REFORM URGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 11

REFORM URGED.

FILM CENSORSHIP.

AUCKLAND COMMITTEE'S

VIEWS

DISCUSSION WITH M.P.'S That the standard of film censorship should be raised is the considered opinion of a representative committee of Auckland citizens which recently placed its vira* before the Rt. Hon. <T. G. Coates. The committee met local members of Parliament yesterday and appealed to them for a more strict unsorship of films and film posters. There was an attendance of 30, including representatives of educational, religious and social organisations. Mr. IT. J. D. Million, chairman of the committee, read a report that had been compiled in criticism of the recent report of the Parliamentary Committee jm Films. This report by the citizens' committee said that the Parliamentary report had been generally condemned throughout the Dominion on the ground that it revealed no evidence of constructive thought or leadership. It was hoped Parliament as a whole would not be content to accept the findings of its committee without exercising its independent judgment and giving due weight to the considered opinions of the l'arge body of responsible citizens demanding leform and a raising of the standard of censorship. "Satisfactory Manner."

The views of this large body, widely representative of religious, educational and social organisations, that embrace at least 100.000 electors, were placed before the committee of the House concerning the cinema industry, and also before the Minister of Finance," said the citizens' committee's report. "Yet, despite the demand for reform by this large body of organised and unorganised public opinion, and despite the view of the Minister of Education, who, in a letter to our secretary, said: 'I agree with you that this feature (the influence of love and sex film) especially calls for rr odifica tion and improvement.'* we have this finding: 'The Committee of the House is of opinion that the censorship of films is at present carried out in a satisfactory manner.'"

"Are the public to accept the views ot the Parliamentary Committee that 'difficulties of censorship' are to be a bar to reform?" he was asked. The institution of the censorship was an acknowledgment on the part of the Government 'that only clean and wholesome pictures should be passed for exhibition. If their censorship was not doing the work for which it was designed it was the duty of the Government in the interest of public morality to revise the method.

"Jn conclusion," said the report, "wv afiinn tliat the difficulties to which the report of the Parliamentary Coinmittco refers consist apparently in a reluctance to enforce a defintely lii«rli standard of censorship. If the Minister hud the moral courage to do this, we arc confident tliat tlio alleged 'difficulties' would disappear." Statement Discussed. Speeches in reply to this statement were made hv the Hon. C. J. Carrington, M.L.C., Mr." W. E. Parry (Auckland Central), Mr. 11. G. R. Mason (Auckland Suburbs), Mr. A. S. Richards (Roskill), Mr. W. \V. Massey (Hauraki), Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Eden), and Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau). - 111 the discussion it was contended by one of the Parliamentary representatives that every decent-minded man and woman in the community was opposed to unclean pictures, but the committee would have to be careful not to cater for Mother Grundyism. Another member said he had little time to attend picture shows, and wanted to see some of the questionable films before giving an opinion. When it was pointed out that Mr. A. Harris, member for Waiteniata, and Mr. J. A. Lee, member for Grey Lynn, ha.l not been invited to the meeting it was explained that both were on the Parliamentary Committee on Films, and were conversant with the views of the Auckland committee. "I would 1 ike to have asked tlicm some questions," commented a member, "and heard something of the other side."