Kinematograph year book (1944)

The Legal Outlook. 107 Fire Guard (Business and Government Premises) Order of 1943. This is a further Order with regard to Fire-watching and came into operation on September 20, 1943. This is a very lengthy Order comprising some 55 pages, and is known as Statutory Rules and Order 1943, No. 1044. It is divided into some four parts — namely, Fire Guard arrangements for premises to which Order applies ; Duties under arrangements or in relation to arrangements ; Provision of services other than Fire Guard services; and a part dealing with Miscellaneous and General items. There is no doubt by now that Exhibitors have been visited by the local National Fire Service and /or a Representative from the local Council to ascertain what arrangements they have in force for the proper fire-watching of their theatres. If not, I would advise that they get into touch with one of these bodies and ascertain whether they are satisfied with the Fire-watching Scheme in force in connection with the theatre so that should occasion ever arise it cannot be said that the theatre had not been sufficiently and effectively fire-watched. Soft Drinks Order of 1943. (S.R. and O., 1943, No. 838). This Order has been carefully considered, but under ordinary circumstances it would not apply to kinemas. Town and Country Planning Acts, 1932/1943. Under this Act the whole of the land of England and Wales is now subject to planning control and consequently it is not advisable to pay a price for land based on its use for a different purpose without taking proper advice. I now propose to deal shortly with a few matters which I think will be of use to readers of the Kinematograph Year Book : — (1) As regards the payment of Health and Unemployment Insurance in respect of cleaners. Cleaners must be insured for health and pensions at the usual rates and there is a lower rate of contribution payable when the cleaners' wages are under 3s. per day. Cleaners, however, who are not precluded from following some other employment do not require to have unemployment insurance cards — that is to say, if the cleaner works at the kinema for only part of the day and could if she desired find employment for the remainder of the day. Whole-time cleaners employed during business hours — (that is, the hours of the performance) — would have to pay unemployment insurance, but not cleaners employed part-time outside business hours. (2) Exhibitors and Unclaimed Property. — It is advisable that any property found on the kinema premises and handed to the kinema o wner, whether it be by a patron or a member of the kinema staff ; should be handed to the police with the name and address of the finder ; and if the article is not claimed within a reasonable time — (usually six months) — then it is returned to the finder. The unclaimed article would not belong to the kinema owner unless it was actually found by him. Where a patron finds something in the theatre there is no obligation upon that patron to hand it over to the management unless he or she wishes to do so. (3) As to a Member of H.M. Forces attending a kinema it should be pointed out that even if he is in uniform the military authorities could not be held responsible for any of his actions, and this whether or not he was absent without leave. The point, of course, being that he was not acting within the scope of his employment as a soldier when attending the kinema and, consequently, the Crown would be in the role of master and not responsible for his actions. (4) As Regards Queues — These are not illegal so long as they do not create a nuisance or cause an obstruction. (5) As readers are aware, the increased Entertainments Duty came into force as and from May 16, 1943. If the old rate ticke ts do not show the correot