THE PRIZE FIGHT PICTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 16 July 1910, Page 9

THE PRIZE FIGHT PICTURES.

(To the Editor! Sir.—-The various explosions of virtuous indignation called forth by the recent prize fight in America have left behind-a feeling that there has been a sad --lack -of logical consistency - shown throughout. If we eliminate- the fact, that the "colour question" has been shamelessly exploited as an advertising medium from monetary greed, there would appear to be little remaining totake exception to. Jack Johnson is not the first coloured man who has held the championship, and the-victories of Peter Jackson and other fighters (i:e., boxers) I created little or no consternation or : virtuous disgust- As far as -the two j late contestants were concerned, it is | highly problematical whether there was i any degree of real animosity between. i them, however much.they may have acted j their parts, and the fight, from all. 1 accounts, was conducted on the fairest, and cleanest lines. ■ -• _-•'-

That the exhibition of- the pictures should be forbidden -in America; India and South Africa. where there might be a serious prejudice to the prestige of the white man is absolutely inperative, but that they are in any real sense of the term -morally degrading is little short of the-veriest cant. ■ •■-

Only a week or so ago a boxing comptioion took place in Auckland resultjgg 2^*^. c jusual crop of "knock* out." ■e:?cJ-ut>ltion -was . If tlxe films

.« •■! imo ■)■ mo mnio what about the flaminsr posters ftQ-

quently displayed on (.tie hoardings o£Auckland streets, representing scones of our bigHy-prized blood and thunder melodramas, in which we see the heroes n.nd villains in various poses of magnificent ferocity and armed to the -teeth with knife and revolver? These possibly my h-avo some educational value for the young, though, for one, I have never yet been able to discover it? I have only once witnessed a biograph performance in New Zealand, but on that occasion I recollect two gun-shot murders of a particularly revolting character pourtrayed in one piece for the education of the children, forming the majority of the audience. '..■•..."

I will conclude by stating that, should the fight pictures be within the convenient radius of about a quarter of mile I shall chance my morals being outraged and go and have a look at-them.;—l am, etc., ... HEATHEN^