SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 20876, 20 August 1931, Page 15

SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENTS

RATIONALIST ASSOCIATION FINED [Pkk United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 19. The New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Nationalism was prosecuted before Mr W. it. M’Kean, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day on a charge of holding a public entertainment in the Majestic Theatre on Sunday. March 29, without having first obtained the permission of the City Council. Mr Butler, who appeared for the council, stated that for some considerable time the defendants had conducted Sunday entertainments. Permission had never been applied for, although the association had forwarder courtesy notices to tho town clerk each week indicating the nature of tho programmes to be presented. A traffic officer said he attended the Majestic Theatre on the evening in question. The programme consisted of two motion pictures, a full-length comedy drama and a topical gazette, and a brief illustrated lecture on ‘ The Marvels of Insect Life.’ On the preceding day the programme was described in a newspaper advertisement as “ snappy and witty.” A silver coin collection was taken up at tho doors, and a notice—“ We expect no loss than Gd ” —was displayed throughout the programme. Witness heard no mention inado of rationalism or its objects. The organising secretary of tho nationalists’ Association (Mr G. A. Hawson) said that nobody had ever been refused admission for not contributing to tho association’s funds. In his opinion tho lecture he delivered on insect life was quite in keeping with the principles of rationalism. Witness did not consider that any part of the programme iii question constituted an entertainment. The Magistrate said he had no doubt that the programme in question was an entertainment within tho meaning of the Act. There was also tho question whether the Nationalists’ Association could defy the City Council. The asso ciation had not asked for permission to hold Sunday entertainments. A fine of £ls and costs was imposed. Security' for costa on an appeal was fixed at £lO 10s.