MUNICIPAL PICTURE SHOW.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1068, 25 February 1913, Page 3

MUNICIPAL PICTURE SHOW.

better FILMS WANTED

At last night’s Council meeiiuy r. reply was received from Messrs Fuller and Sons to the communication from the Council asking that better pief’"'. programmes should be supplied. Messrs Fuller and Sons stated that out of 70 odd towns in which their pictures were shown, Foxtou was the only one that had in any way criticised the programmes. They expressed surprise that a small town ot the population of Foxtou should be dissatisfied with pictures that were being shown nightly in His Majesty’s Theatre, Wellington, to audiences of upwards of 2000 people. They could not think that the Foxtou peop:e were dissatisfied with their programmes generally, but perhaps the last programme received had not been up to the usual standard. They stated that their films were purchased in London by their own buyer, who was recognised as an expert in the line, and although, like everything else, there were times when a film would come to baud that was not entirely satisfactory to themselves, the programmes generally gave universal satisfaction. They asked for information as to the class of film that the Foxtou audience preferred.

Cr Whibley moved, and Cr Hannah seconded, that the manager of the Town Hall proceed to Wellington and interview film dealers with a view of obtaining the best programmes of films procurable for the Municipal Town Hall.

In speaking to the motion, the mover said it seemed to him that it would be more satisfactory to Fullers as well as to the Council itself to send the manager down. He knew what was required, and if he could not get the films from Fullers, then he could go to the other dealers. Cr Whibley said he had thought that perhaps after Fullers had received the Council’s complaint that there would be an improvement, but this was not so. Saturday’s programme, although it contained one or two good films, was no better than the rest, A film that he would like to see shown here again was the Pathe Australian Gazette, hut he believed this could not now be obtained from Fullers.

The Mayor said that the mover of the motion, in proposing to send the manager to Wellington, was on the right track. A personal interview was far better than correspondence. Mr Fraser knew what was required, and by going to Wellington would no doubt make arrangements to have films forwarded that would give satisfaction to the picture patrons.

Cr Richmond suggested that Mr Fraser should see Mr Fuller personally, and not the film hire manager only. From what he knew of Mr Fuller, he was satisfied that he would do all in his power to satisfy the Council. It was not so much the class of picture, but the worn film that objection was taken to. Cr Chrystall asked if other firms’ films could be used in the machine at present in use by the Council. Mr Fraser said the only make ot film that he knew of that wouldn’t fit the Gaumont machine was the Bison, and he could arrange that no film of this make should be included in the programmes. Cr Chrystall said he would support the motion, but would oppose paying a higher price for the programmes. They were going to have opposition, and were now paying as much as they could afford.

Cr Coley said he did not hear much grumbling from the people that attended the picture shows, and it appeared to him that all the grumbling was at the Council table. He had visited the pictures in Palmerston rather frequently of late, and was satisfied that the pictures shown locally were equal to any he had seen there.

The motion was carried unanimously.