PICTURE HOURS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 68, 14 December 1918, Page 6

PICTURE HOURS

PRICES TO BE 11AISED. A clause in tho Tiiblie Health' Amend* ment Act, which " was rushed through: Parliament' on 'the' eveof 'its rising, has the owners of picture -'theatres iu Wellington'and , the other huge centres much concern. This clause' makes it illegal for picture houses to lie open except during the hours of/.) to 5 in the afternoon, and 7 to 10 in tlie evening-. The continuous theatres, which are the. chief picture houses in these days, are those which' will be the most severely hit, for fho effect of the .change will be. that they will he limited to two programmes in the afternoon and two at night. l''ew ' will come into the theatres after 3.30 in the afternoon, for natrons will know that- this is .the last hour at which they can enter hoping to sec- a, full programme. In (ho same way at night" few will' enter after 8.30. This will mean reduced business,- and to make up for the loss the proprietors of these houses have decided io put up the charges to 9d. downstairs and la. up. stairs during the afternoon, and Is. downstairs and Is. Gil. upstairs during the evening. The new scale of hours and charges will come into operation to-day. A deputation representing the picture interests waited on the Minister of Public Health yesterday on the matter. The questions raised] however, are nnj- such 1 ni can be dealt with by a, Minister/ 'l'heso hours, nve not fixed by regulation but by the Statute, a«<l tn<\v must remain' in opi"\itiin until ih« . law is amended. ' All that the Minister can ;]n is to consider th° wisdom or otherwise of (unending the law.