandler and Company, Ltd., for exhibiting posters on unlicensed hoardings in town.

The evidence was heard two weeks ago, when the council alleged that the company had broken faith by displaying posters of other than a scenic nature with concealed advertising. The defendant company was instructed to remove the hoardings, but refused to do so. . \ '

The company denied that undertakings had been given to display only posters of a scenic nature. Validity ,of the bylaw was attacked on the that its clauses were unreasonable and capricious in effect. It was pointed out that under the conditions imposed bylaw licences expired on March 31 and September 30, following their issue, while another clause provided for'the payment of an annual licience fee.

In a reserved judgment the Magistrate said he was satisfied that the company had not committed a breach of feith, also that sections of the bylaw'referred to were unreasonable in effect and secured a licence for an indefinite term unless this was later revoked by the council, but as the council had not taken this action the licence was sfall in full'force and the company had cqmmitted no breach. The information was dismissed with costs against the council.