PRESENT-DAY FILMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20111, 23 November 1928, Page 15

PRESENT-DAY FILMS.

PRESBYTERIAN CRITICISM.

"A PERNICIOUS INFLUENCE."

TENNIS COURTS AS ANTIDOTE. A strongly hostile attitude to moving pictures in general is taken up by the Lifo and Work Committee of tho Presbyterian Church in its report presented to tho General Assembly yesterday. " On the wliolo we are safe in saying that tho moving pictures continuo to exercise a most pernicious and demoralising infiuenco on our young people," states tho report. " When they are not openly immoral they are inane. They exalt tho problems of sex to a disproportionate plane, and by their exhibitions of luxurious living they tend to mako young people discontented with their humdrum lot. While it is truo that the best people in our churches do not attend pictures to any extent it is also true that the time is more than ripo for tho stiffening up of our censorship of films, for tho authorities so far have certainly not erred on tho sido of prudency. " Wo might also as a Church seek to counteract their evil influence by providing healthy antidotes in the formation of literary and debating societies and similar organisations. Wo bclicvo also that it would pay most Churches handsomely to provide tennis courts for its young people, so that they can have their recreations under tho shadow of the Church."