A DUTY ON FILMS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2558, 4 September 1915, Page 3

A DUTY ON FILMS.

■ .Sir—l notice that Mr. Okey is.asking" for a .duty on kinematograph 'films, , and states that the ( profits /are enormous. : I will bo pleased to.knowwhere these■'enormous profits aro being ; made in the picture business in Now Zealand tfuHng-tlie '■ past year, or for that matter r at, any. time. ;.'lt' is . truo tliat; a few ' people aro doing well, but how maiiy aro there who . are .merely hanging oil' for a .bare existence? Film hire has been considerably increased, during the' past'three years, and all other,expenses, rent, musicians,: etc.;, havov'iincreiwea also,' while tlie 'receipts/have slumped, which is of course due to- fierce" competition/ : The duty would be passed ou . by the" film; importer to the exhibitor, aiid.'l caii 6how Mr. Oke,y a clause in a contract' which' for this. Does want/the exhibitor to pass .011 the duty''and raise .tho prices ,to tho poor,', .who'.'depend upon' picture shows for their solo means of enjoyment? AV/hat about- putting a .dutiy'bn. tlie big star artists who are imported and play to' hpiises at/ ten shillings a seat ? /It - wbtild not hurt the rich playgoers' to get their price's raised a shilling all round. I; can name one company which made more money in touring New Zealand than all^the' picture shows combined. Tho infliction of a duty would not be : protective, becauso films are never likely to be produced'iii New Zealand to any 'extent,-if only for tho-reason that our climate -is dead - against high-class kinematograph photography. -./ If Mr. Okey wishes to raise revenue, he should attack the pleasures of the .rich, and 'leave the pleasures of the. poor alone.— l am, etc.j' /'- ' ' ■ L. W: FOWLER. Hastings, August 30, 1915. .