PICTURE CENSORSHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19144, 9 October 1925, Page 12

PICTURE CENSORSHIP.

NEED IFOR IMPROVEMENT. A WOMAN'S INFLUENCE, * RECREATION ON SATURDAYS. *' Why do they not appoint a good woman as censor?" asked Archbishop Aver ill. in the course of a discussion at the annual meeting of the Discharged Prisoner's Aid Society yesterday regarding the influence of films on the minds of children. Nobody was able to explain just why Mr. Joliffe had not yet been granted assistance, but members were unanimous; in the opinion that this gentleman was at present overworked, and that it would bt. a good thing for the Dominion it more stringent censorship of films were provided. " A great deal more should be done, but the problem is, how to do it. said Mr. It. Marsack. " Once a film has been passed by the censor, nothing more can be done." " Do you think there has been any improvement lately in the nature of the films being shown?" queried the Archbishop. " I know the Young Citizens' League lately approached ail the social organisations on the matter, and they ail agreed to assist in any action that might be taken to bring about an improvement, but I have not heard whether anything further has been done." " The censor evidently has a wide conscience in the exercise of his duties, ' said a member, ' and there is no doubt that undesirable films are still being shown. For instance, a bushrangmg picture that was recently shown captured the imagination of the youngsters of our district, and several of them were prowling about pretending to be outlaws for some time afterwards. I do not mean to say they did anything wrong, but there was the inoculation of the germ of lawlessness." Another member drew attention to a statement made by Sir Truby King with regard to the number of children who went to the pictures on Saturday afternoons instead of playing out in the open. Auckland had plenty of parks, but the children did not make sufficient use of them. At Potter's Park, for instance, one might see perhaps a dozen boys and girls playing, while scores were standing in a queue at a nearby picture theatre. This was not a good augury for the future physical health of the children, quite apart from the rn<"-nil effect of the pictures themselves. Well, let us put a woman on lie censorship board, and there will soon be an improvement," declared Archbishop Averill. On the motion of Sister Hannah, it was decided that a request should be made for more adequate censorship, and that one member of the board should be a ! woman.