THE FILM CRISIS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 71, 20 September 1930, Page 7

THE FILM CRISIS

REPLY TO MINISTER

STATEMENT BY SIR VICTOR WILSON

i :>-e7>};r to the Acting-Prime Minister's statement on the crisis which has arisen through the new tax on sound picture films has been made by Sir Victor Wilson, president of the Motion Picture Distributors' Association.

"I want to sty," said Sir Victor Wilson, "that the Acting-Prime Minister struck a peculiar note when he said ho did not intend to allow any American corporation to interfere with the domestic affairs of this country. Surely he is not really serious^ If ho is, I would remind him to loolc up the files and ascertain exactly what the position was ■when Mr. Forbes was hero —when he stated that he would not attempt to go further by way of taxing' the industry than the £30,000 he had budgeted for, as for the remaining eight months of the financial year. Our figures were accepted, and that £30,000 became the Government policy, to which I subscribed.

"Mr. Forbes is now in Canada saying fchat unless the Canadian Government takes the duty off butter, New Zealand cannot trade with her. That does not sound so absurdly illogical. It is actually analogous to our case:—unless the New Zealand Government is reasonable in the, matter of taxation, we cannot trade here. , "The nest point of interest in Mr. 'Hansom's remarks is that I have made misleading statements in the Press," said Sir Victor Wilson. "I challenge him to prove it, if it is in connection with me or my visit to New Zealand. DEFINING A "LOCK-OUT." "Mi-. Ransom, too, takes exception to the use of the word 'lock-out' in <;ontradistinction to the erroneous term 'boycott.' Might I draw his attention to the case of an employer who forces men to down tools by offering them less than award rates? That any Court in the land would rule to be a lock-out, .not a strike; yet we say we arc being placed in the position of those workmen by the altogether unreasonable demands being made upon the industry by the New Zealand Government. We hpe # done our very best to deal with him in a proper business way, and the Responsibility now rests with him and Jbis Government.

"Mr. Bansom also mentioned that we £ad failed to prove that the tax was a fconfecatoryone," said Sir Victor Wilson. "Again I ask, is Mr. Ransom serious? I have been here over a fortnight ■waiting and ready to prove these things before an inquiry, but so far without any effect. And I am ready to prove before any competent authority the Government may appoint that the tax is confiscatory. .

"Mr. Eansom further says that the jtax ds a net tax. Why, the honourable gentleman admitted to. me that if an allowance •were made for the original aost of the.film, it was not a net tax. Why has he altered his opinion? He 3iad the signed documents placed before him as a necessary precaution. THE BRITISH ATTITUDE. "There is another very serious thing," saia Sir-Victor Wilson. "The Statement of yesterday—and I want to be fair to the Acting-Prime Ministerwent so far as to say that the British people ofifered.no objection and were prepared to go on labouring under this .confiseatory tax. :

"I challenge Mr. Ransom to consult fche files of the Department ana produce the cablegram sent to him by thci managing director of the British Dominion i'iims. That cablegram was most emphatic in tone, and as the statement has Jieen made to strengthen the case of the Government, I ask Mr." Ransom to publish it. If he does' n6t I will, as a copy was sont to me in Australia by the managing director of that company, knowing as he does the interest I have always taken in the development of British films. .

"With regard to all the facts and figures, they have been submitted to leading auditors in this country in substantiation of our appeal for fair play. Surely the Government cannot treat them lightly. I am making public in a day or two the full details of the whole transaction from A to Z, as I am determined that the responsibility for p. very unpleasant situation shall rest jupon the right shoulders."