The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Apr-Jun 1922)

May 6, 1922. THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 15 BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA. Mr. A. E. Newbould, M.P., outlines the case for the reduction of the Entertainments Tax, foreshadows Amendments, and pleads for a Flat Rate Tax. R. A. E. NEWBOULD, M.P., in the course of the dis. M cussion on the Budget statement in the House ot Commons on Tuesday evening, made the following specch : I wish to congratulate the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon his Budget statement, although -I would have liked to have seen more relief given to indirect taxation. I think a holder policy would have increased consumption, and the revenue would not have suffered materially if we had taken something off sugar, beer, and tobacco. There is one part of the Budget statemeat with which I am in cordial agreement, and that is where tha right hon. gentleman indicates quite clearly that he realises the necessity of relieving industry, and using his surplus to that end in order to give industry a stimulus. He has done something for agriculture, and by deducting Is. off the income tax, if t only gives confidence of more to come, it will have a good effect upon industry. THE NECESSITY OF: RELIEVING INDUSTRY. It is because the right hon. gentleman has realised the necessity of relieving industry from the great burden of taxation that I am surprised at one very significant omission, and that is in regard to the Entertainments Duty. I know of no industry, and particularly the kinema branch of industry, that will respond more readily to a reduction by assisting many other forms of industry than would the Entertainments Duty. It is well known that, during the war, in this country this young industry was unable to develop rapidly as in the United States, where, during the war, a very great and rapid development took place, not only in the production of kinema films, but in the erection of buildings in which those films were shown, The advance. ment of public taste greatly added to the production of those films, and necessitated more comfortable and costly theatres in which to show them. That development took place in’ the United States during the war when, in this country, it was not possible to develop the industry owing to the war. Now that the war is over, we find ourselves with these films very much advanced in price, very much improved in quality, and higher in standard as regards taste and in every other way. WE REQUIRE DEVELOPMENT. We have some 3,500 kinema theatres, a very large number of which are not fit and proper places in which to show these films. Therefore we require development in that direetion, and larger theatres must be built, existing theatres must be enlarged, and the seating arrangement improved. Besides this, the ventilation of some of these theatres must be vastly improved if we are to ask the public the price for admission which is now necessary in order to make a profit on showing these particular films at the standard at which they have now reached. Mainly owing to the expense of this tax, the industry is retarded and it is unable to make that development which is necessary. A reasonable readjustment of this tax would give confidence to the industry and enable those engaged in it to go forward. INCREASED EMPLOYMENT. This would permit every branch of the building trade to find increased employment beyond those branches of the building trade which are not used mainly in the building of factories, cottages and houses. Those enzaged in’ fibrous plastering and all ferms of decorative art would find an enormous increase of e1aployment in the kinema industry, bringing it into eonformity with the newer and better conditions. A good deal of work would be provided by the equipment of these theatres in the way of furnishing and carpeting, and it would give an enormous amount of additional employment to the makers of electrical appliances and electrical equipment, and all these trades would instantly benefit by this policy. Another result (Continued on nest page.) (Continued from previous page.) mushroom Thus it would be so istablished that they would get the money on gilt edged terms. business was not a one, SIR JULIAN ORDE WELCOMES THE TWENTY CLUB. Sir Julian Orde, Sceretary of the Royal Automobile Club. who has recently visited Los Angeles, spoke of his frequent c¢omtact with those engaged in producing films. Indeed, it was impossible Hot te come in contact with them) because wherever he went they were there. The scenery surrounding made it eminently suitable, while the peculiar architecture and the climate were also aids. A very serious effort was being made to clear the industry of the stigma anjustty attaching to if asa result of a distasteful case. Naturally, in’ an enormous concern, there was a eertain number of black sheep, and the industry had suffered from the publleity of the American Yellow Press. Sir Julian concluded a most interesting speech by saying that reeent Google the R.A.C. had always taken a keen interest in and welcomed the members of the motor industry. The club was aleo deeply interested in’ the Twenty Club, and, desirous of helping te lurther the interests of the great moving picture business, would always welcome the club and its members there, and other tnembers of the great business which it represented (Applause.) [nat serious passive of a witty, bantering speech. Mr. Hannen Swatter referred to the censorship which the Home Sccretary had mentioned, and declared that the question was a most important ene from an imperialas well as from an individual standpoint. How long was it going to be permitted to send into India pictures containing scantily dressed figures of bathing girls? He Jooked upon their intreduetion into the East as a terrible danger, Mel Robbo Lawson, another member of the Club, having spoken. a vote of thanks to the President on the initiative of Sir Charles Higham, M.P., seeonded by Sir Walter de Frece, M.P., terminated the proceedings.