PICTURE FIRMS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10546, 24 March 1920, Page 5

PICTURE FIRMS

HUGE AMALGAMATION £3,000,000 INVOLVED IN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY. An amalgamation has just been effected in Australia involving a capita], in shareholdings, films, and theatre buildings of £3,000,000. Tho companies involved are: Union Theatres, Limited, Australasian Films, Limited, J. C. 'Williamson's Films, Electric Theatres, Limited, Tho Greater J. D. Williams Amusement Co., Ltd., Spencer's Pictures, Limited, West's Pictures, Limited, Amalgamated Pictures, Limited, General Film Company of Australia, Limited. This amalgamation of interests has been effected for the purpose of developing the x>icturo business in tho immediate future, and the first action of the new organisation will be the erection of two large and luxurious theatres in Sydney and Melbourne—one in George street and the other in Bourke streot. Tho sites for these theatres havo already been purchased, and the plans are now in course of preparation., Mr F. W. Thring, managing director of Electrio Theatres, Limited, and one of tho new directors of Union Theatres, Limited, and Australasian Films, Limited, sailed on tho Megantic for New York, taking with him a well-known Melbourne architect, who, in addition to the main plans of the buildings, which have already been placed in hand, will introduce tho latest American effects in picture representation in the new theatres. The two big theatres immediately being built will havo a frontage of 129 ft by a depth of 250 ft. and will each hold 4000 people. Tho directors of both J. C. Williamson's '. . interest and Union Theatres' interests have had tho. plan of two tig theatres in mind for the last year, but action h.is been held up pending permanent and definite, arrangements being made for tho securing and controlling of a supply of the latest art productions that aro being turned out in Australia, America, England, and the Continent, the control of an adequate film supply only bc~ ing possible where backed up by a largo circuit of first-class treatres.