OBJECTIONABLE POSTERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3099, 1 June 1917, Page 5

OBJECTIONABLE POSTERS

, COUNCIL HAS NO ,POAVER. Mindful of;.the very wide interpretation of a -siib-clause in the Municipal Corporations Act by the Supremo Courtin the recent Sunday golf case, the City Council is not «oing to make any more the mistake attempting by law to regulate public morals. Last night the council had before it the report of the By-Laws Committee on the letter of the Minister of Internal Affairs, suggesting that the council should take some action to stop the public display of objectionable posters on hoardings, hut the committee declared that as tho question was one of morals, the council could do notlung. • The committee's report was as follows:

"The committee have to report that l.hev have considered the letter received from the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking the co-operation, of the council in regard to the exhibition of objectionable posters on hoardings and in vestibules of theatres and other public places.' The Minister asks what, action the council proposes to take in the matter. He states that, if municipal authorities arc not nroparcd to exorcise the powers given them by Section 31+ (a) and (o) of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1008, the Government might consider it necessary to find some other means of "dealing with what is an- undoubted .evil, and which is calculated to undermine the morals of tho juvenile ponulation of tho Dominion. ' "The committee recommend that the ■Minister be informed that tho council, while deploring the matter, is advised that the ciuestion appears to bo one of morals, with which the council bus no power to deal. '■ Clause 317 (e)'of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, provides as follows:—(o) Inasmuch as it is inexpedient that questions of religion or morals should be regulated by by-law, no by-law shall be valid if a\ breach thereof would involve a breach'only of some religious or moral rule." There was i some brief discussion on the report', and every councillor who spoke deplored the fact, that the council had apparently no power to deal with what they declared was an undoubted evil. It was decided in the end to adopt the report and to approach the Minister by deputation with a request that the anomaly be removed from the Municipal Corporations Act. Tn the. course of the discussion. Councillor Yeitch informed the council that tho "particularly bine" posters to which most exception had been taken when the oucstion was firi, 1 raised had nothing to do with r>ny picture theatre, but with another theatre.