Cinema News and Property Gazette (1912)

November, 1912. THE CINEMA. 39 O RRE S PONDENCE LETTERS FROM READERS ON TOPICS OF INTEREST WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOMED, But all Correspondence submitted for publication in Thk Cinema must be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer, not necessarily (or publication, but as evidence of good faith. No notice will be taken of anonymous communications. Letters, which must be written upon one side of the paper only, should be brief and to the poin', anil should reach the Editor not later than the 20th ot the month. All communications should be addre sed to tin Editor, Thk Cinema, 21, North Audley Street. Oxford Street, W. Publication of letters from correspondents must not be taken to implythat we endorse the opinions expressed. LIVERPOOL JUSTICES' ARBITRARY ACTION. To the Editor of The Cinema. Sir, — Allow me to trespass upon your space to call attention to the arbitrary action of our local Justices. At a recent meeting they discussed the advisability of raising the prices of admis sion for children 10 cinematograph shows. As a working man, 1 strongly protest against such a course. Why should outclasses, who are saddled with heavy household expenses and in ;urance taxes, be compelled to increase the profits of the share holders of picturedromes, and, also, why is it necessary to put an age limit for children attending such exhibitions? This will mean that parents will be compelled to accompany their children when they have other duties to attend to. Surely these grandmotherly regulations should be at once suppressed, and parents left to control the movement of their own youngsters. 1 believe picture palaces have come to stay, and I trust every encouragement will be given to their extension. These structures cost many thousands of pounds, every penny of which goes into the pockets of the working man engaged in the trades employed, and on completion of the buildings we can take or send our families for a few pence and have a most enjoyable entertainment. I have been to many of these places of amusement, and have not seen anything to shock mv family, but, on the contrary, most of the pictures are of an educational interest. Instead of discouraging children to visit picture palaces, why not encourage them? They learn more than they would learn playing in the streets and gutters. It may interest the Bench to know that the Finchley Education Committee, on the advice of a number of headmasters, have arranged for over ^60 school children, with teachers, to attend a picture palace where films of an educational character were exhibited. Why cannot the Liverpool educational authorities follow their example? Yours, &c, October 14. iqu. J. G. To the Editor of The Cinema. Sir, — It is the duty of every good citizen to do all he can to promote the prosperity of the city in which he lives, but even it the risk of being stigmatised as a traitor, I feel bound to advise any readers of your valuable paper who may be contemplating comfng to reside in this city not to do so if they have any children under fourteen, or value the enjoyment of the young amidst pleasant surroundings. Our city Justices evidently desire to enter into the land, as represented by the electric theatre, and possess it for themselves and their kind. The children of the poor have no right to enjoy themselves ; they should be content to always abide amidst poverty and squalor. Their recreation should be taken in Slumdon, their rest in a garret. I am almost tempted to ask how dare they even be born ? If an enterprising manager offers a prize for an essay written on a picture which has been seen, our Justices are so lacking in perception that they cannot realise the educational value of uch a competition or of the pictures. Of course, if a board -chool teacher set his pupils the task of composing an essay upon any of the pictures exhibited at our local halls, that would be a horse of quite another colour, and the teacher would be quite justified in thrashing any unfortunate youngster who could not comply with the request because he or she had not seen the film. Why should our children be penalised in the manner proposed? I certainly think there is need for concerted action on the '■art of exhibitors. The example of one city is soon followed by others, whether it be for good or evil, and I trust that the Inhibitors' Association of Great Britain and Ireland will take ''lis mittei up and endeavour to instil a little common sense into those who sit on the bench. My motto also has been, " Do to others as v, u would be done by." I wonder what those gentlemen who act as the licensing authority would sav if their offspring were not allowed to travel half pi ice on 1 he railways fir «were made to pay full price for admission to the legitimate theatre. \ ours faithfully. Liverpudlian. October 22, K|i2. PICTURES DO NOT OFFEND. To the Editor of The Cinema. Sir, — The recent correspondence in the Press, coupled with some inquiries which I had tren making inio the subject, induced me lately to pay a visit to a local p'cturedrome. I was quite prepared for pictures to which exception might be made, but in not a single instance did I find anything to which the most sensitive could object. The first part of the programme consisted of miscellaneous items, such as the launch of a battleship, an international football match, and the funeral procession of a Spanish princess. The second part was entitled "With Captain Scott to the South Pole," the most wonderful picture being that depicting Mount Erebus in eruption. Other pictures showed us geologists climbing an iceberg, testing the temperature of the air by means of balloons, testing the temperature of water, the crew at football, tiie ship's cat, the biologist examining the contents of his net, hunting the seals, seals at play, whales rising to the surface to breathe, some penguins, who appeared to be holding a solemn c nclave, and some gulls, which seemed both larger and darker than those seen on our shores. I must not forget to mention in closing that we were shown the photographer in the act of taking a cinematograph view Yours; &c , Birkenhead, October 17, 1912 W. F. A. B. A REPLY TO THE KILLJOYS. To the Editor of The Cinema. Sir, — I read that the Rev. F. B. Meyer is to lead a big deputation to the London County Council, asking for the abolition of the Sunday picture shows. I would like to put forward an emphatic protest against this action. I know ot instances where hundreds of railwaymen and other workers have to be on duty every week-night, and, Sunday being the only prssible night they get lor a little amusement, they find relaxation from their dreary toil by taking the wife and kiddies to the pictures. This action of the rev. gentleman in demanding the closing of picture shows on Sunday is just what the publicans are longing to see fulfilled, for since people have taken to visit picture palaces in preference to public-houses their takings have fallen off to a very large extent. Mr. Meyer asserts that a seven-day week will be the outcome of this licence. Is he aware that when the West Ham Town Council allowed the palaces to open on Sundays they made a proviso that no employees were to be allowed to work more than s;x days a week : otherwise the licence would be in danger ? What is to stop the London County Conncil doing likewise? He also states: "If you open one thing you must open all tilings " Just let us draw this 10 a logical conclusion and we shall find, if that be true, then to "close one thing you must close all things": which means that if the London County Council are foolish enough to give way to these narrow-minded requests we can look forward to all National Sunday League concerts, bands in the parks, and Sunday excursions being abolished in the near future How happy London will be! Thomas Steel. 2(1, Kenchester Street, London, S.W. " Twixt War and the Girl," Exclusive, packs theatres to the full extent. WALTURDAW.