THE AMUSEMENTS TAX

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3174, 27 August 1917, Page 6

THE AMUSEMENTS TAX

Sir,—Those who happen along to tK a Grand Opera House on any Saturday, night (there are usually an abundance of empty seats on other nights) to see a. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., musical attraction or pantomime production, when the auditorium is well filled, may be fccgiveu for carrying away the impression that large sums of money are made bif travelling theatrical companies. A fewfacts, however, in regard to the very' heavy expenditure necessary to convey a. company and its effects to Now Zealand, and the current expenses which also have to bo borne, will completely disptl this illusion. In tho first place, rail and boat fares between Sydney and NewZealand and between Auckland and lnvercargill ntcessitate an expenditure ot. over J:2000, the ireight, wharfage, and. handling charges eat up about .£BOO, printing and advertising accounts Jiave to be paid to tho tune of .€IOOO, theatrft' rents and electricity mean ail outlay oi over <£1200, cartage and duty mojis up .£2OO, and sundry other items, such as royalties on plays, insurance, furniture, drapery, dresses, gas, extra labour, timber, etc., etc., total at least .£IOOO, and, to these amounts has to be added anothor iGOOO, which has to be paid to the artistsand other members of. the company. This brings'the total expenditure, which does not includo anything for painting the scenery or for wardrcbts and properties, which are paid for out of the Sydney and Melbourne receipts, for a. ten weeks: tour, up to .£12,000; so it will be gathered that the theatres have to be well, filled during every performance before • the company can ;;et anywhere near oven. \vith this enormous expenditure. The only money paid out during a New: Zealand tour which is not wholly circulated in the Dominion is the .amount paid to the artists who come from Australia, and the major portion of this is spent on hotel and boardinghouse accommodation, and in tho drapery and, other shops, as it is a well-known fact that theatricals generally try to find the quickest avenue through which they can expend tlieir earnings. Naturally, the cost of everything has ascended tremendously since the outbreak of war, but,, unlike all other commercial organisations, the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management have not raised their charges for admission. It is a well-known fact, that theatricals have collected hundreds, of thousands of pounds for the various, patriotic funds throughout Australia audi New Zealand, and the theatres have been, thrown open, as the managers of the soldiers' clubs can testify, to thousands of returned soldiers. It may not lie generally known that practically the whole of the members of travelling theatrical companies are mads, up of men over the military age, rejects,, and women, and that Australian and. New Zealand actors are remarkably well represented on the battlefields of France. Out of 300 names on the rolls'of the Australasian Actors' Association, whick lias its headquarters in Sydney, no fewer than 105 are at present on active service. This is a splendid record, btcausei f the 380 names include men over the. military age, and women. It may be interesting also to know that the first actor in the world to gain a \ .C. was an Australian (Lieutenant Wilbur Dartnell, late of the Bland Holt Co.), who was awarded the V.C. for bravery in South Africa. Amongst the best-known actors who are at present on active service are: Corporal L. C. Greig (brother of Robert tireig), Messrs. Derek Hudson (late ot the "Gipsy Love" Company), Reginald Wykeham (late of the Hugh J. Ward Co.), Paul Plunkett (late of the So kmsc Letty" Co.), Godfrey Cass and Alfred. Scarlett (late of Bland Holts company), Hugh J. Buckler, Harcourt Beatty, and; Charles Lawrence (late of the Nellie Stewart Co.). The chorus, managerial staffs, and members of the mechanical departments, have all responded splendid; ly to the call to arms, and a number ot them have unfortunately crossed the Border from where there is no returnThe majority of the ladies in thechorus and ballet are helping to support their mothers and othti dependants while their brothers are- helping to defeat the enemy in France. The above particulars and tho fact that two out ot the five Williamson, Ltd., attractions which have toured the Dominion duringthe past right mouths lost between them over ,52000 should interest hon. members of . Parliament -when the amusement tax is • being discussed, and they should also remember. that the artists attached to theatrical companies are justly, taxed on. tneir earnings, and that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., also pay the usual taxes. The threo theatres leased by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., entail a liability upon this organisation of JEIO.OOO per year. People) will naturally ask why does J. C. Williamson, Ltd., send attractions to NewZealand when tho possibilities of making: money are so remote, and the answer is that the companies cannot remain continuously in Sydney and Melbourne alt the year round, so, oven if a certain loss, is assured every attraction presented in. Australia is always afterwards sent to Now .Zealand. Another point which should be considered when the amusement tax is dealt with is that those who pay 6d. to sfe a picture show are tha people who pay Is. to witness a theatrical attraction—l am, etc., JOHN FARRELL. Wellington, August 26.