SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 222, 20 August 1931, Page 9

SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT

AUCKLAND PROSECUTION. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Aug. 19. The New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Rationalism was prosecuted before Mr W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Cour.t, 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 defendants had conducted Sunday tantertainments. Permission bad never been applied for, although the association had forwarded courtesy notices to the town clerk each week indicating the nature of the programme to be presented. A traffic officer, James Scot, 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 da>y the programme was described in a newspaper advertisement as “snappy and witty.” A silver collection was taken up at the doors, and a notice, “W 7 e expect no less than Gd,” was displayed. Throughout the programme witness heard no mention made of rationalism or its objects. The organising secretary of the Rationalists’ Association, Mr G. A. Rawson, said that nobody had ever been refused admission for not contributing to the association’s funds. In his opinion the lecture he delivered on insect life was quito- in keeping with the principle of rationalism. Witness did not consider that any part of the programme in question constituted an entertainment. The Magistrate said he had no doubt that the programme in question was an entertainment within the meaning lof the Act. There was also the question of whether the Rationalists’ Association could defy the City Council. The association had not asked for permission to hold Sunday entertainments. A fine of £ls and costs was imposed. Security for costs on appeal was fixed at £lO 10s.