BRITISH FILMS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1929, Page 8

BRITISH FILMS

N.Z.’vS INCREASED QUOTA

TRADE COMMISSIONER’S INVESTIGATIONS.

WELLINGTON. Nov. 29. Mr L. A. Paish, British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, since he has been in the Dominion,! has been closely examining the standing of the British cinema film in relation to exhibition in New Zealand. He had in mind the satisfactory conference held between the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon Air de la Perelle) and the film interests in New Zealand, which had resulted already in a greater proportion of British films being shown in the Dominion than formerly, but he was much struck, he said, by the progress that had been made in this direction during the past few years. It was rather difficult, he admitted, to estimate the monetary value of the films imported, as for Csutoms purposes an arbitrary figure was assessed, but as from 6.5 per cent, of the “footage” of 1925 the United Kingdom had increased its quota of film exported to New Zealand to 1.7.1 per cent, for the first nine months of 1929. During the same period the United States, Britain’s greatest competitor, had decreased its exports to New Zealand from. 90.5 per cent, to 77.6 per cent. This increase in British films was arrived at after deducting re-imports of films from the Pacific Islands, and they gave a true reflex of the position.

; Mr Paish also said he had been much impressed by the definite results of the action of the Dominion Government in establishing a quota for British films to be shown in New Zealand, and also by the warmth of public sentiment in their favour The revolution which had taken place in the film industry owing to the introduction of talkies which had now reached a very high standard, and they would undoubtedly make a strong appeal to the New Zealand public. At present the film position was in a state of transition but as the situation became more settled it would l:o found, he thought, that British producer's w'otild fully demonstrate their ability to place before the public an article that would he found pre-emin-ent in its appeal. The British talkies now presented a variety of entertainment in action, humour and spectacle combined in judicious proportions, and he was sure that they would find a very large market in New Zealand for the high-class British short, talkies, which had already met with a highly favourable reception wherever they had been exhibited.