The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Sep-Oct 1922)

October’ 28, . 5922." ““SPOT(TING) Unfair THE FILM RENTER & MOVING. PICTURE NEWS. t3 BARRED.” Showmanship a Danger to Kinema Industry. ad MORE LOTTERY COMPETITIONS IN / NEWCASTLE HOUSES. HE practice of *' spotting ’’ in theatres and kinemas of Newcastle has been banned by the police on the ground that it is an infringement of the Lottery Act, and how it was brought about was told at a meeting of the Northern Branch of the C.F.A., held at the Branch Offices, 71, Westgate Road, Newcastle, on Tuesday, October 17, when correspondence on the matter was placed before the members. Mr. J. S. Snell presided, No Action by C.E.A. Mr. R. Sumner Jones, chairman of the Consolidated Cinematograph Companies, Ltd., London, on October 10 wrote a letter to Mr. Alfred Smith, secretary of the Northern Branch of the C.E.A., which stated that he viewed with concern the prevalence of *' spotting '’ in their businéss, and felt that it was contrary to fair showmanship and the welfare of their business. He had urged Captain Barber to do everything in hig power to stop it. He regretted that the C.E.A. Branch in London had refused to take any steps to stop it. The letter also drew attention to the fact that the Olympia, Newcastle, had started “ spotting,’’ and in spite of his strong feelings on the matter” he was obliged (while hoping that it would be stopped) to follow suit at Westgate Road as a protest. Mr. Jones also intimated that he was writing to the Chief Constable of Newcastle, sending him a copy of the letter and telling him that the sooner he stopped what the writer believed to be absolutely illegal, the better he would be pleased. Tho Legal Points. ‘Mr. Sumner Jones’s letter to the Chief Constable of Newcastle expressed the hope that the Chief Constable would lose no time in pronouncing that ‘* spotting "’ was illegal, and pointed out that ‘‘ by the Act of 42, George III., the definition of a lottery is the distribution of prizes by Tot or chance. Section 2: No person shall keep any office or place to show by any contrivance or device whatever, or any game or lottery whatsoever, not ‘authorised by Parliament. Penalty, £500. Section 5: No person shall under any pretence or device whatsoever promise or agree to pay any.sum or publish any proposal to pay any sum. Penalty £100.'’ Mr. Jones added that his solicitors had advised him that in all cases it was necessary to sliow that the person keéping such place did so for gain or profit. He contended that the mere fact of attending | the kinema was quite sufficient evidence of profit to the owner, and that persons were induced to attend with the object and chance of getting something of value by way of a prize, contrary to Section 5 of the said Act. An Infringement of the Lottery Act. Mr. Smith, the secretary of the Northern Branch of the C.E.A., wrote to Mr, Jones in reply to the effect that he had Google seen Mr. Waugh at the Westgate Road Picture House, and Mr. Chadwick, of the Olympia, and had found that the Chief Constabla had stopped the ‘' spotting ’’ at both places, but whether it was temporary or permanent, he could not say. Whether the practicé was legal or otherwise, he did not think personally that it would do the business any good. He did not know of any other case of ‘' spotting”? that had taken place in the area. In view of the fact that both the Westgate Road Picture House and the Olympia were controlled from London, he suggested to Mr. Jones that it would probably be better for him to approach Mr. Bacon and agree to stop it from there. Mr. Smith read a letter he had received from the Chief Constable of Newcastle in regard to the ‘* spotting '’ competitions, and expressing the opinion that they were an infrmgement of the Lottery Act, and intimating that in the event of any further infringements taking place proceedings would be instituted. In reply to that Mr. Smith wrote to the effect that he would draw the attention of the members of the branch to the matter. He also sent a copy of the Chief Constable's letter to Mr. Sumner Jones. Stopped in 24 Hours. Mr. Smith received a further letter from Mr. Sumner Jones tc the effect that he was surprised that Mr. Smith did not recognise that the action he tock in starting that objectionable method of showmanship (immediately it was started at the Olympia) was the quickest and most effectual method of having the thing barred in all the kinemas in the Newcastle district, and he hoped in the North of England. Mr. Smith overlooked the fact that at the same time he (Mr. Jones) wrote the Chief Constable informing him that he believed it to be illegal and quoting to him the sections of the Lotteries Act which it infringed, and requesting the Chief Constable to pronounce it illegal without loss of time. The desired result was effected immediately. It was at once stopped and all ‘‘ spotting "’ is barred -in the city of Newcastle. Thus in 24 hours he had done what the London Branch of the C.E.A. had failed to do in several months, although he had repeatedly asked them to take action, and urgently pointed out the harm those lotteries were doing to the kinema industry, In the course of the discussion which followed, the secretary pointed out that the Chief Constable had evidently decided not to institute proceedings, but now that it has been brought before the members they might anticipate trouble if any of them attempted the ‘‘ spotting "’ competitions again. On the motion of Mr. Carr, seconded by Mr. A. V. Adams, it was agreed to send out a circular letter to the members of the branch embodying the remarke of the Chief Constable.