London, July 22.
the House of Commons to-day, the' Secretary of State indicated that hho was in touch with the Governor of Hongkong on the question of the exhibition of 2 reasonable proportion of British films. In Hongkong. Mr. A.C. "Moreing, "the Conservative ember for Preston asked, whether hibition of a certain quota of itis would require the compulsory ex-
films at each performance, and was informed that this would be 2 parti cularly -diteutt' way of doing The. following questions were Hr. Moreing asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether his attention hes been drawn to the dimeuity.of exhibiting British tim Hongkong owing to the system of Dioek-booking and blind: booking imposed by American distributors Hongkong "distributors; and what steps he: proposes to take inthe '2) whether, in order to secure the adequate exhibition of British ims in Hongkong, he will require the compulsory exhibition of a 29 per feet quota of British films at each Performance in accordatice witn the Drinciple of the Cinematograph Films' Act, 19277 Mr H." G._ Williams asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of cinematograph: films released for exhibition in Hongkong during the year ended June 30, 1995, of British and American origin; respectively; (2) whether, in order to secure the: exhDhition of a reasonable proportion of British films in Hongkong, he will consider the imposition of a special registration tax on foreign films analogous to the tax on foreign motor cars imposed under Ordinance No. 82, of October 27, 19327
Inopportune Tine Mr. Ormsby-Gore: 1 am afraid that! I have not the figures asked for by the hon. member for South Croydon (Mr, H. G. Williams), but 1 will ask the Governor of Hongkong if he can supply them. On the question of policy. I am fully alive to the considerations' that have prompted my hon. friend's questions, For economic reasons, the moment is not very opportune for imposing restrictions upon film enterprise in Hongkong, but the whole question is engaging my attention, and T can promise hon, friends that it will not be lost sight of.
Mr, Moreing: Is my right hon. friend aware that during the period ending on June 30, this year the proportion of American films in Hongkong was something like 92 per cent. while the proportion of British firns was only 5 per cent? In view of th very serious question of which may arise in connection with the showing of films to Chinese audiences, will my right hon. "filed speedily get in touch with the Colonial [Governor on the matter?
Mr, Ormsby-Gore: As I indicated in my reply, that Is what I have done.
Mr. Day: Will the right hon, gentleman also suggest that the same clauses as are embodied in the Cinematograph Films Act in this country should be included in that ott Mr Ormsby-Gore: 1 belove that the "Institution of quotas in China, Jand particularly in Hongkong, would bbe an extremely dim cult way of doing it. Tt is conceivable that it could bbe done by differential taxation, but not want to prejudge the issue.
Mr. Day: The questions refer blind and block booking.
Tue Davis Chinese Scholarship (Oxford University), for 1996 has been awarded to "Miss S.M.M. Pirkis, Exhibitioner at St. Hild: College.
M, JeaN-Baptiste Barbier, Counseller to the French Embassy at Japan, who left Tokyo a few weeks ago on a trip to France, has been transferred to a similar post at Buenos Aires.
Mr. Edward Lockwood, of Canton, who is a brother of Mr. 'W.W. Lockwood of Shanghai, told the following amusing story when speaking at a dinner at the Chinese Merchants Club in Hongkong a few days ago: There was a doctor in Canton who was a brain specialist and was very successful with operations en people who had trouble with their brains. One patient, however, after his brain had. been removed and taken to another room for examination, came Out of the anaesthetic and put his skull back and walked out. Meanwhile the doctor had the brain and searched frantically for his patient but could not find him. The doctor eventually found him in one of the leading colleges in Shanghai where hho was 2 professor!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.