MINER'S PICTURES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 September 1926, Page 8

MINER'S PICTURES.

the Editor.) Sir, —In Monday’s issue of the “Star,” under the heading “Black” Movies, there appeared a highly inaccurate account of the position in the moving picture business in Blackball. The assertion that Air Beban’s show had .been declared black by the miners at Blackyall is pure twaddle. No declaration of this nature has been made by the Miners’ Union. However, at a public meeting, attended mainly but not exclusively, by miners, a resolution was unanimously adopted whereby those present pledged themselves to support only the miners’ picture show, and to persuade their friends to do likewise. Mr Beban’s show was certainly boycotted by all workers who desired to make their own show a success, but it should be remembered that this weapon was first used by Mr Behan himself, who tried to institute a boycott of the miners’ show by the film distributing companies. Air Behan relied on this weapon to coerce the miners into accepting his terms for the Sunday benefit show. Fortunately, film supplies are not completely trustified, and this boycott was not effective. The account proceeds: —“Recently Air Behan, in an endeavour to settle the feud, offered the miners the use of his plant and films on Sundays, if they would lift the boycott.” That is misleading, to say the least of it. Air Beban made an offer to the miners’ picture committee to run the Sunday benefit show for £4, provided the miners would agree to wind up their own show and go out of the business. This offer was made when it began to dawn on Air Beban that the Blackballlloa Aliners’ Picture Show was too hard a nut for him to crack. Before starting their own show, the miners asked Air Beban to run the Sunday b-mt-.'it show for £B, He declined, but after the breakdown of the film boycott, offered to run it for exactly hall that sum. His offer was turned down, as the miners have no intention of abandoning their own show, particularly in view of the fact that it is certain oi success, contracts having been made last week for a regular supply of first-class films. The statement that the miners attempted to purchase AJandl’s Hall, but failed, s •-»: a. pai w: ]> the rest of the account. At a iix<, ting of the executive of t b e V. .nets' Union, held on Saturday, 11th inst., the President and Secretary were instructed to interview the owners of the hall and ask them to quote a pi-ice for it. This was not done, as the fire occurred the following day, but even if the hall had not been destroyed the miners were not likely to buy it as the limited value mentioned in ' e

“Star” report £l5OO to £l7OO, is far in excess of any price they would have considered. —I am, etc.,

A. AIcLAGAN, President Aliners’ Union, Blackball.