N.Z. BUYING OF U.S. FILMS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27064, 12 June 1953, Page 8

N.Z. BUYING OF U.S. FILMS

Regulation Of Book Purchases AMERICAN PROFESSOR , t CRITICAL (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 11.’ New Zealand’s purchase of quantities of Hollywood films but very few American books is scandalous, in the view of Professor J. J. Jones, of the department of English in the University of Texas. Professor Jones, who is in New Zealand as Fulbright lecturer on American literature, expressed this view in an address on Texas at the men’s luncheon of the English Speaking Union today. “When you take the tone of our culture from what comes out of Hollywood you lose most of the resonance,” he said. “For an arbitrary regulation to dictate that one may spend money on ephemeral entertainment but not on the produce of intellect at work appears to me to be little short of a cultural calamity.” Free trade in ideas was just as important as free trade in cheese or cars, he said. He hoped that New Zealariders would soon be able to stay home and read American books if they preferred that to the viewing of inferior films. Referring to the wealth of the State, he said: “If you say everyone is rich in Texas except the poor folk, you’ll just about have it. The extremes of wealth and poverty equal the extremes of climate.” The latter were seldom encountered.

Texan negroes were improving their own position, both through their own efforts and the sympathy of the whites. Racial problems, both negro and LatinAmerican, still beset the State Legislature. However, he described education there as an enormous effort. The number of people connected with education in the state nearly equalled the population of New Zealand. Cultural groups such as symphony orchestras were established in the larger cities, and were increasing in numbers constantly.