FILM QUOTA BILL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 8

FILM QUOTA BILL

DEASTIC AMENDMENTS FILM HIRE TAX CUT OUT Drastic amendment has been made to the Cinematograph Films Bill by tho Special Committee of the House of Representatives to which it was referred and which has taken lengthy evidence in regard to its proposals. One of the principal alterations is the excision of the clause imposing a film hire tax. The application of the Bill to New Zealand films has also been removed. . The Bill originally proposed that the renters' quota of British films should roach its maximum of 20 per cent, of the total films handled in 1936, and that this percentage should obtain until 1940; and similarly that tho exhibitors' maximum quota of 20 per cent, should remain tho same from 1937 until 19.1. This period has in each case been reduced by two years. The classes of films which are excepted from the provisions for securing tho quota of British films have been extended to include British films of insufficient artistic or photographic merit to warrant their being taken into account for the purpose of computing the renters' or exhibitors' quota> and also films not exceeding 3000 ft iv length. Tho Minister is empowered to modify for any year, on the application of a renter, the British quota requirements \f he is satisfied that as the result no exhibitor will bo prejudiced in or prevented from complying with the requirements in respect to tho exhibitors' quota. Every such modification is to be notified publicly. For the purposes of this provision, renters are required to give the Minister a statement in writing not later than 30th September in each year of the number of British quota films and foreign quota films that they propose to acquire during the next succeeding year. In addition to_ the penalty prescribed for noncompliance with the British quota requirements (a fine of £100), tho convicting Court may cancel or suspend the renter's _ or, exhibitor's license if it is of opinion that the offence was committed intentionally. The minimum requirements in regard to tho exhibitors' quota are not to be enforced until an Order in Council is issued, but nevertheless, notwithstanding that an Order in Council may not have been issued, exhibitors are to be required to keep a record for the purpose of providing evidence as to whether the minimum quota requirements have been kept or not. The Order in Council is to operate as from Ist October following its publication. Agreements for the supply of films to exhibitors are to be restricted to twelve months, and no such agreement may be entered into more than six months before the date for the commencement of supply. In the case of a serial film the period of twelve months is.to apply only in respect to the first three parts. An agreement for the supply of films for exhibition in a number of premises in succession may be made within the six months preceding commencement of supply. Any contract for the supply over a period of more than twenty weeks of quota films intended for exhibition after 30th September, 1929, shall provide for the supply of sufficient British films to enable the exhibitor to comply with the quota" requirements during - the period. Failing such provision the exhibitor may reject sufficient foreign quota films to enable him to replace with British films up to quota -require? ments. The taxable income derived from the business of film renting is to be 12| per cent, of the gross receipts. The distinctions made in the Bill as originally drawn between long and short films have been abandoned, and the quota is applied to the number of films,instead of the length of film.