The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

to THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. December 9, 1922. YORKSHIRE .NOT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE C.E.A. Leeds and District Branch Only Out for a District Council. MR. T. HERBERT HE Leeds and District branch of the C.E.A. may have its grievance against the headquarters in London, but it secs pretty clear from the discussion at the December meeting of the branch that Yorkshire does not intend to break away. All that is projected is a District Council for Yorkshire, part of the London organisation to consolidate support in the Yorkshire area, and in no sense to weaken the existing organisation. ‘No Breakaway. That was the outline of the scheme, us given in reply to questions by Mr. T. Herbert Kayc, of Huddersfield, chairman of the Leeds branch, last Friday. Mr. Kays said he had no idea in his mind, and never had, that they should break away from the headquarters of the C.E.A. He realised that the C.E.A., as at present constituted, had power to deal with impcrial matters and matters which affected all parts of the country alike, far more efficiently than they in Yorkshire could possibly do, and that being so he was not prepared to sugvest breaking away from the parent body. They had power in their rules to form District Councils at which they might discuss the business in that district. Such a District Council might be an amalgamation of three or four branches or more, and they could ask the general secretary to form such a District’ Council for Yorkshire. That was as far as he personally was prepared to go. Mr. Lambert : I take it the proposal is really to establish a sort of County Association which will be one that will be ‘affiliated to London? The Chairman: It will be park of the London organisation, formed to consolidate support in the Yorkshire area, and in no sense to weaken the existing organisation. Mr. Lambert said he certainly thought it would be a retrograde step to sever their connection with London entirely, and he should certainly oppose very strongly any such suggestion. The Chairman‘ I have never suggested it; nothing is further from my mind. . Finances of the Scheme. Mr. Jesson said that he understood that fully 80 per cent. of the matters which could be dealt with locally were at present referred to London, and the Chairman replied that there would be less time wasted in London, less visits would: have to be paid to London if an organisation for Yorkshire such as was suggested were formed. Mr.'J. F. Tidswell inquired if thefinances under the. new scheme would go up to London as before, and the secretary (E..M. Rush) ‘replied that 50 per cent. as at present would come back for local work, Mr. Tidswell said that in the past there had been alot of things about which they in Yorkshire had felt. very strongly, and “which they had sent up to London to be dealt with, but oftener than not when they had-gone up there to headquarters to speak about them, they had been told to be good lads, and nothing had been done. The Chairman said they couldn't expect to rule the General Council, and Mr. Lambert said that the General Council, as at present constituted, was a democratic body, and as such, it had a perfect right to arrive at any decision that had for its object the benefit and interests of the trade. At the same time he Google KAYE EXPLAINS. did not see why a local body such as was suggested could not exercise local autonomy. It would be understood that they would be secking the common welfare and interests of the trade only. Details of the Scheme. The Secretary explained that the proposal was that the District Council should consist of all the branches in Yorkshire, each Lranch with 50 members to send one delegate and an additional delegate for every 50 members, but that no branch should be entitled to send more than jour delegates. = The District Council would appoint its own chairman, vice-chairman and committee, and should meet in January and in June in each year. Its work would be thoroughly to organise the district and generally to improve the efficiency of the organisation. The expenses would be charged pro rata to the branch funds of each branch attached to the Council. The Chairman said that to him the need for such co-ordination as the District Council would provide was obvious. To mention only one example of the possible usefulness of such a step, he would draw their attention to the fact that in the county of Yorkshire they had no recognised body to deal directly in the interests of the trade with the public authority carrying on those duties which in towns and cities were carried on by the Watch Committees, One Matter That Went Astray. They would remember that last year the West Riding County Council announced their intention of imposing as a condition of the kinematograph licence in their area the prohibition of children of school age being admitted to kinemas during school hours. He brought that matter up in London, and the “General Council decided to fight the matter on a test case. As a matter of fact, nothing at all had been done, and the condition was now embodied in the licences throughout the West Riding area. If they had had a strong committee able to approach the West Riding County Council on this matter, and to speak with authority on behalf of the whole of the trade in the area, he was satisfied that a good result might have been obtained. Is Yorkshire Interested? Councillor John Lambert said he would like to express, his profound appreciation of the scheme outlined. He could visualise an immense amount of good which such an organisation could do. If they only brought the right spirit to bear they would present a united front to the outer world which would be to the benefit of the trade generally. He moved the adoption of the minutes. Mr. Jesson, remarking that he thought it was a step in the right direction at least, seconded, and the minutes were adopted. ; The Secretary reminded ihe: meeting that in eannestion with. the proposal to form a District Council for Yorkshire, he had sent out invitations to the officials of the other branches in Yorkshire to meet at Juncheon in the Griffin Hotel, Leeds, on December 6, but up to date had received no replies acceptiny the invitation, The invitations were sent on November 28.