THE CENSOR'S DUTY
ADVERTISING PICTURES
"SUITABLE FOR ADULTS"
The Minister of Internal Affairs was asked in tho House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) whether he had noticed in public advertisements of picture films such statements as "recommended by Censor more especially for adult audiences," and! "recommendled by the Censor for adults'^; whether such recommendations were- actually made by the Censor; if not, would he cause such advertising practices to cease; and if the Censor did so recommend, whether the apparent purpose of such recommendations —to-confine' the audiences to adult persons—was not largely-de-feated by the publication of them? "Exhibitors are required by the regulations,"'stated the Minister (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle), in replying, "to state in every newspaper advertisement that a picture is recommended by the Censor as more suitable for adults, if such, a certificate has been issued. There is no reason to beliove that exhibitors would add such a statement to their advertisements unless the 'A' certificate had actuallybeen issued for a film. Such recommendations are made to place parents on their guard, fox the benefit of their! children, and the evidence before the Department is that parents who exercise a proper control over their children are grateful for the warning issued. When, such addition to the advertisements was first made■a number of years, ago it may have stimulated curiosity in some people, but now that the object of the certificate is better understood it; is effecting the purpose for which, it was designed. This certificate merely adds the recommendation, but does not make it a condition that children must not be admitted. It is the business of the parents to permit or forbid, and the exhibitor has done his duty when he "has notified in his advertisement the Censor's recommendation. The system of issuing certificates of this kind was adopted irt Australia some time ago, and, more recently, in England."
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19300828.2.15
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 51, 28 August 1930, Page 5
Word Count
319THE CENSOR'S DUTY Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 51, 28 August 1930, Page 5
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