CENSORSHIP OF PICTURES.

STORMY MEETING AT RANGIORA. Last evening an audience of about five hundred persons assembled at the Rangiora Institute Hail to hear a discussion on the question of the censorship of moving pictures. A section oi the audience attended under an iiapression that the meeting was an organised attempt to suppress picture exhibitions in the town, and the speakers were subjected to a good deal of interruption. tlio meeting being the rowdiest held in the town for many years past. The Mayor, Mr E. 11. Good, presided. At the opening of the meeting a duet was sung by Mrs J. T. Withers and the llev J. H. Haslam.

The Mayor said that the meeting had been convened by tlio Borough Council at the request of certain gentlemen, who had considered that some of the pictures, shown at the Coronation celebrations entertainments were improper. There was no intention to stop picture shows, but only to eliminate that which was objectionable and immoral. He had seen pictures in several parts of the world, and he could say that he had not seen worse or as bad from a moral point of view as some of those shown on the occasion mentioned. He quoted from articles in the Christchurch newspapers to show that- censorship of pictures in New Zealand was desirable.

The Rev F. P. Fcndall spoke appreciatively .of tho picture entertainments as being a source of pleasure and education. No impression made on the minds of the young, he said, was so deep and lasting as that made through the eye. It was therefore necessary above everything to see that no pernicious impression should bo allowed to debase and degrade the moral sense of the young through the medium of moving pictures. He said that he could emphatically say that there was strong evidence of a pernicious influence being exercised by a certain class of picture show. He then went 011 to describe the films objected to, and said that they were admitted to be stock pictures shown all over New Zealand, and that being the case it was time action was taken to purity the fountain at the head by preventing such films getting into circulation. He moved —"That motion pictures are being exhibited which are of an objectionable nature, and which have a hurtful influence, particularly upon children." Mr T. R. Cresswell, principal of the High School, seconded the motion. He said that he fully recognised the educational value of tho picture shows, and in attempting to keep the tone of the pictures to a good moral level they were acting in the best interest of the picture proprietors themselves. Speaking as a teacher, a parent and a citizen, he made a strong appeal to the audience to give tlio question serious consideration.

After a song by Mr C. Ayers, Mr F. W. Poore, the proprietor of the pictures objected to, stated that the pictures bad been exhibited in Christcliurch without eliciting adverse criticism. He expressed his anxiety to give a perfectly clean show, and in proof of his statement instanced a case in which lio had cut out part cf a film shown in Rangiora because he considered it bordering on the objectionable. He contended that most of the dramas staged in theatres could be objected to, and referred to a melodrama recently in Christchurch, which, he said, had been patronised by the clergy, as worse in moral tone than any picture he had exhibited. He argued that pictures depicting scenes of vice had a good moral influence, inasmuch as wrong-doing was always followed by punishment. Mr Poore was loudly applauded, by a section of the audience at the back of the hall, and an amendment was proposed by Mr J. Lindon—" That the people of this town have full confidence in the picture shows." The Rev T. Miller, who commanded a good hearing, said that they were not present to impugn Mr Poore, or belittle him as an entertainer, or to impugn picture shows generally, but to criticise objectionable films and to endeavour to prevent their exhibition. The pictures specially complained of, he said, depicted what must have been considered vile, base and criminal by all pureminded people. That had not been denied by Mr Poore himself, and he, having expressed anxiety for a clean show, should be the first to vote for the motion.

Mr J. Sansom also spoke, but much of what he said was lost owing to interruptions.

The motion was then put, but it was impossible to obtain a correct record of the votes. The Mayor announced that the figures handed to him by the scrutineers were:—For the motion 92, agaijist 120, more than half the people having refrained from voting. A great uproar followed, cheers and counter-cheers being given. Other proposed motions were withdrawn, and after a vote of thanks to the Mayor the meeting broke up in considerable disorder. Outside the hall the noisy section of the crowd made a demonstration, and carried Mr Poors shoulder high through the town.