A SUCCESS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1930, Page 2

A SUCCESS

PRIME MINISTER AND THE MICROPHONE. WELLINGTON, Sept, g, The first talkie film produced by New Zealanders was exhibited to Ministers to-day, the Hon, E, A, Ransom, acting-prime Minister, who was accompanied by the Hon. S. G, Smith, Minister of Labour, the Hon P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister of Tourist Resorts and Publicity, and the Hun. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Defence, being given a private view. Mr Ransom had the interesting experience of hearing himself talk from the film, for he figures in a well-de-vised talkie dealing with the Prime Minister’s departure for the Imperial Conference. Mr Forbes’s voice, in a farewell ■message, ending with a very cheerful fitpte, was excellently presented, though it. was noticeable that the Prime Minister was over-anxious not to stray too far from the microphone, with + l ’« result that there is not much animation about. his performance. However, when it came to shaking hands with his colleague and wishing him well in the position of acting-Prime Minister, the scene brightened up considerably. “Sorry to be leaving you with some difficult problems, particularly that of unemp’oyment, to solve,” remarked Mr Forbes, “but my last word to you all is: ‘Carry on.’ ” Mr Ransom replied that unemployment in particular would receive his best attention, and with the co-oper-ation of the other (parties in the House he hoped to find a solution in the country’s best interests. New Zealand enterprise has also been responsible for a talkie record of the departure of the All Blacks, a scene on the steps off Parliament Building being effectively photographed, and speeches by the Prime Minister, the manager of the British team and Mr Porter being faithfully reproduced. It is intended in future to accompany New Zealand scenic films with a lecture and a musical accompaniment, and by an ingenious method of double printing, which will provide on the edge of the positive film the talking section, to send out existing material brought more in line with modern picture theatre requirements. From samples exhibited the technical difficulties have been almost completely mastered, and the undertaking, in which the Government is closely interested, seems promising.