Kinematograph year book (1948)

534 The Kinematograph Year Book. into account matters which it ought not to take into account or conversely has refused to take into account or neglected to take into account matters which it ought to take into account. The power of the Court to interfere is not as an appellate authority to override the decision of the Licensing Authority but as a judicial authority it can only determine whether the Licensing Authority had contravened the law by acting in excess of the powers conferred by Parliament. Sunday Opening The Emergency Laws (Transitional Provisions) Act 1946, Defence Regulation 42b, under which permission to open on Sundays was granted, expired on December 31, 1947, and unless it has been made of permanent effect by an Order of the Secretary of State Sunday opening will not be permitted. Many areas have taken advantage of the provision of the Act to obtain continuity of Sunday opening. If, however, this has not been done and S.O. is required then exhibitors will have to comply with the Sunday Entertainments Act of 1932. In this case a draft Order must be submitted to the Secretary of State ; a Public Meeting arranged and, if necessary, a poll taken in the area. Transport Act Much has been said in the press about the Transport Act of 1947, the object of which is to nationalise all transport, including railways, and to bring all transport undertakings under the control of a central authority to be known as the British Transport Commission. The transport of goods by road, which would include films, is dealt with specifically in Part III of the Act and under that Part of the Act the Commission are empowered to acquire any road transport undertaking, the activities of which consist wholly or partly with the operation of vehicles under an " A " or " B " Licence,* and where the undertaking was carried on during the whole or any part of the year 1946 in the carriage of goods, for hire or reward. The date of transfer of undertakings under Part III is to be specified in the notice of acquisition but the Act provides that parties may by agreement substitute another date. It should be noted that under the Finance Act of 1947 stamp duties were increased from August 1 , and this should be considered when making offers for the purchase of property, etc. The duties are doubled on conveyances or transfers by way of sale or voluntary disposition, except in respect of smaller conveyances of property. In such cases when the consideration does not exceed £1,500 there will be no change in the duty and when the consideration is between £1,500 and £1,950 there will be graduated increases rising to the full double duty when the consideration exceeds £1,950. Stamp Duties Up to £1,500 the stamp duty will be at the rate of £1 per cent ; between £1,500 and £1,950 the duty will be graduated and over and above £1,950 the rate will be £2 per cent. The stamp duties on leases are also doubled, except in the case of certain of the smaller transactions. In The Companies Act of 1947, there have been several important changes to the legislation in the Act of 1929. Under the provisions of the new Act an investigation can be initiated by not less than 200 shareholders of the company even if they hold less than one-tenth of the issued shares. It also gives much wider powers of investigation to the Board of Trade if it is considered that the business of any company is being conducted fraudulently. Such an investigation would also apply to any other company, which is subsidiary or allied to the company in question. The sections of the Act dealing with the powers of investigation came into force on December 1, 1947.