CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 21, 25 July 1910, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

MOVING PICTURES. TO TUX EDITOR. Sir, — White controversy is busy as to the wisdom of a'lowing moving pictures of the Johnson-Jeiiries fight to be exhibited, I would take the opportunity (with your kind permission) of here placing before the thinking public an ugly phase which marks certain classes of films appearing locally. I refer to the extravagantly tragical and questionable topics introduced into an otherwise artistic aud elevating entertainment. Nor from the matinees are these squalid cubjects excluded : and that fact alone cannot fail to disgust, and I hope, animate those whom 1 debire to reach — the thinking public. A portrayal of details attending murders in cold blood and in full passion or of intrigues in which no immoral suggestion is 'eft to the imagination, could not inspiro any feelings of appreciation in normal aduts; but to what morbid and disturbing thoughts could such sights impel immature or weak minds? I have witnessed such displays locally. Some who read this may remember the few pictures I can at the moment recall. A tax-collector re'eeives dues from a man in straitened circumstances and afterwards while on his way through a lonely part is cold-bloodedly done to death with «i knife in the hands of the man he has just visited. The dead body in all its gruesomeness is hauled yards away from .the spot of the murder and planted. Another depicts two men in love with the same woman fighting with knives till «mo is rendered hors de combat. Two combatants use their hands only till the victor strangles sensibility out of the other, whose contortions are horrifying in the extreme. A wife sends a letter (produced in the picture) to her lover intimating that her husband will be away from home and at the theatre that night, and inviting the lover to call then, v/hich he does. A game-keeper's son pays a midnight visit to his lover, who is an inmate of tho squire's household. He is admitted into her room by the window. Those few illustrations appearing in cold print will serve to point my contention that that class of picture is unwholesome to a degree. The whole matter is most distasteful to me as it must be to your readers, but, l feel that in spite of that it should be faced. There is such scope of subjects too, scenic industrial, historical, healthy love, comic, etc., that no excuse can hold good for introducing objectionable material into a programme. An argument against me that might bo put forward is that the present day play is full of Ihe lowering themes I refer to, but in opposition to that the plays are not so accessible to 'the public *s the pictures arc in regard to frequency of appearances and price of admission; moreover, "two wrongs never yet made a right." To my lay mind a suggestion occurs that a committee of local ladies and gentlemen should pass all pictures before they are exhibited here. I am hoping, however, that greater citizens among your readers may take the matter up if it strikes them as i,eriously as it does me and others whom I -have already sounded on the subject. One can hardly blame the local moving picture management for" exhibiting pictures that seem to be accepted everywhere; what I want is to poinfc publicly to a very undesirable with a view to having proper measures taken to tone it down. Reverting to the prize-fight picture, I must say that while not on the whole approving of it being shown, it appears to be a drawingroom subject compared to the vicious ones I have referred to. I am, etc IN REASON. Wellington, 15tb July, 1910. PAPER SELLERS. 10 THE EDITOH. Sir, — I am very pleased to see that some one ("Agnostic") besides myself objects to the ministeVs' action in moving to stop newspaper selling in the streets by children, tike your correspondent, I think there is too much interference by ministers into matters that are not spiritual welfare matters. While the children are selling papers they are* invariably under the close watch of their elders, or, if not, then they are used to the work, and are probably better able to take care of themselves, and their pence, and possibly know more of the intricacies of the world than many of the people who would move to stop them trying to keep the pot boiling at home. In Sydney and other cities they are encouraged. They are allowed the halfpermitted concession of even boarding trams. Would any of these children or their parents, I ask, be reasonably or likely to follow the ministers to church, to feed their souls, when the ministers are at the same moment seeking to cut off the supply which feeds their bodies. ■ — I am, etc... A KEEN OBSERVER. Wellington, 18th July, 1910. " NOBODY KNOWS. AND NOBODY CARES." XO THE EDITOR. Sir, — The domestic servant question — hardy perennial — has cropped up once more. It is not, however, in respect of the usual aspect of the case that I trouble you with this letter — a greater evil is in our midst. Fifteen years ago I had cause to feel the coldness, and narrow hypocritical conservatism of Wellington. Through no fault of my own I found myself absolutely penniless, and although I . was both able and willing to work ; being a gentlewoman not related in any way to the educated' settlers, who in days of old had come here for pleasure or profit (chiefly the latter) I very quickly found found myself without even a dry crust, and for a whole week was in a slate of absolute starvation. Had the dear creatures known that I was closely related to a well-known marquess, and also to an equally well-known earl ; as well as being descended from another earl, and a baronet, both of historical interest, they might have rushed me for their afternoon teas. The solution of my difficulty was an honest agnostic from Auckland, who took me on as cook. Since that, by no means unhappy time, I have sailed my modest mud-barge in many Australasian cities. A few months back I returned with the intention of settling in Wellington for health's sake. Work J found at once, but not a place to rest my weary bones in, with the exception of that excellent sheep-pen in the public library, where the suffrage probably has provided women with a cosy fire. I am not a common slavey now. Tho Melbourne people considered me learned enough to receive the honorary , membership of the Austral Salon, "l walk the streets here often at night because Wellington possesses no club that would open its doors to the likes of me. To call the place Christian would be a misnomer. Sydney : gay glittering city of pleasure, had thought enough to pay for an excellent Y.W.C.A., which possesses a good, cheap restaurant a cosy library, and a stylish drawing-room. Any girl, or woman can become a member for a mere trifle (I think it is 2s 6d for girls per annum). There are classes and amusements of all kindo, and any respectable woman can board for from 12s to 22s 6d per week — no class distinctions. What are the people here doing? It is no B«ider the young men take to drink (I often feel' tempted to go into ,rr.ysel£). There as no "institute or

club for men of moderate means (I am I not speaking of the artisan class). In Christchurcb. a few years back many cultured young men, natives of Canterbury and educated in Christ's College, complained to me that they felt obliged to resign clerkships in Wellington because they were never invited anywhere, and tho temptations of the streets were too great. When we who come from cultured homes feel the deadliness of this city of dreadful night, what must it be for a servant girl not trained to an interest in literature? These good women who spend their time at meetings for the good of their sex have missed the nut in the kernel. We want sympathy, cheerful, gaslit rooms, companionship. Wellington gives us nothing. Those good men whom I heard speak at the prohibition meetings are also wide of the mark. Before you shut the" hotels hold out the hand of fellowship to your own countrymen. "I was a stranger and you took me not in." No, verily, the old picture in Punch of the coal-miners would apply here. "I say, Bill, 'oose that? A stranger? Let's 'cave arf a brick at 'im." I am, etc , "DORCAS PRICE." Wellington, July 18th, 1910.