PICTURE SHOWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1122, 9 May 1911, Page 4

PICTURE SHOWS.

. » MR. KOETH SAYS SOME MORE. In connection with the controversy over the alleged nosd for :onw censorship of kinoiuatograiili shows, the Rev. J. J. .North matte a statement to one of our representatives last night. "I ilo not pose as an agitator on this question,'' he said. "ihe 'Lyttelton Times' asked for an interview whilo I was in that city, and picture shows camo within the range of tile chat. It is an open secret that ntany picture shows in the Old World are exceedingly degenerate, and thait a JbVneh company specially supplies pornographic material to gratify depraved tastes. ' It is also a common remark even here, where our public shows are normally above Old World levels that the glorification of adulterous passions before children and those of the critical ago is not other than a public damage. It is no good to deplore juvenile depravity if we allow it to be fostered by such meaus. All this is commonly known. Censorship is an ill-smelling word, but it smells sweeter than the muck against, which it is directed. I referred to Palmei'ston in the interview under question because its case interested mo exceedingly. The Opera House is municipal. The municipal authorities were approached some time ago by certain townsmen, and thev agreed that city supervision should obtain. It lias obtained, and the eontleman charged with letting the hall showed me a film that liad been rejected, and showed it me in the presenco of a well-known l'almerston man, who has since corroborated my memory of the conversation. The Mayor of l'almerston also, in conversation with a lady of my acquaintance, expressed his pleasure at tho improved tone of the picture shows. 1 may add that the picture firm operating in the municipal hall at the end of March, which was the date of my visit, was not Fullers'. I referred to l'almerston because of the very sensible stand taken by the city authorities. I have not learned that thev have repented. Why should they? They have led Australia, for censorship is coming. In tho midst of this littlo controversy came a cable from Sydney stating that the Labour Government there had agreed on the necessity of supervising all picture shows. "Your contributed article on Milton is nc;t very apropos. Laissez-faire ps no longer tho world's law, and even your contributor shoots Milton out of his leescuppers in his final decision in favour of censorship after tho event. The only question at issue is, Shall we prosecute after the damage is done, or shall we save both the public and the showman by preventing the damage occurring? To throw out immoral and sexually-debased stuff is not to play tho tyrant. It is but to play the man by the youth of this young nation." ■1 - .. . !