DOMINION PUBLICITY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 39, 15 February 1930, Page 11

DOMINION PUBLICITY

SMALLNESS OF ALLOCATION

Dr. Cotnam, a Canadian M.P., has returned to panada after a visit to England, and, to a representative of the "Ottawa Journal," he made comparison between the publicity obtained in Great Britain for New Zealand and some of the other Dominions', and that enjoyed by Canada. . s His. remarks apply chiefly to publicity for the produce of the respective Dominions. It may have been due to his criticisms that a request for information as to the methods and activities of the New Zealand High Commissioner's Publicity Department, and the amount of money spent was recently made. It probably was a revelation to the inquirers to learn that whereas the sum spent by the Canadian Government in produce publicity alone in Great Britain is considerably over £100,----000, the New Zealand publicity allocation (for touriat as well as trade propaganda) is under £3000. ■

It is interesting to mention that the New Zealand Publicity Officer, Mr. H. T. B. Drew, has recently been, approached by' the indian, Australia, and Irish Free State Publicity Departments for information as to how New Zealand obtained free circulation for her cinema films in Great Britain. At present New Zealand is the only Dominion which has any systematic showing of propaganda films in theatres throughout the United Kingdom. This gratifying result is the outcome of a system that has taken some time to build up". Agents ask anything from £5000 to £10,000 for twelve months' circulation of Dominion Government films in 60 specified theatres, but New Zealand enjoys a showing of some 15, films every day at a cost only of railage charges on the film. A diary in the High Commissioner's publicity section shows each day where the films are exhibited. . ' '