Pictures on Sunday Night

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 49, 27 February 1943, Page 4

Pictures on Sunday Night

“You know tlie responsibility thrown on the Mayor. The Government has a happy knack of ‘passing the buck*; but where there is any kudos or political advantage to be gained the Government uses its power. Everyone knows there is a back-lash. Recently, as chairman of the E.P.S. Committee, I had a painful duty to perform and this was to sue firms and individuals for breaches of the regulations. The Minister stepped in, used his authority, and said the prosecutions must bo withdrawn. If the Government is going to step in and stop the people responsible for maintaining order, then the Government can say whether Sunday night pictures can be held or not.” This reply was made to a deputation led by Mr. C. Mandeno, from the Manawatu Trades* Council, which met -1 the Mayor yesterday afternoon, seeking permission for the screening of pictures on Sunday. Mr. Mandeno said the Trades* Council had interested itself in the question of the entertainment of soldiers. It realised that people were doing their best to entertain the men, but there were still large numbers around the Square on Sunday nights. Ho presented a petition signed by 300 soldiers supporting the request. Mr. Mandeno added that the Trades’ Council would offer to service the theatre for staffing, and the pictures would not conflict with church hours. The screenings would be open only to soldiers, but they could bring a friend. A charge would, of course, have to be made. Mr. Mansford stated he was not going to accept the responsibility of going outside what the City Council had decided, and he did not think it fair to ask him to do so. The matter rested with the Mayor, but he was not appointed censor of the pictures. If the pictures could be arranged according to the resolution of the City Council, lie would offer no opposition. He was agreeable to making a recommendation to the City Council on these lines, and provided the pictures were screened outside church hours. The Mayor added that if the Government wanted to after the legislation by which the re sponsibility was thrown on the Mayor, it should be done by the representatives of the people and not by regulation. One had only to go back 25 or 30 years to see the criticism then levelled at Government by regulation, criticism by those who to-day were carrying out that system.