BOYS IN TROUBLE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14198, 25 August 1919, Page 2

BOYS IN TROUBLE.

COMMENTS ON MOVING PICTURES. AUCKLAND. August 20. j The appearance of two boys of sixteen years of age at' the Supreme Court for sentence on charges of breaking and entering has revived the discussion on the influence on the youthful male mind of moving pictures of a certain class of adventure. Both boys were of ordinarily good character, with comfortable homes and careful parents, yet they admitted that one night recently they broke the shop window of the/Coloniai Ammunition Company, and stole two automatic pistols, and several niguts later they were surprised in the act of breaking into llcndell ’s drapery shop, when each lad was equipped with flashlight torches, rubber gloves, and revolvers. Counsel for one of the lads suggested that they got their ideas from going to see a certain class of moving pictures. • The Grown Prosecutor said the question of the effect of picture shown on the mind of the community was involved. There was no doubt that if the pictures were found to have a mischievous suggestive tendency, one of two courses of action would have to be taken, either a more drastic censorship or legislative measure to prevent boys under 18 or 19 years of ago being allowed into picture shows. “Wo have had so much of this in this Court, ” he said, “that it seems clear that some action must be taken, and, no doubt, your Honour lias had the same experience. The police are continually reporting on it. Counsel agreed that there was nothing mischievous in the home surroundings or conduct of the accused boys, but the police wore inclined to think that cheap literature of the blood and thunder class had found its way into, the boys’ hands. Mr Justice Chapman remarked that ho was afraid pernicious literature was always with us, and would get into tnc hands of boys if they sought it. He agreed with Mr Tole, the Crown Prosecutor, that complaints of moving pictures were always coming before the courts, but, at the same time, those pictures, under proper conditions, ought nut to be a source of corruption. They ought to be a source of edification and wholesome amusement, and it was only a question of how and when they would be made to conform with such a standard that they would perform their proper function. How that was to bo done was more than ho could say, but it would have to be obtained. it would be a great mistake to condemn pictures that might be made most valuable means of instruction and amusement. Though he rarely visited picture shows, ho had recently done so, I and had been agreeably surprised to j find the subject and pictures shown to be not only unobjectionable, but also wholesome in their suggestion, and instructive in character.