SUNDAY PICTURES

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 July 1932, Page 2

SUNDAY PICTURES

AUCKLAND MANAGER FINED [special to “star.”] AUCKLAND, July 9. Reserved decision dealing with the practice of issuing to picture theatre patrons on week nights, invitations to attend a Sunday night entertainment, was given yesterday, by the Magistrate, Mr. McKean.

John Heard Ansell, proprietor of the Lyric Theatre, was charged with holding Sunday entertainments, open to the public, without the written consent of the Auckland City Council. Defendant admitted that the issue of invitation cards to people attending the theatre on certain nights had been advertised. No check was kept on the cards, and there was nothing to stop them from changing hands. In entering a conviciton, Mr. McKean said there seemed to be no doubt that the screenings on Sundays were not to any private gathering of friends, but the tickets were given out indiscriminately to those members of the public who were at the theatre on certain week nights. No names were ever entered on the tickets, nor was any attempt made to confine the use of the tickets to any particular people. By paying for one ticket a patron could attend both sessions, or if he preferred, he could attend only the Sunday session, or only the week-day session. It was therefore a clear case of the breach of the regulations. A fine of £3; with costs, was imposed.