AUSTRALIAN FILMS

Northern Advocate, 23 September 1927, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN FILMS

PRODUCERS SUGGESTIONS,

A NATIONAL EXCHANGE, SYDNEY, This Day. Mr H. C. Findlay, motion picture producer, suggested to the Royal Commission inquiring into the motion picture industry, that the Government should establish a national film exchange. For this purpose he thought that a credit of £50,000 should be established, the operation being financed from the revenue derived from increased import duties, or from a tax. There were sufficient scenario men and cameramen in Australia to produce 20 films a year. Many people in Australia were prepared to produce pictures, but •were afraid that they could not get them released.

The chairman (Mr W. Marks, M.P.): Do you (think that pictures should be forced on to people who do not rvant them? Do you think that -would be fair? —It is the only way Australian interests could get a start. I)o you think that the Government should step in and take control of the people’s amusements? —I am concerned only with the Australian part of the motion picture business. Mr J. McGeorge engaged in production of Australian films considered that the only remedy for present conditions was the establishment of a Government distributing agency. In his judgment the £140,000 collected yearly through the film tax should be spent on local industry.

The next witness, Mr Richard Lloyd Thomas, said that up to 10.30 a.m. he had been Australasian representative of “Cinema,” a‘British trade journal, but had now received a cablegram dispensing with his services. The chairman (referring to the cablegram): Do you know what this is about? —I do not. They know that you wore going to give evidence? —Yes. The evidence this witness had to give was hoard in camera.