THEATRE LICENCES
METHOD OF DISPOSAL CRITICISM FROM RETURNED SOLDIER P.A. WELLINGTON, May 20. A statement that the Kerridge concern had disposed of 70 theatre licences to outside interests without thought to returned men was made before the Parliamentary Film Committee to-day by a returned soldier, Mr Arthur Kingsley Bell, of Wellington. Witness said that during the war picture theatres had “waxed fat” on money spent by servicemen. Mr R. Hardie Boys, for the Crown: Our information is that the Kerridge concern sold out half the interest in the company to Odeon. Witness replied that in his opinion there was no difference between selling out 70 licences and selling out a half interest in 140. Odeon, he said, was' Mr Rank, the British picture magnate. State control was one alternative, and he thought it would be better than a monopoly. Mr Boys: You maintain that effective interest in pictures in this country should be in the hands of New Zealand nationals?—l do. Mr W. H. Fortune, a member of the committee, referring to the “ waxed fat ” expression used by Bell, said that certain independent theatres had given free shows to troops, and Amalgamated Theatres had offered to install a machine in a camp. He thought the witness had been a bit extravagant in his statement.
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Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 6
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214THEATRE LICENCES Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 6
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