LICENSING SIDESHOWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20304, 11 July 1929, Page 14

LICENSING SIDESHOWS.

SUPPORT FOR PROPOSAL. DECISION CONFERENCE. REQUEST TO THE MINISTER. Proposals for registering and licensing proprietors of sideshows and their assistants and for securing the tho police to assist agricultural and pastoral associations in governing this section of the various shows provoked considerable discussion at the conference of North Island agricultural and pastoral associations yesterday. A remit to tho effect that the Minister of Justice should again be urged to pass legislation upon those lines was forwarded by tho Manawatu Association, but the Auckland Association presented counterproposals, which provided for a similar scheme to be conducted under the authority of the associations' conference without the assistance of the police. That system, in the opinion of Mr. W. F. Penny, of Pahnerston North, was not feasible. Some of the men they had to deal with were far too "slippery." Tho Manawatu Association's scheme had been tried out in Palmerston North with good results. They had an arrangement whereby a sideshow was not allowed on the ground without a police permit issued on forms supplied by the association. Later, however, a somewhat autocratic Couunissionei ol Police was appointed, ,'ind Mr. Mcllvenev promptly drew his pen through Manawatu's system, advising it that if the services of tho police were wanted they must be paid for in the same way as the racing clubs paid. Letters Pigeon-holed. Mr. Penny said that lie had interviewed the commissioner upon the matter, but he was very obstinate, and said that he could not discriminate. llio system was as great a benefit to the police as it was to the associations, because it enabled the police to keep their lingers upon those men. He could get nothing out of Mr. Mcllvenev, and tho only way now was to get power behind tho movement. Letters which he had written had been passed on to tho commissioner, but had been pigeon-holed Iho better class of showman welcomed the proposals and was quite content to be under police super.vision.

"The police arc rather the worst people to bring into the matter," said Mr. W. I'. O'Donnell, secretary of tho Auckland Association. "They see out of only one eye, and if a man is once convicted he is damned by the police for all time." In Mr. O'Donnell's opinion the associations could run a scheme efficiently without the active co-operation of tho police. "These men are not criminals, at any rate not all of them," he said. The chairman, Mr. B. N. Snndilands, of Feilding, said ho considered that the police were the best people to handle the registration of showmen. They were tho only people who really knew them and their movements. . Manawatu Remit Carried. "t do not suggest that, we should do without the police altogether," said Mr. O'Donnell. "What we do at present is to prepare a list which the police overhaul and advise by word of mouth which applicants should be eliminated. Two years ago the Chief Justice described these men as "the biggest collection of crooks and criminals gathered under ono roof," but this year there was only ono rejection against eight last year, which indicates the immense improvement which tho association's scheme has wrought." The chairman said that the idea of Manawatu was to have the permits issued with official police recognition. "We do not propose to put it to Commissioner Mellveney again," said Mr. Penny. "We are going direct to the Minister." ife appealed to tho conference to pass Manawatu's remit. Mr. O'Donnell moved nn amendment that the proposal should lie deferred for 12 months in order to sco how Auckland's scheme worked. On a vote tho amendment was lost and the Manawatu remit was carried.