FILM POSITION

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1930, Page 2

FILM POSITION

EXHIBITORS ANXIOUS. COLLAPSE OF INDUSTRY FEARED. WELLINGTON, September 4. That there is something serious about the film position was demonstrated to the Minister of Internal Affairs by a deputation of New Zealand motion picture exhibitors today. -j Mr Robertson, Dominion secretary, said a, Ministerial statement .had discounted the suggestion of an American iboyeott of New Zealand. Whether or not that term was correct the fact remained that exhibitors were being refused supplies or renewal of tracts.“Last Thursday,” he said, “I had almost completed an arrangement for supply to an exhibitor, hut on Friday I was told a contract could not be made. No reasons were given, but we have been officially notified that no new contracts for American film supplies will be entered into.” Mr Robertson added that counsel for Australian motion picture exhibitors, Mr Harold Johnson, K. 0., had stated that the excuse given by picture owners wa,s that the new taxation was so burdensome that it precluded trading profitably in the co intry ; also that a serious error was made in computing the amount of tax which would he derived annually. The deputation was not present to express an opinion on these points, but it asked that the Government should institute an inquiry into the incidence of the new taxation, so that if -it were demonstrated that the distributors’ reasons were sound, action could be taken urgently, otherwise if the distributors were right it meant the i. tuple te collapse of the whole business in New Zealand. The Hon. P. A. do la Porrel’e: Do you seriously think they intend to boycott New Zealand ? Mr Robertson: They have refused supplies.

The Minister:Would it not ;be better to have fewer American pictures and more British? Mr; Robertson: You would get' a great deal less income tax from the theatres. Mr Kemball asked the Government if, in the event of picture exhibitors bavin" to protect themselves by independent purchases abroad, the purchase price could be recognised in making assessment for tax.

Mr Gillespie remarked that the deputation was not using the word boycott. “If a trader refuses to trade at- a loss that cannot be construed as a boycott,” he said.