Kinematograph year book (1935)

144 The Kinematograph Year Book. More Legal Troubles Sponsored Shows — Redundancy — Standing in Gangways — The Unaccompanied Child — Hiring Agreements and The Inland Revenue — Circuit Extensions and Income Tax. by NORMAN HART, B.A. (Solicitor to the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association). THE Statute Book has not affected the Industry generally speaking very much during the past year but various matters have arisen which have caused a certain amount of uneasiness to the exhibiting side at any rate. I propose in this article to deal shortly with some of the most important which should prove advantageous to readers. * * * Many Exhibitors have been concerned as to how they stand and what they can do to prevent commercial houses advertising their products on the screen, which they consider is unfair competition and detrimental to their interests. The position is that as regards the Films themselves if they are non-flammable (as to whether or not a Film is non-flammable is a question of fact) then it is not necessary to obtain a Cinematograph Licence, although if those Films are shown, even if they are non-flammable, on premises already licensed the Conditions on that Licence must be complied with. If the Films are inflammable Films a Cinematograph Licence must be applied for except in cases where the exhibition is only an occasional and exceptional one and the exhibitions are given not more than six days in any one calendar year. In such cases a notice, of not less than seven days, in writing must be given to the Licensing Authority and to the Chief Officer of the Police of the locality and the Applicant must comply with the Home Office Regulations made under the Cinematograph Act. Nor if the exhibition is given in a movable structure, for which the owner has a Licence from the County Council of the area in which he resides, is any Licence required, but here again Notices must be given as before mentioned, but in these cases the Notice must be given not less than two days before the proposed exhibition. The position shortly is that if they give the exhibition on premises already licensed and comply with the Conditions on the licence they are perfectly in order in what they do and such exhibition cannot be prevented — -if nonflammable films are used then the Films can be shown on any premises because a Cinematograph Licence in such a case is not required, but as before pointed out if such premises are already licensed then the Conditions must be complied with. * * * The question of redundancy has also caused a certain amount of discussion in the exhibiting side of the industry. I would point out that when an Exhibitor proposes to build a Theatre he should, before he commences to erect the Theatre, make a formal application to the Licensing Authority Gene Stratton-Porter's "Laddie" from Radio, of course!