FELT KEENLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 174, 25 July 1930, Page 9

FELT KEENLY.

AMUSEMENTS IMPOST.

9 "INVIDIOUS" DISTINCTION.

MR. H. HAYWARD'S VIEWS

* WILL FILM TAX BE PASSED OX?

"Confucius said that governments should encourage entertainments as an antidWe to~lliscontent; and it is just as ijnie to-day as it was three thousand years ago," said Mr. Henry Hayward, director of Fuller-Hayward Theatres, when asked his views on the proposed amusement tax. \ 'It is not the case of a swollen head with the Government," he continued; "hut a swollen overhead. The proposal to return to the amusement tax on the lower-priced tickets of admission is particularly unfortunate, both for the entertainment business and for the peop'e. Personally I have always been opposed to the amusement tax a3 an invidious impost, for the providers of. entertainment are in the same 'position, as other merchants, the only difference being that they sell entertainment instead of goods. We have to pay all the ordinary taxation that others have to meet. "Of course, the exhibitor has the option of passing ,on the one penny tax on a shilling ticket, or he can sell the shilling ticket for elevenpence and thus evade the tax altogether. i "Business Staggering." "The tax is being imposed at a time when the entertainment business is staggering under the effect of the revolution brought about by the adoption of sound films. This has occasioned extraordinary expense and absorbed any profits that might have been, made during the past. year. It "will take some time before business recovers from the crisis. "After all, it must be remembejed that the entertainment business is a necessity. The Government Statistician has recognised'this in the past by including a certain amount for entertainment nVthe cost of living index. I do not tirak that the Labour members of Parliament will agree to the tax on the lower-priced tickets, as it is a direct impost on the worker. Higher Film. Tax. "If Parliament insists on the higher grade of taxation on sound film/ 5 ho, added, "it should be a provision by law that it should not be passed on to the overburdened exhibitor. This is necessary, as all the American film contracts provide for the passing on of everything )0f this nature to the showman. If this tax is passed on it would defeat its own object, as many of the smaller businesses would be forced to close." Speaking as a citizen, Mr. Hayward said the only virtue he could see in the Budget was the endeavour of the Government to pay its way instead of thrustHi? a deficit on to "posterity. "At the same time," he added, "it seems to me that the remedy is worse than the •"sease. The real fact is we have too much government and too much governmental machinery for our small population." ~ • Dr. Rayner's Views. '1 feel that the amusement tax is unwarranted," commented Dr. F. J. Sayner, governing director of Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd., a concern with a <*am of theatres in Auckland city and suburbs and country districts. "It has to be borne in mind'that we are paying * aigh price for the rental of sound uw— an innovation embodying treOendoua expenditure to produce. In addition all the theatres have had to I? *° a v ery large expenditure to equip tneu- buildings, with plant to onable jneae films to be shown. At the present ™ne exhibitors are not in the posiwon to bear the strain of additional taxation.

we are overburdened with taxation » the present time. If the Governmen* tad gone abroad for its requirements instead of borrowing in New .'.ealand, the position would have been Afferent. The raising of debentures at a * per cent within the Dominion has tippled the country and absorbed the noatmg capital that business men so urgently need for expansion. This i borrowing has driven every man ?tto the hands of the banks, and they « then- turn find it impossible to make *»l the advances required for business expansion. >

working man will be greatly ffcZT h 7 the tas on the lower P riced weatre tickets. The picture theatres v * "is principal place of amusement, ana I jj e * surpr ised if the Labour members allow this tax to be carried. .. 4 s to the heavy duty proposed on it must not be forgotten ™* Britain forwards only about 10 P«r_c«it of our requirements. Many **«Bitore win have to go out of busitjj M }t Ws impost is passed on to