FILMS AND THEATRE FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 6

FILMS AND THEATRE FIRES.

l: EXPLAO&;i , j .ms PRACTICE IN. NEW;, ZEALANB;;.':V '■• '■•, f"* iZMQiiiarrsiicuL .cosnispoHDENti)-''.- ; >. :■:';.. .Ctirlstphurch, February . 1 25'.'■ •;. ;„ n ßecent; cablegrams' announcing the loss of. .300.Jives atAcapuloo in Mexico and of fourteen lives, in Aula,-in Russia, owing to kinematographi.'films -taking .fire and- ' causing pi>nics,,are said ,to have carried some'little' apprehonsionvlooally. : as t6 the safety of the' ■ living:.pictures a;pplianpcs at present: in use .in .Cnnstchurch."-. An, "Evening; News!' re- : .porter;last''night;'ihyestigated the' arrange-, .merits'employ ed at; His: Majesty's Theatre by ..Mr.' Ti> J; West's Company and at. the Colosseumt by;the'V'World-wide.Picture At; : both; places;,practically -the; same .pre-'. gautions:. :! were':v'obseryed. Vltvmust; be' :ad-' mitted. that/ the ', film .'.upon/ which' the miniature .photographs are '.printed;; being of eel- 1 luloid, .is of "an/irifiammablo" nature. 'It is. wound "off/one spool through the/ projecting /apparatus, - and l 'from'thence on. ;to another' . spool,; ohly.'aylittleoyer:a /foot of .film being exposed .at' one '.time.; : '' Very' powerful''arc Jamps:afe. used'to.provide, the light, and, as the/beams 'from;>these : are,concentrated into a ■''■ disc; of about two :'inches. in diameter ; at a j point;; where-.the film' passes' ; thrbugh the considerable. If the ribbon'of celluloid .were to remain stationary and be exposed'to. the intense heat for;■ half' a;..'second,': ; it'.would probably; burst into "'flame;';,-. The ; film,;however, is-kept moV: .ing, "and '.is; thus'.'unaffected' by the heat. Breaks in ; the film.; sometimes .'Occur, and !theso\":Brev;jpined;;witli : ." i ''a'VP''terit. : . solution. ;Should the join. be':roughly, made,' there is a'risk' ofvihe-film .jamming in .the "gate.",' '■■ :.This,-is : p'robably. how the trouble' occurred in/Mexico and Russia; The machines at pro-, sent in /use-in. Christclrarch are provided with cut-off shutters, by..which; the lens projecting the strong-light oh tp the film.may. ; be. instantly-shut, off.; .Any operator,' worth his saltj - puts ?dff: the' light at iihe slightest suspicion, of a hitch,: and thus avoids all danger of the;rjbbori;ignitingV .- .... . ; .Both bbmpahiea provide fire-proof cabins in 'which ; their rs,;.work," and, in•,'.' the event of• 'a''fire"occurring,.its ; spread.beyond ,tho' place, of origin' could; easily ,be, checked. In, 'addition" chemical .fire extinguishing appliance's.' ate,, at hand. ..',' Ample ; means . for speedy exit'are.also readily,available at both places', of. amusement.'.; •;■;';''; : .«, Mr. : Gebffrey Nye, manager .■'of West's. Pictures', stated .that ;Mr.; West had .secured the :rights to .the'.'.exclusivo ■"use of; non-inflam-mable and ; ; that, after Easter, all of. .his pictures will bejirinted on tliat: material. Superintendent .Erck, chief ..of. the 'local fire "brigade," stated ; that from: what" he kiie'w of, the. arrangements at, the'-.'■; kinematograph shows ; at ; ; present ,;in Christclmrch .ho thought'"tier© was no danger to the public. The "danger, was' with; the small travelling compariies, ■-,which wore cpiLtinually.ou ; the care to face,the expense of erecting' ;