Sunday Night Concerts

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 158, 20 June 1935, Page 8

Sunday Night Concerts

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Allow me to use a email space in your valuable correspondence column in regard to the holding of Sunday night concerts in Hastings.

Let me make this clear to all who are interested in Sunday (day or night> entertainments, that there is a law sei down that no such entertainments shall be held unless a silver-coin collection only is taken, not a fixed charge, as rs the case here, for which tickets are sold for sixpence and a shilling according to the seat or seat* you may require.

Although a written consent of the Borough Council will make it possible for any such person or persona to hold Sunday entertainments—this is provided for in section 313 of the Municipal Corporations Act—the position is also governed by the provisions of section 18 of the Police Offences Act, 1927, sub-eections 1 and 2 of which read as follow:—

“(1) Every person is liable to a line of five pounds (£5) who on Sunday, oi in view of any public place, trades, works at his trade or calling, deals, transacts business, sells goods, or exposes goods for sale. “(2) Every person is liable to a five pounds (£5) fine who on Sunday keep* open any house, store, shop, bar or other place for the purpose of trading, dealing, transacting business, selling goods or exposing goods for sale, this Act applying to Sundays, Good Friday, or Christmas Day.” In practice, therefore, even although the promoters obtain the written eousent of the council, the provisions of the Police Offences Act with respect to Sunday entertainments still apply. I see no reason why some person should not come forward and have these Sunday night concerts etopped if they continue to be held in such a manner as an everydav event.—Y’ours, etc., ROBERT D. PRYCE. June 20, 1935.