SAFETY OF THEATRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 9, 12 January 1904, Page 2

SAFETY OF THEATRES.

INSI'NCTION IN IJIUSJ.SANIO. (Pit J'ress Association.) I!ltl'.!Si»AMi, .lan, 11. . Tin- Ma\ur aid the Secretary of I'uiilii: Works have ollk-ially inspcct--1(1 111,- theatres. Which WCIC g-elli'lul-)y Hgni-ihd us being satisfactory. A lew aIU-iationu 'have Iwii ordered lo Utter secure safely. WKldJNli'i'ON 'ITIEATHE ROYAL. WIOLI.INCTON, .lan. 11. The lewsfc and stage inn-linger of lib.' Theatre Uoyal have been served wirh notice by the Oily Council thai the Imitating is urn unlicenm-'l one, n'liil warning I'hi'm that public mLuiiuiiiini nis mi' being- yivi'n ut the. link ih pruscnKiou. 'Jhi- Hci list- -for this l.k-aliv .'Xi.-ii'iul-'oii Christinas live. The action is mad-erstooU to be the result, in' I lie recent inspection of/ Uheatics uidil hulls by olliccis of the mL!n-ici,,ali(y. CH'J U HTCH |: i (Cll H IIOHT COM--INUB. CHUIHTOIU.'ItCtI, J«i. It. At a iii(.vtiii K of -the City Council litis evening the Oily Inspector xiuliiititu.'d a report on line jiiwmiijou uinplinnees in eoQincctiim with buikluiyv; ii«v«l for public galliei'lng..;. lLe. ..i.-Wges-u-.l a number of alterations aajJ improvements. Tlte use of tires and combustibles in ix-rfor.munees, lie Jaid, shmil-J l>c prohibitad ; all exits .'(ino'ukl l,e thrown open at the conclusion o-f perfonmmces so- tbal t-lm Hublic might become tainiHtti-iscd vvil'h them ; exit doors should 1,0 kvM by siprii/g cailchus ao Uutt a. sli h |!i't pressure wonUd throw them oiK-n, and all bolts should lie drawn during perfionmiur.es. Among other Ihai.'gs In; also suggested tlmt a water supply from ~lcv>a.le\l tanks should he provided ut all buildings, ■vith Millicivnt cxling-uisihliKg. plant. I'ncctieally, lie sUrtud, there -was i» lire extinguishing, plant ut uny of vlte Ijuiidingvi, with the exception of the Ifamtro Royal, where there were a JoKen bin: touts arrtl a small liortmWo tank with hoso, but on mwktul occasions lately a nmiiber of t'liesu hral u»n louiikl empty. 'llhe Council <!<>- .;iid«l to giumt only tomporiwy llccnA's iHi'til tlKf by-l«w8 cmmirittoe went into tte matter. SCIKNCK CONCRESS "SI'EAI.'S. DUNBDIN, "■v; Taw. -: 11. The nßrit'iiHurat and eiiKiiuvi'inft fit'Ctiijii oi Uiu Hciunce Congress pas-c-il the following resolution : •'liecognisiiig the urgent necessity tor tliu planning of. aif buildlSgsu'sed .is placed of entei'taininent, etc., in :ucii a manner that the iiufety of tho public may he ...insured, this Coiigiu™ wishes lo put before, the various iiiiUiM:ij;si.li(iica : Hie iirinciplea' >ipon which works should be f!e.ligiicd, ami ui K e that a license be not granted to any buiklingi which .dues not fulfil : the ;■; coutli-: lioi.ii'." A copy uS the : it"s6fu;,ioii <s :" to .foii : : :, ': :7 alj^'A.iiMtr^iaJiiwi: municipalities. ■ MSW'TLYMOIi'm THEATUB ItOYAI. ■At lust tiiyht's Bdraiiigilt CouMcil uieelimg the ■.Wuyor suid he hud view:the Tlmtfiv lloyal and was of ■.oiwnicyii -tlmt there was uvery facility: for gtwii-g egress in case of lire. Vlrst jf all, tlui uLrcHft could be reoclnGd ..froii.i... thv Irtwit. wiwlowK, if ■'Orukl -cliuil) over vwMwlaihs*ami siifle down the po^ts. ■■Or Co 11 is nawi Or .Carter': You -an't,-. A Councillor: An<l break their necks"

The Ma} or : Ves, you can. There use windows all along thu..front of ihu buiUiwg. Cr Collis : Yes, but you wohIU ha™ to gvt through u wall flret. l'hwe are offices tfwre. .""'.'""'

The Mayor then enumerated t'lw various means of exit at the thcaUu. I> Wat) perfectly: satisfal ttot Jvere was betii-r provision here than.re tiiu Wellington Opera House. Cr Tiwdi saii-d-the hull bald boon .sU'bjreted to. severe examination toy the Fire Prewnti-em Committee Ije•urc being licensed. ■■''■■:'■■■

Cr llroofcto'g «!«»•• attention' to the 'act that the fire escape bakonaeH «vre often blocked with stools and iuM.es, etc. The side exits slmmM be .altar lighted.

Cr Wuud niftvesl that the Council as a wtole visit the hull awl mate übeir m-ournuaxtatians of alterations.

Or Ooilis Becowded, ami sawl the A'rjiumt yf police haul' informed ivim ■' 'Mil evening"that t.li(j'-lire' : wi(iane»i«t» rhe theatre were all right in theory, tout would prove otherwise- in caso •>■! a lire. in the first place the dou•»l«vdoors "'<>peffiii.g from- the pit: wero A-lie-rally hjckwl, timing a perform.mfe. Oiw al t-iio tors was nearly Uways bolted, and if there were an alarm o-r tire ::t-heJii-st:iiiaa\ vvilio ;toopod to u'irfHStai that door would w tranipl«l on and killad, Another .ire exit was ■often left lixiked-■ or ■olockvd with forms. He was certain uimt in a. lire to ttottoeatre wlwtfchfi "utwing wjjs crowded, therewould '» great loss of life. ....... '.":. .

The borough inspector' said he had jvc-i! instructjiotia liC , haw in " llra stapes ojjwi at every performance, .iitl Mr Jones hat! promised to Vive Hie matter his attention . .CouWJlors. ttouprtlthV-^nspector uieatt u - was open-.":: .. ■ Cr Wool(i 's motmn Wfta carried..