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

May 27, 1922. THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 59 NORTHERN SHOWMEN AND THE ENTERTAINMENT TAX, Complaint that more money is being asked for, and that “A lot of people” have not yet contributed to the Campaign Fund. ua HE abolition of the Entertainment Tax provoked consider. able discussion at a meeting of the Northern Branch of the C.E,A. held in Newcastle last week. Mr. J. S. Snell, Gateshead, chairman of the branch, presided, Future Tactics, Mr. Dixon Scott, the loeal secretary of the Entertainment Tax abolition campaign, introduced the matter by drawing the attention of the members to the remarks that) he made at the conclusion of his report at the last mecting of the branch on the werk of Jobbying, On that occasion, he said that he was not too sunguine «f any immediate result of that work. © Mr. Morrison thought the speaker wag pessimistic on that cecasion, but events had proved that his pessimisin, if it could be so termed, was not uncalled for, Budget day had passed, and now the exhibitors weuld have to consider what their tactics were to be in the future. If they allowed the question to grow cold, they would have hard work to avain raise sufficient heat to move the Government, Attention had been focused on the question, and they must benefit by that and endeavour to vet an alteration in the incidence of the tax. Whilst having the total abolition of the tax in view, the Abolition Committee, in London, was at present working on these lines, and doing it in a thorough and complete manner, The Simultaneous Campaign. A letter had come to him from the committee in which it was suggested that in continuance of the national campaign protest meetings should be held simultancously throughout the country, in every place of over 10,000 inhabitants, on a Sunday in June. The committee wished to be furnished with the names of any halld in the four Northern Counties that were available for such meetings, and they were hoping that their Seyestion would ba widely adopted. If the question was to be tackled, the Government must be tackled absolutely on their own ground. The Government was saying that the public and net the exhibitors paid the tax, but the exhibitors knew that the money was coming out of them, To get the sympathy of the public it would have to be shown that wey were going to get something out of any change that might ve obtained, or else that a very great injustice was heing done. The Point of Appeal In his opinion the publie ought to be reminded continually of the fact that the patrons of the poorer seats were paying a much higher percentage in taxes on their entertainments than the people who patronised the dearer seats, and were, therefore, apparently better able to pay their fair share of the taxation, That, to his mind, could be done best by every exhibitor showing a lantern slide at each performance drawing attention to that injustice. In these times wages were falling all round and pesple were looking , for cheaper entertainments. — The exhibitors, however, could only afford to cheapen their seats by avhatever amount they might be able to get off the tax, and of that fact the public should be made aware. Google oo oe General Election Pressure. This vear there was almost sure to be a general election, and if the exhibitors had the public behind them in declaring that the werking classes must have fair treatment in regard ta this tax, there would not be a Parliamentary candidate in’ the country that would dare to say that he was prepared to con. tinue the Entertainment Tax without altering the incidence of it. The speaker volunteered to vend to London the names of any halls that were available for the Sunday evening meetings. Ti speakers could be arranged for Jocally he would undertake the responsibility of finding some. They must keep hammering away at the iniquitous imposition of the tax. (Applause.) A number of members volunteered the use of their halls for the Sunday evening meetings, and Mr. Scott intimated that he would forward the names to London. Mr. FE. W. Adams, at a Jater stage of the mecting, said that the Entertainment Tax Abolition Committee was asking for more money. He wished to be assured that others were giving their proper share towards the expense of the campaign before he sent them any more money. A lot of money was being spent hy the committee, and those who were finding it, he thought. ought to be allowed to do more than merely pay and look on, He would gladly send another contribution if he thought that every member of the Northern branch had paid his levy to the expenses of the Abolition Committee, but he was not so con. vinced. He moved that the Branch Secretary be instructed to write to headquarters and ask to he furnished with a list showing how the Northern branch stood in relation to other branclies. The Chairman replied that owing to the method that had been adopted for the collection of the money, unfortunately the branch was not in the position to know whieh of the members had paid and which had not. ‘* Money Well Spent.” Mr. W. Carr intimated that in his opinion it was very unfair that the halls that had already contributed should be asked for a further donation before a lot of people had paid their first subscription. Mr. Dixon Scott said that among some exhibitors he had found a doubt as to where the money ought to be sent. He was not quite sure how far Mr. King and the Abolition Committee were working together in regard to expense, but whatever was spent in the fight was money well spent, and the people in london were all working very hard. The Chairman replicd that if other parts of the country shirked it was no justification for them. shirking. It was ultimately decided that the secretary should write to the general secretary, and request to be furnished with a list of the Northern branch members who had paid their levies, If Woman could but read the Soul of Man—?