SIR J. PARR ON FILMS.

Grey River Argus, 14 October 1926, Page 3

SIR J. PARR ON FILMS.

HOSTILE TO U.S.A. ARTICLE. LONDON, October 12. “The day of tho pioneer is gone. The chief factors of the change in Dominion life in fifteen years are motor ears and cinema,” said Sir J. Parr, replying to Lord Stanley, of Alderley’s welcome at the Colonial Institute’s Luncheon. He appealed to British motor car makers to study Australian and New Zealand markets. “Let us gather round the table and create mutual trade. In the second place, ninetyfive per cent, of the films shown in New Zealand are cheap, trashy American ones, less than two per cent, being British. I t is disquieting to see the children of the Empire influenced by foreign propaganda, depreciating the Englishmen’s prestige. Renters in Australia and New Zealand are forced to take twelve bad if they want one good American film. This should be a foremost problem the Imperial Conference tackles. I love the United States at a distance. I like to trade with them, but prefer to trade within our family instead of helping the pernicious outlook in Canada, Australia and New Zealand in recent years.’’