THEATRE SATS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13949, 4 January 1909, Page 5

THEATRE SATS.

THE CHRISTCHURCH BY-LAW. [BT TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Christchurch, Sunday. Speaking in regard to the now "numbered seat" by-law, which came into operation on Friday night, Mr. R. Stewart-, manager for J. C. Williamson and Co., said he had been instructed by bis firm to raise- the price of the ticket* for the cheaper parts of the theatre should the Council insist on enforcing the coupon system, by which each person is to receive a numbered ticket and occupy that seat only. The other managers of companies visiting New Zealand had also agreed to the same course. He was perfectly willing to do anything in reason to meet the Council, but the endeavour to givo each ono the seat numbered on the ticket was unreasonable. At the Theatre Royal the gallery is licensed this year to seat 425 persons, as against 498 last year. The difference is presumably due to the extension of the space of each seat from 16in to 18in. This by-law was observed to the extent that the management stopped the sale of gallery tickets as soon as 425 had been disposed of The tickets were not numbered, and the holders simply took the best seats that ■were available. THE MAYOR IN DEFENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christchurch, Sunday. At the Canterbury Automobilo Association's smake concert last evening, the Mayor (Mr. C. Allison) referred to the City Council's new theatre by-law. He said the Council had been wigged a great deal over the by-law, but he thought that a great deal of wigging had been unjustifiable. The result*, so far attained, had quite justified the adoption of the by-law. If it were not a good by-law it was the fault of the Council's solicitors. Mr. Allison went on, to say that theatre managers had been afflicted with invincible bias againt the by-law that was due to the fact that they were now unablo to allow people to pay money for seats that they could not secure after having paid for them. Ho had not the slightest doubt that when the by-law became better known, and who... people knev.- the powers it conferred on them, it would be one of the most useful regulations ever brought into operation in Christchurch.