Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 15 January 1941, page 12


"FILM DID NOT COST

STATE A PENNY."

Mr. Mair on "40,000

Horsemen."

Commenting on the announcement that the State Government had sold its share in

"Forty Thousand Horsemen," the Australian Light Horse film to the producing company Famous Feature Films Ltd. for £15,000, the Premier, Mr Mair, said last night that this meant that the film had not cost the State

a penny.

"Originally," said Mr Mair, "The Govern-ment guaranteed the production of certain pictures, one of which was 'Forty Thousand Horsemen," to encourage the establishment of motion picture productions as a local industry and to maintain employment in that industry when the Australian film producers were in a position of stress.

"The Treasurer, Mr Richardson, and I followed very closely the negotiations with the film interests, so that all the necessary protec-tion possible could be given to Government funds. The Government did not, in the case of "Forty Thousand Horsemen," supply funds but merely gave a guarantee for a specific

sum - £15,000 - and fortunately the picture is of such high quality that its success is un-doubted, and the producers have a profit-

maker. Negotiations are practically complete for the lifting of the Government guarantee so that the Government's objective - to stimu late Australian production - has been served a good picture has been produced and it has not cost the Government one penny. This

should vindicate the Government's action in its relationship with Australian films."