THEATRE LICENSING CONTROL

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 6

THEATRE LICENSING CONTROL

EXHIBITORS WAIT ON THE GOVERNMENT

After the exhibitors’ confereuce last week had passed a resolution in fa.vour of asking the Government to amend the Cinematograph Films Act, to: provide for the control of theatre licensing, it lost no time in putting the resolution into effect.

A very rep resontativc deputation waited l oin the Hon. .T. A. Young, Minister of Internal Affairs, the same af tormoon and laid the ease before him. It was pointed out. to him that as a result of the Appeal Count having declared that (lie Board of Trade Cinematograph Films K emulations gaze tted on April 7, 1032, was ultra vires and -repugnant to the provisions of tlio Cinematograph Films Act, it was being increasingly fellt that something should bo done to regulate the issue of picture theatre licenses. Tire reasons why the theatre business was in a different category to that of ordinary merchandising concerns were shown, and the disastrous effects of the burden: of uneconomic theatres constantly piled on- to: an already overburdened industry was stressed 1 . In Wellington city area.' it was stated there were 10,Sou theatre seats offered nightly, and if day business was included, on an average of two shows per day, there were ,uo> fewer than 50,065 seats being offered daily, or over 350,000 each week.

In the face of this huge offering, the ascertained ‘ sales of seats, it was stated, did not exceed 25,000 per week. This disproportion of sales and seats was even greater in t-lie Auckland area, and was about equalled in, Christchurch and Dunedin. Almost every town of any size in the Dominion was carrying to-day an unnsued theatre, the rent of which was being found by the theatre or theatres .still in use in the particular town.

Tlriis, of course, miea.nt that the theatre supply was largely in. excess of the demand 1 , and' the business as a wh'olo was carrying .this- burden of useless overhead.

The Minister’s reply was both sympathetic and significant. He said quite definitely that .the position re theatre licensing could nut he left where it had been 'left as a result of the judgment of itlic -Court of Appeal. Whether or not the Government would follow the suggestion, made by the deputation, he Could not. say for certain, but something would ibe dome in the matter. The deputation then withdrew.