"A FRIENDLY GO!"

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1917, Page 6

"A FRIENDLY GO!"

THE INSPECTOR'S SIDE. At Monday's meeting of tlie New Plymouth Borough Council a letter was received from tho manager of Taranaki Amusements, Ltd., anent the caec 'wherein he was fined for overcrowding Everybody's Theatre o» a recent evening. The letter appeared in yesterday's issue. Following is tho inspector's reply;--Tho Town Olerk. ■/ : i "\t>:'' Re Everybody's Theatre. Sir.-—Mr. Saunder's letter seems to infer I .have made a particular set at his'theatre, but a few inquiries will show that I have been over patient with him. On or about the 22nd July, I heard in the street that after I had been round on the previous Saturday night the steps up-stairs were* crowded. I saw Mr. fSaundera, and told him what I had heard, and warned him that the practice was a most dangerous one and must be stopped. At the same time, I saw the managed of another theatre and warned him that any breach of the bylaws would be severely dealt with. My report to the Borough Engineer on Ist August shows that I gave Mr. Saunders a chance on the Saturday night i/ question, but lie appeared to treat "me with contempt. After drawing Mr. Farmer's attention to the crowded stale of the house, they continued to sell tickets, and some of the people went away after going up to the dress circle. When I sawMr. Saunders at 6.R I gave him a chance to move the people during tho interval, so as not to annoy or disturb the patrons. On going then with Superintendent Bellringer at 0.20 we found it impossible to walk up tc the operating box. We counted the people sitting on the steps and standing in the aisles and passages. As a reßult of a conversation with Mr. W. Nixon, who asked me to ''make it easy," and who informed me that Saunders would plead guilty, I saw Mr. Saunders and agreed that if he wrote pleading guilty I would save him solicitor's lee and witnesses' expenses. At the eouit I put the case, as mildly as possible, but was bound to dri\v attention to the serious danger to the public and to the fact that Everybody's appeared to be getting a cheap advertisement. (The case wa? advertised in the morning paper on the previous week.) In my notes J have the estimated extra revenue on that night at .-C-2 3s fid, and Mr. Saunders had every chance to challenge me on any point in court, which ho did not do. With regard to my previous warning, I told" the magistrate that I had warned Mr. Saunders. Mr. Saundera said, "It was only in hearsay." The magistrate then said, "Then you do admit being warned, Mr. still of opinion that Mr. Saunders got off Saunders," and ho did not deny it." I am I lightly seeing that: (1) He had been pre- I vionsly warned (2) he was given a chance to rectify tho matter on the Saturday funded to patrons'(3) the extreme risk of night at a cost of not mere than Vis reaccident to people sitting on the steps in case of panic through earthquakes or fire (4) the danger of blockij.g the -.inly way to the operating box.—l am. etr\, ' R. DAY*