The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Apr-Jun 1922)

7o THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. May 6, 1922. NORTHERN BRANCH MEETING OF C.E.A. Musicians and the Unemployment Act—Insurance Claims and Refunds—The Tax Abolition Campaign—New Additions to the Cinematograph Act. SN HE question of the insurance of musicians against TI unemployment was discussed at a meeting of the Northern Branch of the C.E.A. held last week at New castle, Mr. J. S. Snell (Gateshead) in the chair. Mr. Alfred Smith, secretary, reporting on the Unemployment Act, stated that so far as the musicians were concerned the position was that 36 hours could be taken as representing a working week, and that meant that if a man was being paid £4 for a week cf 24 hours he was being paid at the rate of £6 a week of 36 hours, and therefore did not come within the scope of the Act. For the purposes of the Act musicians were not regarded as workinen, and only came within its provisions if they were not earning more than at the rate of £250 a year on the basis indicated. Putting the point into actual figures it meant that a man in receipt of £8 4s. 2d. per week of 24 hours was being paid at the rate of £250 0s. Sd. a vear on the basis of 86 hours in the week, and therefore need not be insured. Mr. Watson Young (Gateshead) remarked that anyone at the minimum would have to be insured. The Chairman replied in the affirmative, and the Sceretary added that a man had increased the wages of his musicians by Is. per week to put them outside the secpe of the Act. Not much was saved financially by that course, but it had proved a tremendous saving in trouble and worry. Insurance Act and Refunds. Mr. Dixon Scott (Prudhoe) said that as the result of a recent visit from an inspector he had had a claim for insurance for a cleaner who had not been insured becuse a previous inspector held that she ought not to be. The amount claimed was £5, The same inspection revealed that the sum of £8 had been paid under the mistaken directions of another inspector, which the speaker was entitled to have refunded. He had had several letters demanding the payment of the £5 claimed by the inspector, to which he replied on each occasion that he would. pay the amount when the £8 he was entitled to was refunded. He advised all members who had been paving insurance for their musicians needlessly to claim a refund of the money as they were entitled to do. Tax Abolition Activities. Mr. Dixon Scott reported upon the opinions gained from North Country M.P.’s by the Northern delegation in their lobbying campaign at the House of Commons on the question of the abolition of the Futertaimment Pax, It was announced that Mr. Win, Walker, a Newcastle renter, bad sent to the seeretary a cheque for five guincas towards the expenses of the Intertainments Tax Abolition Committee. Executive and Cinematograph Act. The Secretary reported that the new regulations proposed by the Home Office as additions to the Cinematograph Act, and to the branches for their consideration and observation, had been carefully considered by the Executive Committee, and certain amendments had been drawn up to be forwarded to the General Council. The Chairman that very changes had been sudeested by the Executive. as they considered the regulations as drafted by the Home Office were a positive danger to the industry. [ft the regulations were to be adopted as drafted a would be ruled) out of sent said radical very large percentage oof kinemas existence, The Secretary stated that the committee had also suggested an addition as well to the effect that the present method of compelling exhibitors to apply for the renewal of their licences in the ordinary police courts be abandoned, except in cases Where the dieence had had some complaint made against it. The Chairman said there was nothing mere distasteful to him and to the exhibitors generally than to have to appear amongst the drunks and disorderlies to ask for permission to carry on their legitimate business for another vear. (Hear, hear.) The report of the Exeeutive Committee on the regulations was adopted and ordered to be forwarded to the General Council. THREE MEN AND A SAFE. Accused Men Charged. HERE, was a sequel to the sensational safe robbery from I the house of a kinema proprietor at Ashington, Northumberland, when Raleigh Abrahams, alias Gordon Ray, Arthur Clarence Hunt, both of Newenstle, described as ‘* theatricals,’? and Richard Alfred Simmons, Wilkins Green, London, a chauffeur, were charged at Morpeth Police Court on April 26 with breaking into the dwelling-house of Joseph Lamb, and stealing £5,673 in money on April 19, 1922, Evidence of arrest only was given. and the accused men were remanded for a week, bail being refused. Superintendent Wight stated that on April 20, in company with Inspeetor Lennox, of the Neweastle City Police, and other officers of the city and county ferces, he saw the accused Simmons at Hale’s Garage in Neweastle. Simmons approached a car which had heen garaged there during the night, He was Google ‘Ashington. asked if that was his car, and he replied that it was. Witness then asked) Simmons if he had been driving on the previous night, and he replied * Yes.’ Simmons went to the police station, where he made a statement as to his movements. Later he was charged with having heen concerned in the burglary at Some timo after Simmons sent for witness, who sautioned accused, He made a statement describing the journey to Ashington, the placing of the safe in the car, and the breaking open of the safe on the road side. His statement implicated three men not in custody. Witness also saw Clarence Hunt at the police station, where he had been detained to have his movements investigated. Witness cautioned him. He made a statement implicating Abrahams, known as) Ray. Tunt deseribed how the burglary was planned and the division of the £5,000, in Bank of England notes, at Ray's lodgings in Neweastle about midnight. The money was divided between Clarence Hunt. Ray, and other three men who were wanted. Each got £1,000, as well as a portion of the silver and gold. Later witness saw Abrahams at the Polive Station, Neweastle. Witness told him that he was going to take him to Morpeth as being concerned in the burglary at Ashington, and he replied “ Right.”’