Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 3, 1945)

aA me LL January 8, 1945 Amusement Tax For Ontario (Continued from Page 1) pected to yield about $2,500,000 for the $18,000,000 the provincial government requires to set up its long-promised educational subsidies. Classified by the then premier, Mitchell Hepburn, as ‘a nuisance tax’? when he cancelled it, the amusement tax was disapproved of generally. Its removal won endorsement beyond the bounds of the province also. One Montreal paper printed an editorial against that type of tax‘and, referring to Hepburn’s action, commented: “There are probably none of these ‘nuisance taxes’ which has called forth louder or more prolonged protest from the general public than that upon amusements.” It is expected that the tax, if reapplied in Ontario, would be the same as before. The scale then was one cent on 15 and under, two cents on 25 and under, three cents on 35 and under, five cents on 45 and under, 10 cents on, 80 and under, 16 cents on $1.50 and under. Children under 16 were exempted. Ontario and Saskatchewan are the-only provinces without a provincial amusement tax, although in the latter, Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon and Weyburn have a municipal amusement tax and North Battleford charges the exhibitor $500 in lieu of an amusement tax. Sask. Licence Fees Up For Halls, Etc. Hon. C, C. Williams, who has jurisdiction over the Theatres and Cinematographs act of Saskatchewan, recommended an increase in public hall license fees and this comes into effect after January 1. Operators of public halls in cities now pay 1% cent per foot instead of two dollars yearly—in some cases a jump of about $100. The fee in towns and villages was formerly one dollar. Now it’s five and $10. IODE Opens $300,000 Drive for Books The IODE begins a drive on January 4 for $300,000, the money to be devoted to the purchase of books for the boys and girls in Canada’s armed services overseas. From $4,000 to $5,000 is spent every week for this purpose. Associated Screen News completed a trailer in connection with the drive and theatre men who boost it will find their efforts greatly appreciated. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Sask Distrib Area May Be Created (Continued from Page 1) in Canada than in the United States. Although our country is actually larger in area than our’ neighbor, Canada, according to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, had 1,269 theatres in 1943, while the United States had over 20,000. It is obviously a much easier and less costly matter to transfer prints from one theatre to another in the United States than here. This and other arguments have been made to the Saskatchewan’ government against the plan. Committees Meet Recently representatives of the Winnipeg Film Board of Trade met with those of the SaskatcheWan government to discuss the matter of moving distribution headquarters. On hand for the government were the Hon. C. C. Williams, minister of labor andin charge of the theatre and cinematographs act; J. H. Williams, deputy minister of labor; and J. Andrucovitch, Northern Saskatchewan theatre inspector. The film men pointed out that the government would let itself in for considerable expense in establishing censorship offices in Regina. Its representatives said censorship fees would be raised to take care of that. The reply of the film men was that fewer prints might be made as a means of keeping their costs down. This would slow playoffs in Saskatche wan theatres. Higher costs caused by increased censorship fees and greater distribution costs arising from & purely Saskatchewan service would be passed on to the exhibitor. The government representatives did not seem concerned with anything but an increase in provincial revenue and greater employment in the province. They pointed out that the Dominion government got almost all the benefits of theatre and film taxation and the province wasn’t getting a fair share. Exhibs, Distribs Meet A committee from the Winnipeg Board of Trade will meet with one from the Saskatchewan Exhibitors Association to talk things over. The situation affects a number of provinces, for it may have an upsetting effect on the entire Canadian distribution system if the Saskatchewan change takes place. The Winnipeg exchange centre serves theatres in Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan and the Calgary centre takes care of houses in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and North-West Territory. The St. John centre handles Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. If other provinces were forced to follow the Saskatchewan system, the price of film would go up in most of Canada. Film men are firm in their opposition to the Saskatchewan government’s plan. The government, under provincial law, has the right to take and operate any business. But there are no films made in Saskatchewan and the exchanges are under no compulsion to ship into the province. It is unlikely, however, that the first great opposition to governmentin-business will grow out of this difference of opinion. j UAC, Montreal Has Good Year United Amusement Corporation, Limited, has issued notice of intention to redeem on February 1, 1945; at 102%, and accrued interest, all of its 5 per cent 20year first mortgage sinking fund bonds, due February 1, 1956. The amount of such bonds now outstanding is $1,267,000. Plans are understood to be under way for a refunding issue. United Amusement Corp., which operates some 35 “neighborhood” movie theatres located in the Montreal area, Sherbrooke, St. Hyacinthe and St. Johns, has shown a substantial margin of earnings over bond interest requirements. For the year ended December 31, 1943, net profit, after depreciation and taxes but before bond: interest, was in excess of $262,000, or almost four times bond interest requirements of around $66,000. At the close of 1943 the company showed a comfortable finencial position, with current assets of $569,599 against current liabilities of $115,469, indicating net working capital of $454,130, a substantial improvement over the preceding year’s figure of $312,071. Current assets mentioned above included $373,710 in cash and $125,000 in Dominion Goyernment bonds. Judging by the fact that the company this year paid $1 a share on its 80,829 shares of outstanding capital stock, as compared with 80 cents in the preceding year, the report for 1944 should indicate continued favorable results. Page 9 Staff Praised By F. G. Spencer (Continued from Page 1) Apparently Mr. Spencer did not wish any confusion to arise about the future of his present~ employees, associates and executives under the new arrangement. Coincident with the announcement he issued the following statement: While acknowledging the merits of thoss responsible for the success of Famous Canadian Players Canadian Corporation, I would like to pay tribute to these who have becn so loyally and intelligently helpful to me over the ycars, and on whom, at an age when most men have the urge to retire, I have been able to Ican with confidence. In J. G. Armstrong, who in the capacity of secretary-treasurer has been associated with me for many years, I have enjoyed a much appreciated tower of strength and excellent judgment; and the very many who regularly make contact with our head office in Saint John readily realize and comment on my good fortune in having as associates Miss Irene Malloy, Miss Mary Ellis and Miss Helen Crowley, to whose competent co-operation I would like also to pay tribute. In the operation of our various theatres in Saint John and elsewhere I have been most fortunate with resp2ct to managers and those employed under them, all of whom I think of as personal friends, as I do my associates at head office, and {from whom I would not care to part. Any little success I may have enjoyed has been because of good fortune in selecting associates possessing qualifications in which I am lacking. This all had a bearing on my refraining from selling control of the Spencer Company, preferring to have it perpetuated as a Maritime institution for the kenefit of my two sons and those who have contributed so loyally to its success throughout the years. Through the medium of the Spencer Company, teside protecting the Spencer Company’s intcrests, the Famous Playcrs Canadian Corporation and the Spencer Company together will develop in the Maritimes when opportunity presents itself, except with regard to locations in which Famous Players already are opcrating, such as Saint John, Halifax, etc. Bldg. Priority For UK Houses? (Continued from Page 1) waiting for soldiers and war workers as soon as the war is over. Theatre building calls for help from more trades than almost any other industry, yet many of the trades that will be employed will not be required in the building of houses. Also the work is not concentrated but spread across the nation. There is no doubt that the parliamentary post-war planning committee will have something to say about projects designed to create work or rebuilding and expansion on the part of private industry. The aim is to prevent unemployment from lingering on until it becomes a depression. In Britain the Cinema Exhibitors Association has been studying post-war theatre building,