PICTURE FILM TAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19753, 28 September 1927, Page 14

PICTURE FILM TAX.

| PLEA FOR POSTPONEMENT. LEVY ON PROFITS PREFERRED. POSITION OF BRITISH OUTPUT. [BV TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The opinion that a more equitable form of film taxation would be on the "end of the tour profits" and that the imposition of the new customs duties should be deferred pending a full inquiry into the whole of the film business in New Zealand, was expressed by a deputation from the New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association, which waited on the Minister of .Customs, Hon. W. Downie Stewart, to-day. Mr. J. Robertson, Dominion secretary, said the deputation represented at least 95 per cent, of the picture exhibitors, who were the retailers in the business. They submitted no duty on a film" which would be passed on would achieve the de sired result of preference being given to one make of film over another. The real value of a picture film was the entertain ment value, and not the "footage" basis, as one film might be worth £IO,OOO from the entertainment side, while another might be worth only £SOO. The present-day problem regarding British pictures was that of getting them at all, and it was undisputed that the whole of Great Britain's production for 12 months would not keep one single theatre in New Zealand going for a year. The deputation suggested that a source of revenue at present untouched in connection with the industry was the "end of the tour profits." These could be readily ascertained and taxed accordingly. As exhibitors they had to take what was passed on to them from the importers' end to carry on theatres and satisfy the public all over the Dominion, but any tax passed on to the retailers in turn had to be obtained if possible from the public. Mr. W. E. Right-on, chairman of the association, hoped the increased duty would be dropped for the present, and a searching inquiry conducted into the position of the picture business as'a whole. It was a mushroom business that had grown up very rapidly, while the relationship between the various interests was ■practically unknown, especially to members of Parliament. The exhibitors had nothing to hide, and he strongly supported the suggestion for delay. The Minister said he was not going to make any statement at present beyond saying the whole position was being carefully reviewed in the light of the information received from the deputation and other sources. Within a few days, when the Tariff Bill came down, they would learn what decision the Government had arrived at.