DANCING ON SUNDAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19502, 4 December 1926, Page 2 (Supplement)

DANCING ON SUNDAY.

BAN IMPOSED BY COURT. HOTEL LICENSEES FINED. A TRIP IN A FERRY BOAT. A case involving the question of Sunday music and dancing on licensed premises in Middlesex was decided on October 18, by the magistrates at Feltham, England. Mr. Fred. Karno and Mr. Beaumont Alexander, licensees of Palm Beach Hotel, near Hampton Court, were summoned for a contravention of the music and dancing license granted to them by the Middlesex .County Council, by holding a public music entertainment on a Sunday contrary to the provisions of the Music and Dancing (Middlesex) Act, 1894. . Mr. Sidney Turner, for tho Middlesex County Council, said that the condition of the licence granted was that the licensees should not open their premises for entertainment, public music or dancing on

the Lord's Day, Christmas Day, Good Friday, or any holy day appointed for solemn fast. On Sunday, July 18, continued Mr. Turner, facilities were provided for supper in conjunction with an entertainment and dancing. ' Admission was obtained by purchasing a ticket for supper at the boxoffice, not on the island where the hotel stood, but on the opposite side of the river. After obtaining a ticket visitors crossed in a ferry-boat .belonging to the proprietors of the hotel. The payment included supper and any entertainment that might be going on. On this occasion, during supper time, there was dancing between the tables and three variety artists gave an entertainment. A band consisting of 12 players continued playing dance music from nine o'clock till midnight. Two police officers gave evidence that, on the Sunday evening in question, they crossed the ferry to Tagg's Island. About 180 guests were on the premises. About 70 were having supper in the Palm Court, where some of the guests danced between the tables. The others were sitting in the hotel and in the grounds. Mr. Sidney Lamb, for Mr. Karno, said his submission was that this was not public dancing within the meaning of the

regulations. This was a private, and not a public, entertainment, because no member of the public in the oidinary.sense of the word could land at Tagg's Island on Sunday without buying, a ticket, which cost 15s 6d., and was for dinner. Mr. E. Whitworth, a director of the Ni;w Prince's Restaurant, gave evidence as to conditions of admission to the Palm Beach Island Hotel, He said that anyone who applied for tickets at the kiosk was admitted to the island on payment of 15s 6d for a dinner ticket, but there were certain cases in which the attendants in the kiosk had instruction s x to refuse to grant the tickets to certain undesirable persons of whom they were notified by the management. In cross-examination ha agreed that if a stranger presented himself to the pay-box he would receive a ticket on payment of the money without any questions being asked. Fines of £lO and £3 3s costs was imposed. Notice of appeal was given.