BRITISH FILMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26199, 9 July 1946, Page 4

BRITISH FILMS

DOMINION EXHIBITION SUBSIDIARY OF RANK GROUP (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 8. A new film company to control the Dominion interests of Mr J. Arthur Rank, British picture magnate, has been formed in Auckland with a registered capital of £BOO,OOO. It is Odeon Holdings (New Zealand). Ltd., and is the organisation which will control the Rank group’s half-interest in Kerridge Theatres, Ltd. Although the capital of the new company is £BOO,OOO, this does not repiesent the amount paid by the Rank group for its half-share in the Kerridge chain of theatres. The capital is divided into 800,000 shares of £1 each, of which 799,998 are held by Overseas Cinematograph Theatres, Ltd., which is the organisation set up in London by Mr Rank to handle all overseas theatrical interests for his studios. The two remaining shares are held by Mr N. L. Macky, solicitor, of Mission Bay. Auckland, and Mr H. Y. Cameron, public accountant, of Remuera. The directors of the new company will be Messrs Rank and John H. Davis, who are both directors of Odeon Theatres, Ltd., England, and associated companies, and also Messrs Macky and Cameron. The deal between Kerridge Theatres. Ltd., and the Rank organisation was completed in England last March when Mr R. J. Kerridge, managing director of the New Zealand company, was in England. The partnership covers the running and development of nearly '4O theatres in New Zealand controlled by Kerridge Theatres. The new organisation is expected .to increase the number of British films shown in the Dominion and to up their release.