SOME STRINGENT BY-LAWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 217, 22 December 1910, Page 5

SOME STRINGENT BY-LAWS

REGARDING THEATRES AND HALLS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. At a meeting of the City Council tonight, a new by-law was passed, avowedly with the intention of doing away with the practice of early doors/at theatres. The new by-law provides that proprietors of theatres, concert halls, etc., shall be compelled to sell tickets for performances at least eight hours prior to the "commencement of the performance. 1 Theatre proprietors will also be compelled to have plans of the seating of the different parts of the buildings displayed af tlie various entrances, ana a seat once purchased remains at the disposal of the purchaser during the whole performance, and cannot be occupied by any person other than the holder ot the* ticket. The council also passed a by-law preventing any person from speaking, singing, or praying, either alone or in company, or playing any gramaphone or. other musical instrument, in Cathedral Square, without the written consent of the Council. [One of the "attractions" of the Cathedral Square on Sunday nights is the small army of religious sects who set up their stands and hold open-air services. The by-law may be aimed at these, as well as at travelling organgrinders and the like.]