PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18208, 15 July 1927, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION.

WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. British Films. Nothing is yet known of any benefits to the British film industry brought about by the legislative effort to force a quota of British pictures on to the programme of every playhouse, and it is hard to see how any good can result from such a move if the movie plays produced in Britain are not good enough to hold their own in competition with the Americanmade pictures. Any attempt to give the British films an artificial impetus by the quota scheme in this country will also fail unless they are good enough to hold public favour. For the failure of the British films, the British producing companies are themselves to blame. When the Americans entered the film business the French pictures were in a commanding position, but the Americans, by shrewd organisation, and by taking pains to secure the best technical eects possible, gradually displaced the French and now dominate the picture houses of the world. The people of this country arc ready to prefer British film-dramas, and if the British pro ducers give them the chance, the picture houses will not have to be compelled to screen them. When patriots condemn the picture houses for confining their attention almost exclusively to Yankee pictures, they must remember that in the past the presentation of British films emptied -the theatres. That time, it is to be hoped, has passed. The American supremacy is to be resolutely and properly attacked, and the public, we feel sure, will rejoice when the pictures made in the Old Country take pride of place n the programmes through sheer merit and not through legislative buttressing.—“ Southland Times.” Housing Finance, Figures quoted by the Prime Minister disclose the magnitude of the assistance afforded by the State to producers and home-seekers. Since March 31, 1919, the State's indebtedness on account of lending and other operations designed directly to assist the producers increased by £25,500,000, apart from soldier settlement. For the purpose of home-building in the period from April 1, 1923, to June 30, 1927, the State Advances Office found I £24,500,000. “The effect, however,” said

Mr Coates, had been to bring another avalanche of applications on the shoulders of the Government, which found itself quite unable to meet it." The conclusion to be drawn from these facts cannot be questioned. The Government has made a tremendous effort to overtake the housing and farmfinancing arrears, and the greater its effort tho greater the demand. Even those who are the most ardent advocates of State assistance must admit that the drain thus made on State financial resources is greater than can be borne. Private finance must be drawn back to home provision and farm-financing. p t hj s purpose the State assistance must be made selective, not by picking out the worst securities, but by giving precedence (particularly i n housing) to the most urgent cases.—’“Evening Post," Weiilington. ®