Kinematograph year book (1944)

172 The Kinematograph Year Book. basic year 1942 was low, and whose allocation of film under the rationing scheme now in force is too little for current needs. It was decided to ascertain from members what were the deliveries of film during the three war years, what were the deliveries to each renter during the first rationed period, present the data to the Board of Trade, set up machinery within the K.R.S. to reallocate any balance on the basis of helping the renting company which was badly placed, and ask for Board of Trade sanction to the handing over of any surpluses, which it was emphasised must be free from any financial consideration. The past year has seen an increased consumption of raw stock by all Allied Governments — for training, propaganda, and other purposes, and when it is considered that the basic materials themselves are a priority war supply, the reason for the exercise of the utmost economy in the use of film stock is apparent. Every print that is made ought to have a far longer life than it ever achieves : indeed, were every unspooling carried out with the greatest care, every re-wind performed carefully, every step in the transport of films undertaken with a sense of the values involved, an even greater cut might be envisaged without undue inconvenience. But with the damage factors existing to-day in all branches of the Industry, the likelihood that long life will be reached by every copy is very remote. IHE demand, advocated for many years, for the establishment of a national code of kinema regulations has been brought but recently into greater prominence by the efforts of H. Simpson, the C.E.A. president, and it has been urged that a priority task of the Planning Committee should be the submission to the Home Ofhce of uniform regulations and conditions with particular reference to Sunday opening. The arbitrary nature of Sunday opening conditions, and the very wide interpretation of powers of local authorities under the 1909 Cinematograph Films Act, are factors which justify the desire on the part of the Exhibitor for 'the passing of an overriding act which would incorporate the substance of the 14 Acts of Parliament by which the Trade is controlled. One point in this connection which is sometimes overlooked is that the comprehensive legislation of this nature may turn out detrimental to the interests of the exhibitor. Even so recent an enactment as the Defence Regulations permitting Sunday opening afforded so much latitude to a sabbatarian-ridden Council that it frequently was invoked successfully to prevent the very object which it was intended to further. The Sunday opening controversies should serve as a useful reminder that unless the Trade itself possesses some constructive scheme which will be acceptable to Parliament, the general effect of new, comprehensive legislation is likely to be even more harassing and repressive than the present loosely knit regulations, the incidence of which, in the majority of cases, is more irritating than actually harmful to our Trade interests. Another factor which must be borne in mind is the Government's war-time interest in the propaganda and educational value of the film which, if the occasion should present itself, might easily be translated-into a measure Of control. These are matters which should receive careful consideration by a representative body of the Trade before' any approach is made to the authorities. There are certain matters which, on the face of it, appear suitable for embodiment in a national code — -building regulations, safety precautions, are two which might well be embodied in any revision of the 1909 Act, but even this presents snags, for regulations necessary in a metropolitan area may prove quite superfluous in country and rural districts. Whether the proposed new regulations should represent minimum or maximum requirements will present a difficulty, and in any case would probably inflict a certain LICENSING AND LOCAL REGULATIONS.