Page 11 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

unfavorable weather this summer’, as Senior Constable John Power, all 17 Pictures were shown only
said The Times, ‘but there is no risk of stone of him, came along and told me occasionally during 1923, as the
poor houses if Saturday night's ‘that was no place to start a fire’. R.S.L. members were occupied with
conditions are repeated.’ “The picture reps. were a tough lot the new project. The Sentimental Bloke
Near the end of Mar. 1920, a number in those days and would substitute was shown at the open-air theatre on
of regular patrons were disappointed at films, so we never traded with them March 1, and later in the year, Till
the decision to cancel the show, because unless there were two of us, usually Death Do Us Part.
of the chilly temperature and the Cecil Davies and I, as we lived handy On 10 October 1923, although
dampness of the seats. to each other. We bought Westerns “Jupiter Pluvius was in merry mood”
Later the management announced mostly, as they were the cheapest. preventing the attendance of many
that as the cold weather had set in, “The machine then was a manual country residents, the new hall was
there would be no more open-air affair and it was a pretty hot job, opened with a good crowd in
pictures until further notice. Films turning it for two and a half hours on attendance, particularly school children,
were not able to return immediately to a hot night”. for it had been announced that the
St. George's Hall, as a contract for ceremony would be followed by a
alterations to the premises had been picture show. The Secretary to the
held up, owing to the unfortunate “ a film started to smoulder Trustees explained the financial
illness of the Clerk of Works. It was in the open-air theatre position, and the urgent need for 250
not until 22 June that the hall was pounds ($500), which was to be raised
available for pictures. projection room. I ripped it by special efforts such as a bazaar, and
out, dropped it in a tin dish - by the continuance of the Soldiers’
Long before 9 p.m. most seats
were taken and the orchestra was our hand basin - Pictures for the remainder of the month.
playing under the baton of Mr. Collins and threw it into the road. ‘The Chairman’s announcement
of the Citizens' Band. It burned like a tortured that the picture entertainment would
Not everyone appreciated the snake….” now proceed’, said the Times, ‘was the
orchestra, however, “It was pleasing to signal for prolonged manifestations of
note that small boys have dropped the delight on the part of the juvenile
practice of much whistling during the Under New Management. section of the audience. The program
orchestral selections.” The R.S.L. had discussed the submitted met with (the) hearty and
This was not the only trouble for possibility of building a new hall, uproarious approval of the youngsters,
the management. The projector had suitable to the standing of Donald as a who were made the recipients of a bag
been dismantled for cleaning and after town, as a memorial to the soldiers of lollies each on leaving the hall.’
re-assembly there were frequent film who had fallen in World War One. The Pictures continued through 1923,
breakages and an excessive amount of decision was finally taken at a meeting although the films were less than
flickering. The necessary repairs cost held on 16 Jan. 1923. The St. George's memorable. In Jan. 1924, Mr. Hector
85 pounds ($170). Hall had been bought for the soldiers Small took over as manager. He
by the residents for 1,200 pounds announced that he had made
In November, the open-air theatre
($2,400). Only 570 pounds ($1140) arrangements for “Argus”, the boy
reopened and the machine worked well
was still owing and this was wiped off prophet, to appear in conjunction with
being close to the powerhouse Pictures
by the R.S.L. members and their a full picture program for two nights
were shown outdoors through the
ladies' committee who now wanted to in a row. There would be a complete
summers of 1921 and 1922, and in St.
sell the old hall and build a new one. change of picture each evening.
George's Hall in the cold weather, still
twice a week. However, "hoodlums"
were a worry, rattling bottles, throwing
peanuts and whistling.
Mr. Les Hall, who was on the
committee of management, recalled
other problems during that time. “We
were not making much money, and I
remember a wild committee meeting
about the expense of insuring the films
from Spencer Street (Melbourne) and
back, during which time they were
considered our property.
“However, we took out a policy
and soon after, a film started to
smoulder in the open-air theatre
projection room. I ripped it out,
dropped it in a tin dish - our hand
basin - and threw it into the road.
“It burned like a tortured snake, just The first Memorial Hall opened in 1923 was home to the Soldiers Pictures until
destroyed by fire in 1930.

CINEMARECORD 2002 11