RESERVATION OF SEATS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 27

RESERVATION OF SEATS.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 31. The manager of the last J. C. Williamson Company to visit Christchurcn, Mr A. R. Shepard, was charged at the Magistrate 9 Court to-day, before Mr H. Young, with failing, on May 22, to ensure ‘lmt the Theatre Royal was opened to the public for at least half an hour before the performance on the payment of the minimum advertised prices, and also with issuing a ticket other than one with the number of a particular seat in the theatre printed upon it. Mr Ltfcighnan, for the City Council, said that the object of the section under which the information was laid was to protect those of the public who were unable, or unwilling, to reserve seats. The section made it necessary for the theatre to be accessib'e half a*i hour at least before the performance starred. • The second information was laid on account of certain tickets having been issued without a number corresponding to the number of a particular seat, as the by-law required. Charles P. Agar, company manager, and chairman of the By-laws Committee of the City Council, said that he went with friend* to the Theatre Royal to a vaudeville matinee. He bought a 3s dress circle ticket, and waa told he could take any seat that was turned down. He was told he could have a seat which was not turned down on the payment of Is extra a seat. He saw defendant, and asked if, under the by-law, he could not take any seat for 3s not actually reserved half an hour before the performance com- > . menced. Mr Shepard said he was the manager, and was running his business in , his own way. Witness went back and took certain seats, but was told that they were y reserved at the Bristol. He asked to be shown seats be could have on payment of. the extra Is, and was shown two rows on ) the box plan. On principle he asked for hit money back and left the theatre. To Mr Batchelor, witness said that, as chairman of the By-laws Committee of the City Council, he was not aware that the sec- j tion applying to each seat ticket being numbered was not carried out by the Christchurch theatres. Mr Batchelor, for the defendant, contended that the council could not point out a single theatre In the city where this practice of , keeping certain seats for sale at a reserved price was not carried out. In respect of the other Information, there was no other } theatre In the town where the section waa carried out, and it would be extremely dtffl- N cult to have every ticket numbered to apply •' to a particular seat. In the gallery of the Theatre Royal It would be impossible. Mr Loughnan, in reply, said that the management’s idea of what seats were re- * served did not agree with the public’s -view. / The public naturally considered those seats reserved which had been bought prior to the', performance; but the management withheld \ or reserved rows of seats themselves in the ' hope of selling them later At the reserved > price. His Worship said that under the by-lav It seemed that any person paying the 3e waa . entitled to take the seats which were not v reserved half an hour before the performance * commenced. On the second information* also, a breach had been committed. . Defendant was ordered to pay costs aady solicitors' fees.