BRITISH FILMS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 18 July 1928, Page 9

BRITISH FILMS.

PROPOSED QUOTA BILL. OBJECTIONS BY~EXHIBITIONS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 17. The half-yearly conference of Motion Pictures Exhibitors’ Association considered the proposed legislation on the British quota of films and other methods and came to conclusions which will be presented to the Prime Minister. The main objections to the Bill in itk incidence upon New Zealand theatre owners are two: (1) It sets up for too costly and cumbrous legislative machinery to reach its objective; (2) a compulsory quota, in its present form, will in all probability defeat the very purpose aimed at by its sponsors. “It is easy to see,” said the chair;mnn of the ~ meeting, “that the very principle of compulsion is almost inevitably sure to result in the showing of a poor British product, thus doing irreparable damage to the cause of the British film. Un-economic interference such as this in the ordinary cause of business can only be justified by its complete success in reaching its Im-; perial objective. We ajre going to suggest that a Film Board of Trade be set up with the power to make regulations on such matters as the quota, but only when they are shown to be necessary. AVe have our own machinery to ensure the showing of a proper quantity of British films and will probably do it "better than if regulated by Parliamentary action.”