SIDESHOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1941, Page 6

SIDESHOWS

LICENSING PROBLEM CLAIMS OF RIVAL PARTIES. A. &P. SOCIETY STANDS BY I DECISION. . ("Ti ines-A jjc" Spec lol.) More correspondenec uii the subjectj of the licensing of sidcshowinen wasi received nt the monthly meeting to-! day of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society., Both sides in the dispute between the J licensed and unlicensed showmen were; represented by lengthy circulars and! letters. The Showmens Association, a! body wihch refused to accept the corn-! pulsory licensing decision <,f the Royal • Agricultural Society, wrote protesting! that the position was ‘'ridiculous." and', accusing the Royal Society of "unjust ‘ and dictatorial” practice. The Showmen’s Guild, a body which I has supported and abided by die action! of the Royal Society, wrote maintain-! ing that the Society’s compulsory i licensing rule was the only means of’ keeping shows free from undesirable! showmen ami questionable sideshows. [ Mr. W. Howard Booth: "Perhaps the! Royal Society has been a little hard.| but we have got to be drastic to deal witn the undesirable element I, know J of two show secretaries who wore! knocked about seriously by these pen-. pie. There have been cases, a year or two ago. at our show, of local men j being assaulted. We don’t want that j type at shows and we must do what we i can to keep them away." The president. Mr. .1. A, McLeod;! "W 1 have thrashed this matter out be-J fore, and unless we go back on our! previous decision, we must abide by ■ the action of the Royal Society which ! we agreed to support ” It was decided to continue io support ■ the action of the Royal Society.