MOVING PICTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1930, Page 2

MOVING PICTURES

MINISTER’S REPLY. PROTEST B>Y SIR VICTOR WILSON. WELLINGTON, September IS. Sir Victor Wilson, president of the Film Distributors’ Association, inform-* ed the correspondent of the “Times” that /he had received a reply from the acting-Pi'ime Minister to his representations that the new film tax imposes a tremendous financial handicap on business. This Statement, said Sir Victor Wilson, had beefi-supported by the fullest information, including audited accounts by a leading firm of Dominion auditors, and they were submitted to a committee comprising Income Tax, Treasury and Customs officials and the Ciriematograph Inspector. The Government had now informed him that it would consider tiie question of further investigation pf; this tas after it had been in operation for a reasonable time, say, till the end of the financial year,

"thfere bfis .been a great deal of chatter about thp boycott” added Sir Victor Wilson,; "apd I take the strongest objection to/ihat term being applied to this incident.. The companies are anxious to trade and to cohtinue trading in New Zealand, but the Government has decided on. legislation which prevents such trading. Surely, it cannot be reasoned that this is other than a lock-out, brought about by the Government, and that the responsibility for the damage done to the trade of the Dominion must rest on the Government.” Reminded of the film exhibitors’ support of the request that there should be an investigation of the incidence of the film tax, Sir Victor AVilson said: “The distributors desire it and will give the fullest facts and figures. AVe offered, if the Government submitted a questionnaire with the very fullest details demanded, that everything possible should be done to supply, tlie necessary information.”