FILM BOYCOTT STARTS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1930, Page 3

FILM BOYCOTT STARTS

j;/.!);; c DISTRIBUTORS REFUSE TO ;V RENEW CONTRACTS. i V i

ißy Telegraph- -Per Press Association.)

■’ -WELLINGTON, September 4. ~ Event's in" the film industry moved to a climax to-day, when, following on communication with the .United States, various film exchanges and productive representatives in Wellington refused bookings for new .film, and they informed some exhibitors that the contracts expiring would not be renewed. This move followed an unsuccessful attempt by the distributors of fifm to.induce the Government to reduce the ,P xtra taxation on imposed upon ifie uridustr|f'% the taxing Act of lasst. month* f •• U > U-. * L; l Thd ifili.nl exchanges -represent that they fare* now unable to, jjesjr < .further taxation" to. thh', extent imposed vby tli€?j Govern meat, tliough r-they* apparently • afc wiping/; to meet t|nuMiftisief ’of ‘ Finance! to - the pojnt :ol tlic sum -for.. which the ’ budgetedi The .. extra taxation of, 25 per ’ cent: upon the gross profits vyhs estimated to produce ■ £30,000’ between the Ist of July -and the "end of the financial year, 31st. of March next.

sf-|£fsb;i§ j understood that, the film e.x* f Jiumlges. were willing to pay this surn, provided that it was set down as ..a - but that the Government to' agree to this. At noon to-dav the representatives of tlie New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors Association waited upon r tlie- 'Hon. P."A- de,l.a l?e*relle >: Min-, : is'ter of internal’ Affairs, the, purpose of their visit'* heing" to 'urge the Government .to: meet .the,wishes of the "'exchanges, and to agree to' an investgation of the equity of the taxation., The exhibitors, naturally, do not ,v,i<?w the tax .in the same way as the, ;do, for the exhibitors are >siii4-tliat it cannot .. be passed on, Jhexeby of the "question of the-incidence of the tax to their satisfaction.

•a-vAyailable .figures are quoted to that the position of the ex- - changes, --.is . not •as bad •; as it is • represented to he. In 1927-28, the Aevehjie of the film industries was givp'n at £248,000. This figure was furnished to the Commiteee of Inquiry into the projected customs tax on film-,in 1928. The Government, at that time, proposed to increase the customs footage tax from a Id to 3d The revised'rate .which' -was stated vtb'- be.i'expected to increase the fevenue to £114,001)', was not up%lied.'' ‘ ’ . This year the revenue of the film distributors is expected to be almost Jiqlf.ji .million sterling, and tlie high-: - egt e'stihfate of the additional bu.iden : "ion .tim : exchange \it is' pointed V. out, ■'lias hot been 'more than y^IZO,OOO. Moreover, in 1928,' state the critics, there was a suggestion of the distributors abandoning the New Zea- " TaiuT field.

There are about 500 motion picture theatres of all awes in New Zealand;- employing fi’oni ten to two per-. each. It is/ estimated that the number of workers in the picture theatres is 3,500, and the capital invested is very substantial. Should the distributors carry out their present intention to withdraw the effect would be serious. ~

No furlior action is contemplated apparently until the Government’s decision is known;

Some small theatres are affected iminediately• All spf: the contracts for the larger theatres will expire by the end of December next.