FILM INCREASE DROPPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 235, 5 October 1927, Page 11

FILM INCREASE DROPPED.

OLD DUTIES REINSTATED. REPLACED BY QUOTA SYSTEM. (By-Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The protests made by picture house proprietors against the proposal to increase the duty on foreign films to threepence a foot, have resulted in the Goveramety reconsidering the whole que»on imported films, with thi if suit that it is now proposed to reinstate the former tariff—British films coining in free and foreign films at one per lineal foot. In the course of an, explanation made in the House of Representatives to-night the Minister of Chutom* sa!d:~- - **We have restored the old rate of duty cm cinematograph films, namely, Id instead of 3d per foot on foreign films. A great many representations were received, which threw doubts on the question whether the British could supply an adequate number of films, and that this would not serve the purpose of promoting the introduction of British films so well as the quota system. It was decided, in view of the possibility of the duty being passed on to the public, that a reasonable thing would be to hold this over in view of the fact thai a bill dealing with the film quota will come down this session." Mr. Fraser: A more satisfactory thing. • Mr. Stewart: The British quota was 7} per cent, but it was rcduced to 5 per cent. One other feature emerges which is worthy' of our attention. It was shown that foreign film firms are trading in New Zealand under such conditions that, although they export many hundreds of thousands of pounds from New Zealand, it does- not appear any taxation is paid by them. Australia has been trying to get at the profits py making an arbitrary assessment, but this is being legally challenged. The Minister reminded the House that a royal commission was investigating the matter in Australia, and, as conditions were similar in New Zealand, its report would be of value here.