CHRISTMAS DAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19958, 27 November 1926, Page 10

CHRISTMAS DAY.

SCREENING OF PICTURES. AN AUCKLAND REQUEST. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, November 26. A request for permission to open the picture theatres on Christmas Day was made to the City Council last night by a deputation from the Auckland Theatre Proprietors’ Association. The members of the deputation said it was a serious matter for the theatre proprietors. Business had not been good during the past 12 months. This year Christmas Day fell on Saturday, and to take away Saturday from theatres would mean taking away their only chance of making up the losses of the remainder of the week. The theatres had been permitted to open on Christmas Day for 10 years, but last year they had to close as the result of a mis take by the town clerk, who said they had not been allowed to open in previous years The Mayor (Mr G. Baildon), moved that the question be referred to the Finance and Legal Committee. Mr J A. 0. Allum said this would only mean postponing the discussion, and he would be prepared to move at once that the request be granted. A proposal that certain of the council’s own employees be given a holiday on Christmas Day by closing the Zoological Park had been defeated, and the council could not make fish of one and flesh of another. Mr A. J. Entrican said all the other businesses were compelled to close on Christmas Day. The theatres were open six days of the week, and to give their employees a holiday on Christmas Day would* not be a hardship. A day of rest would benefit all concerned. The old way of keeping Christmas Day was the best. After further discussion the matter was referred to the Finance and Legal • Committee to report.