SOUND FILMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 11

SOUND FILMS

A HUGE EUROPEAN COMBINE. CHALLENGE TO AMERICA. , (United Pres* Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, April 28. .(Received April 28, at H p.m.) A sensational challenge to the Western Electric Company’s vigorous offensive in Britain is foreshadowed by the Sunday Observer’s announcement tliat a European “talkie” combine has offered to acquire British instructional films with a view to large scale production of “ talkies ” in England. The deal will link ttp the most firmly established British producers * with a European group holding more than 500 patents for film and disc methods’ of recording, and capable of competing with America in regard to cost, technical efficiency, and immediate output in. commercial quantities. Hostilities will be commenced on Tuesday in the Court of Chancery, where three German inventors, whose patents are owned _ by a European combine consisting of Siemens, A.E.G.,-In-ternational, Tobis, and ‘ the British Photophoue, are seeking to restrain Hyde Park Kinemas from showing sound films over the Western Electric apparatus on the ground that it is an infringement of their basic patents. The Western Electric Company, the resources of which are enormous, is fighting the defendants case. Two hundred kinemas which made contracts with the Western Electric Company are dismayed at the possibility.of a protracted legal battle involving the attendance of inventors and experts from all over the world.— United .Service. .