The film daily year book of motion pictures (1937)

shown over the previous year. Of the eleven films rejected, eight were American. Competition — During the year ended March 31, 1936, British quota films totaled 107, with a length of 767,620 feet, and non-quota films 374, of 384,520 feet. Foreign quota films totaled 376, with a length of 2.750,550 feet, and no-quota films 1,203, with a length of 1,239,550 feet. The grand total consisted of 483 quota films with a length of 3,518,170 feet, and 1,577 non-quota films, of a total length of 1,624,070 feet. The total of nonquota films decreased by 113 from those exhibited in the previous year, while there were two less quota films, shown. The countries of origin of the quota films were as follows : United States. 373 (an increase of 19 over the previous year) ; Great Britain, 104 (a decrease of 9 over the previous year); Australia, 1; New Zealand, 2; Germany, 1; Spain, 1; Italy, 1. Copyright Relations — Copyright Act of 1909, by proclamation February 9, 1917, extended May 25, 1922. (A complete summary of the copyrighted laws of New Zealand is on file in the Commercial Laws Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C.) A fee of Id. per New Zealand £ 1 of theater box revenues is paid by New Zealand exhibitors to the local representatives of the Australian Authors' Rights Protective Association. Those exhibitors who are members of the New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association are given a 20 per cent rebate on these fees. Production — A total of 86,026 feet of film, valued at New Zealand £ 1,927, was produced in New Zealand and exported therefrom in the calendar year 1935. Three films have been produced and exhibited in New Zealand during the past twelve months. These were: "Phar Lap's Son," "The Friendly Road," and "Romantic New Zealand." The latter film was produced by the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department at a studio which the Government has recently taken over at Miramar, Wellington. The Government intends to film a series of educational and scenic films of New Zealand during the comii.g year. One object of this scheme is to export the film to foreign countries for the purpose of attracting tourists to the Dominion. Taxes — Under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1928, the taxable income derived by any person from the business of renting films shall be deemed to be 12% per cent of the gross receipts derived from such business. This became operative as from April 1, 1928. The rate payable is on a sliding scale, the maximum now being 4s. 6d in the £ 1 plus 30 per cent. In September, 1930, the Film Hire Tax was passed, the gross receipts from the renting of foreign films after allowing a deduction of all expenses paid in New Zealand and an amount equal to 12% per cent of the gross receipts derived from the renting of sound films, being taxed 25 per cent. The rate of British films is 10 per cent. The duty of Id per foot, payable on all foreign importations of films, was cancelled as from July 1, 1930. The advantages of this system of taxation were: (a) That it was directly in proportion to the net receipts from and therefore the value of film. (b) That it did not restrict the importation of film in any way. (c) That it was only payable after the monies were received by the renter, and thereby reduced the actual capital required for the operation of the business. (d) That it came into immediate operation and the Government derived revenue from the films already imported which would otherwise have escaped taxation. It is necessary to secure a renter's license to operate in New Zealand. The only change made by the recently enacted legislation in the method of taxation was that fixing 12% per cent to the gross receipts of renters as an income for taxation purposes. Heretofore, the taxable income was to be not less than 12% per cent of the gross receipts, and in some cases, renters were charged at a higher rate than this percentage. The total film hire tax for the year ended March 31, 1936, was New Zealand £60.657. Recent increases in film rentals indicate that the total collected for the next fiscal year may exceed New Zealand £70,000. Theaters — A total of 410 exhibitors' licenses were issued during the license year ended September 30, 1934. In addition, licenses were issued to 35 circuit exhibitors, and to 14 film exchanges. A point of difference between the local distributing and exhibiting interests is the advisability of increasing the number of theaters licensed to exhibit film in New Zealand. Exhibitors argue that more theaters should be licensed, that in the smaller towns the public is not able to witness a good many of even the higher qualityfilms due to lack of exhibiting facilities. The distributors contend otherwise, and argue that even now some of the smaller theaters are unable to earn enough money due to meager attendance. The New Zealand Licensing Board is understood to have recently consented that two technical advisors, one from the distributors and one from the exhibitors, shall assist it in passing on future applications for theater licenses. Sound — 410 theaters are wired for sound. Imports from U. S. A. — 1935 — Positive sound 3,646,599 ft. $70,374 Negative sound 39,771 ft. 686 1936— (First 10 months) Positive sound 3,341,850 ft. $58,958 Negative sound 50,083 ft. 801 DISTRIBUTORS AND IMPORTERS WELLINGTON Associated Distributors-British Empire Films, 15 Courtenay Place. Wellington. Columbia Pictures Propriety Limited, Taranaki Street, Wellington. Gaumont British Dominions Film Distributors Limited. 55 Courtenay Place. Wellington. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (N. Z.) Limited, Cuba and Dixon Streets, Wellington. R.K.O. Radio Pictures (Australasia) Limited, Willis Street, Wellington. Scott Films, Willis Street. Wellington. 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation (Australasia) Limited, 55 Courtenay Place Wellington. United Artists (Australasia) Limited, 55 Courtenay Place, Wellington. Universal Film Manufacturing Company (Australasia) Limited. Willis Street. Wellington. Warner Bros. -First National Pictures Limited, Wakefield Street, Wellington. NICARAGUA Legislation — There are no quota or contingent laws, inimical to the interests of American films. Censorship — Not strict. Few films are cut and then principally for moral reasons. Competition — 95 per cent American, remainder from Mexico, Germany, and Great Britain. Copyright Relations — Inter-American Copyright. Convention, Mexico City and Buenos Aires, January 27, 1902 and August 11. 1910. as modified by the Havana agreement of February 18, 1928. Production — There is no film production in Nicaragua. Taxes — High. Theaters pay local taxes and import duty. Theaters — 25 theaters in Nicaragua. Seating capacity approximately 20,000. The average range of admission prices is from 10 to 50 centavos while the average program consists of one feature, one comedy, and one newsreel. Programs are changed daily. In the smaller theaters which do not open daily, the program is changed for each showing. The lower class appear to like "Wild West" pictures while the better educated classes prefer drama. American stars are decidedly preferred. There is a very pronounced objection to American stars with native language "dubbed in." The performance does not appear real ; it is too evident that 1237