The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-27
THEATRE LICENSE
FEES DISCUSSED
But Aldermen Took No Action Last
Evening-Proposals Run from SIS
to $50 Per Year for
Movies.

y" Wv Att ttdf lUf
Movies.
Precipitated by a majority report in
which the license committee recommend.
Ell radical reduction in theatre license
ices, a breach in The board of aldermen
last evening left the members in dis
agreement over the proposal TO assess
ices OF S2o and $50 per year for movie
houses over against two members of
inc committee and others supporting the
reduced schedule were the aldermen who
prefer to await the decision of the su.
preme court, now pending. in which the
citys right to assess 50 per diem Ii.
cense fee is to be decided. II was not
the first time that the aldermen have
been asked TO consider plan for re.
duclng license fee that often has been
described as excessive, but usually in the
past the prayer for relief has come from
the movie people.
The report set forth the claim that
the license committee is anxious TO see
the situation clear and followed with
the recommendation that license fees be
assessed on the basis of S25 per wear
for theatres with seating capacity un-
der 500, and $50 per annum for the
atres seating more than 800 people. Al
derman Rossi, the third member of the
committee, declined to subscribe to the
report, which bore the signature of Al |
dermen Milne and Alexander. IL was
argued by the majority members that |
the city is getting nothing from one |
theatre at the present time, and that |
the more attractive rate advocated in |
the report might prompt the theatre |
man to pay. Alderman Healy was of |
much. the same mind, although he pre-
ferred to leave it all to the discretion of |
the committee, Someone moved to re-
fer it back to the committee and Alder |
man Milne, after demurring on the pro-
priety of such motion. asked for a ru.
ing from the chair. President Loranger
stated that the motion. in his belief. had
the parliamentary perquisites. After it
had carried, the chair asked for an ex-
preston of opinion from each member.
The tabulated score follows:
Alderman Milne; Anxious to straight
en- out movie tangle and favored action
by the aldermen.
Alderman Healy: Stands for reason
able fee and says that nothing is to be
gained by getting a supreme court de-
,ision; public must be amused
Alderman Reynolds: Stated that Al
herman Healy had changed his opinion
since last year; favored decision from
he court, now that the city has paid
'or it,
Alderman Rossi: Believed 50 per day
o be rather steep, but favored proseeut
ng present test case that city may have
Is powers defined
Alderman Alexander: Anxious to have I
he matter settled at once.
Mayor Glysson: Wants supreme court {
ecision and favored motion recommit- a
ing report to license committee for fur :
her consideration.
Requests from the Goose Green for
ermission to stage horse race on
Jorth Main street March 6. from the l
iasons for the use of the opera house
larch Ia, and from the Odd Ladies for
he opera house March |, were received.
What the Goose Green asks for is theirs | =
nd the Masons are to have the opera 5
ouse, inasmuch az the proceeds of the
,cture by George Adam are TO be given ,
D the Red Cross. In discussing the re- :
uest of the Odd Ladies it developed that :.
he lodge is going to take one half of !,
he minstrel show proceeds Friday even
lg for its own use, the other half going '
, the Red Cross. Various ways of =
rantng the request without violating !.
lie letter of the contract with the lessees ? !,
ere discussed, but motion offered by =
lderman Healy and seconded by Alder =
an Rossi brought about refusal of n
le request. :, -
Mayor Glysson asked the aldermen ~
neither they wished to continue the
,licy on the city hall building, which
.pired Feb. Is. Most everybody around
e board seemed to feel that exorbitant al
ties had been asked and there was ,n
sposition to let the insurance lapse. III
ne motion to discontinue the insurance
as made by Alderman Milne and sec ~
ded by Alderman Reynolds. II is pro- pu
sed to insure from the city's private oe
surance fund. "
The recommendation from the license p
mmittee that Weston Walker be Civ
a plumbers license was tabled by
e vote of to l. Chief of Police Sin
IRIS January report, referring to % Oh
rests for intoxication. three for breach
the peace and three for robbery from
e person, was read and accepted A
ter from the superintendent of the ni' M
tie school in Brandon stated that the h'
'ther of boy travelling to the insti- pa
ion from Waverly, Mass, had paid his ne,
. and on tba mot;o, ~ aidarn,a,, raj
alv tho money annronriatod hv tba VIC
neil for that purpose was turned into ~ ~
city treasury. pr
Warrants were approved as follows: ~
'eet department payroll, Sl50.92; G. ahf JS
German, postoffice Sl.32, stamps: en- -"
eering department payroll $3.50; a,o
ter department payroll, S62.97: fire 80 -
'artment payroll. sl5046; police de- a,;,. nt.
tment payroll, Sl36.l6; G.. A. Bemis, g. g.
!, services as janitor; William Steph- uo
/, $3.50, d. J. Sullivan, $3.50, l.. Q. u
ICY, $50, service as auditors; j. L. mo