The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

March 3, 1923. 2 of the C.E.A, ates Leads to a ‘** Breeze.” en as O1ce-President. OCIATION FUNDs. than during the past year. He wished to pay a special tribute to Alderman Trounson for his conduct of the Council's meetings : some members might have felt that their late chairman had been severe upon them at times, but that had all been passed away by the pleasant smile that invariably accompanied his ** trouncings.’’ He realised that Alderman Trcunson was a difficult man to follow in many ways. That Association had never had a president before who had been able to approach the branches as his predecessor had done, and, although he (the speaker) was hoping to follow the very good lead that had been given him, he was not sure that he would have the time to visit the branches as much as Alderman Trounson had. Still, he hoped to render such service that they would be satisfied when he reached the end of his term of office. There were many matters which would have to be faced during the next few years, big problems which would be difficult to deal with. He would place them in the order they occupied in his own mind. One, which he considered vital to the welfare of the industry to face, was the matter of the prices of films which were charged to-day. He thought: that the exhibitors were to blame for this very largely. They must get over the bad feeling between themselves and their fellowexhibitor: to get rid of their desire to oust him. The question would be dealt with best by a conference between themselves and the renters. Another matter to which he would draw attention was the Entertainments Tax. This had been a very unfair burden upon the industry, and he hoped they were going to retain the services of Alderman Trounson on the Tax Committee, and ultimately achieve a great success. The third item was the fees charged by the P.R.S.: this was a matter which was being dealt with by the committee, and he hoped that negotiations would lead to a satisfactory position. The fourth item was the matter of the film contract, and here again he hoped that the efforts of ihe joint committee would be successful. ELECTION OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT. The election of the vice-president was next upon the agenda, the particular procedure at this juncture being the appointment of serutineers by the’ candidates. Messrs. McDonald and Newbould acted for F. E. Adams, Messrs. A. Smith and Dudley West for J. H. Dovener, Messrs. H. Percy and Sidney H. Kaye, ‘and Bailie Wright and McBride for Later, amid much cheering, the result was Bacon for T. T. Ormiston. announced as follows: RSW ETIOE® sites Neko rick ee eckiciainkes Pesasaun eee oeteee 350 ACUI Sok alan ats oc Sete hE eae tausahacdoaicaxeety 242 COPITSEOH ca al octavian Mares bel oabans eeeaes 168 FEDVG) exci ekds raat pay ahs osascsomarcepenngee 136 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 9 ALLEGED IRREGULAR PROCEDURE. It was while the -counting’ of votes was being effected that the breeze took place, it being prefaced by a minor zephyr set in motion by J. H. Kaye and F. I. Adams. The former complained that whereas the rules stated that the ballot papers should be sent out ten days before the election, some of the papers were sent out this year nineteen days before.If the rule said ten days it meant ten days, and not a greater number of days: The result of this had been that other candidates had sot out their election matter earlier than he had, as he had been relying on the rule being strictly adhered to. F. KE. Adams supported Mr. Kaye’s point, and added a grievance that Mr. Dudley West on behalf of Mr. Dovener had asked by letter, written on the Alssociation’s notepaper, that voting papers should be sent to him: this was irregular. The Chairman suggested that Mr. Kaye’s difficulty would be overcome by the rule being understood to mean ‘“‘ at least ten days,’’ and explained satisfactorily the letter written by Mr. Dudley West as being a custom which others had followed. J. H. Dovener declared that he had not seen the letter referred to and that it had not been sent out with his knowledye. PAST PRESIDENTS. Before the submission of the list of elected Council men to the meeting, Alderman Trounson moved the following resolution : ‘That it be a suggestion to the Council to appoint Mr. A. I. Newbould a member of the Council: and that the Council be further instructed to consider and bring up a recommendation (if they so think fit) at the next annual meeting dealing with the status of past presidents in relation to the Council, and to amend the rules accordingly.’ This was carried unanimously. LONDONER’S INVALID ELECTION. My. J. Hallinan at this point brought up his grievance in the form of a question, asking why a letter sent by him to the secretary had not been read. The Chairman replied that he was adhering to the agenda, wherupon Mr. Hallinan declared that the election of London delegates was invalid, and that if they continued to act he should take legal action to obtain an injunction. It having been decided to discuss the matter, Major Gale asked the meeting to allow him to vacate the chair while the matter was being discussed, as he was the secretary of the London Branch. This, after some hesitation, the meeting allowed the chairman to do, Alderman Trounson coming back temporarily. The gravamen of the case, according to F. KE. Adams who, after many objections, was allowed to state tho case, was that, in the first place, the notices had not been signed by the secretary as required by the rules, and that, secondly, the definite statement that nominations must be sent in by a certain date to be valid was overruled, nominations being necepted at the mecting some days later. Eventually, -after Captain Barber had put the ease for the London Association, Mr. Norman. Hart,. the Association’s solicitor, said that the objection was a moot point, but to avoid the threatened litigation he would advise that the elected delegates resign and offer themselves for re-election at a meeting governed by the rules of the Association. Alderman Trounson then appealed to Messrs. Adams and Hallinan to accept thig solution, and the London Branch was asked by resolution to adopt this course, only four hands being held up against the motion. The following are the delegates elected as the General Council for 1923, subinitted to the Annual General Meeting on February 28, 1923. The names of the London delegates are not included, as the decision of the meeting and the readiness of the London Branch to acquiesce automatically withdraws them. Birmingham and Midlands Branch : Messrs. Lewin P. Samuel, E. Hewitson, and Councillor G. F. McDonald. Bradford Branch : Councillor A. E. Shields and Mr. R. Richardson. Bristol. and West of (Continued on page 12.)