PICTURE PATRONS WILL PAY NEW TAX

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3615, 16 September 1927, Page 7

PICTURE PATRONS WILL PAY NEW TAX

Benefit to British Producer is Illusory

MOTOR-BOOTS BUILDERS DISSATISFIED

(Per Press Association), WELLINGTON, Last Night,

Dissatisfaction at the tariff as ik has affected motor body builders was expressed to-day by Mr B. Oldfield, president of the Wellington Motor Body Builders’ Association. The remission of 5 per cent, duty on unassembled cars was, in his opinion, a great blow to the industry and no help to British manufacturers, who did not go in for building cars foiassembling elsewhere. It benefited foreign manufacturers however. It wouli accentuate the unemployment problem, he observed. , The most serious aspetet is the loss resulting to those who have invested capital in buildings, plant and machinery. Public Must Pay, It was stated to-day by Mr. Robertson of the Film Supplies that the increased tax on films would undoubtedly be paid by the New Zealand public and not by the American producers Or their agents. As England did not produce anywhere near sufficient feature films to keep even one New Zealand theatre going with a regular weekly supply and did not produce short comedies, and as all the English news' films came to New Zealand already, he could not see how the tax would benefit the English manufacturers. The tax might even narrow the area of choice of film. He .mentioned that each week half the population of New Zealand attended the pictures. He emphasised the fact that the tax was not on entertainment value but solely on so much e foot of film. The entertainment value of one picture might be £2,000. and that of another picture of equal length only £2OO. Yet both would pay the same duty. “THANK YOU, NEW ZEALAND,” SAYS ENGLISH NEWSPAPER. [By Electric Cable-Copyright.] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.! LONDON, Sept, 14. •' The “Morning Post,” in a leader entitled "Thank you, 1 New Zealand,” says:—“The Dominion has shown regard for our fiscal policy. As an economic expression of national feeling, in a desire for Imperial unity, she gives British goods preference over foreign. “Lancashire will be most grateful for the substantial exemptions. New Zealand, of her own volition, Is confining her market to British goods if she does not manufacture them herself, and to a considerable extent sho has realised the ideal of free trade within the Empire. “The, British principle of free trade in foodstuffs and raw materials prevents her making an adequate response. It is, therefore, no small thing New Zealand is doing.”