WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1928, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS

BRITISH FILMS.

“ [Special To The Guardian.]

i WELLINGTON, October 24

For years past it has been a reproach; that British films were mot shown in British countries while films made at Hollywood are shown in practically every country. The fact is that British capital -was' not attracted to the picture enterprise, but after much persistent appeal from overseas dominions British capitalists and financiers have recognised the importance of the industry aiuh it will not be very long before British films compete successfully with the American product. British International) 1 Pictures is compelting a studio that will have a capacity for the productipn of ten pictures at a time, and/ is the largest studio in Europe and equal to the largest in Hollywood. But this is not all. The company has a controlling interest in Wardour Films Ltd,, the distributing machine in Great Britain. Further the company has acquired 75 per cent of the share capital otf Sudfilm A.G. of Germany* This-company is one of the two most important film distributing concerns in Germany. Through this cornpqny British films can be distributed in 'Germany. The company also holds a substantial 1 interest in Pathe Consbrtium Societe Anonyme, the largest l and most. powerful ■ film distributing ; company. In Central Europe the company has acquired ; control of Sascha Films, of Austria* .which in turn has subsidiary 1 distributing companies in Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czecho-Slo-vakiaj Poland and Rumania and , they are all ‘ handling British pictures. The company has also* acquired a substantial holding-in Cinema-Art,:Films Ltd., to whom-British International Pictures has granted a franchise for the distribution of British films in Australia and . New Zealand—a very valuable C and; fruitful territory for British pictures, lt'is said that Cinema-Art has a complete system of exchange in Australasia, and' : has also the distribution rights of the TJ-.FIA. of Germany. The company has more.‘recently acquired a 51 per cent, interest in the •well-known film distributing company of* First National-Pathe Ltd., which was formed early this year to combine the activities of two old-established companies, Pathe Freres, Ltd., and First National ' Ltd. British International has formed distributing concerns in Canada and the United States. This is rationalisation, and the effect of it is that the British company will be able to produce high grade; pictures. Without a world market the company Would he limited to. producing pictures of a cheap or purely:local brand that would find no sale outside of the British Isles. It would ‘be a happy day for frequenters of picture theatres when they have fewer Yankee pictures to tolerate and more high-class British films to enjoy. This is the first time, .that British capitht has given'sbrious attentibfi fhe film industry and it is . not boasting to declare, that British pictures will excel the Yankee product in a very short time. .

UNEMPLOYMENT INQUIRY. The Commission appointed l by the Government to inquire into the unemployment prohlem is too obviously an electioneering stunt, to warrant any serious attention. Particular care appears to have been taken to “balance the personnel of the Commission, and so we have two business men, two prominent Labour representatives and two Government officials, one of whom is the Government Statistician. We do not attach much importance to the Government officials for they will scarcely be free to give their candid opinions. The-Government Statistician has had to omit certain facts and figures from the Year Book, perhaps he lias done so voluntarily,Jri.it, most likely by: order of the Government. Nothing ' satisfactory or illuminating can be expected from the Commission for the problem of unemployment is a complex one and beyond the capacity of the members of the Commission to solve. It would be just as useful to appoint the man in the street or half a dozen like liim to solve the problem. Economics play an important part in the matter, and therefore trained economists should be appointed to deal, with the subject. It would be just as useful to appoint the man in the street to inquire into ways and means of eradicating blackberry. borne- professois ol economics have'"hazarded the opinion, based, it must be admitted, on limited but trustworthy data, that the dispar-ity-.in the price level is at the root ol the' trouble ; that is internal prices are higher than export prices. Prices charged by,-the sheltered industries are above -the level of the prices obtainable lor our exports. The Arbitration ( ourt fixes the wages of the slieltei ed industries.