FILMS AND RADIO

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24273, 14 May 1942, Page 4

FILMS AND RADIO

EFFECT ON CHILDREN STRICTER CONTROL URGED (0.C.) NEW PLYMOUTH. Wednendw A stricter censorship of motion pictures and radio broadcasts is strongly advocated by the Taranaki Archdeaconry Board. Because of thfe influence of certain i types of films and broadcasts on young people, the Waikato Diocesan Synod at its next meeting will be asked to urge the authorities to act in the matter. Condemning the effect of some cinema and radio programmes on the minds of children, Mr. R. W. Brown said such entertainments could only be described as detrimental to the morals of younger members of the community. Apart from the parents, he said, the cinema and the radio were*the biggest influences in the lives of the presentday child, and there was room for great improvement in both. The Bishop of Waikato, the Rt. Rev. Dr. C. A. Cherrington, pointing out that magistrates in various parts of New Zealand had expressed similar views, said he agreed. It was futile to announce that films were for adults only when children were allowed to attend. Radio programmes, particularly, could be improved, declared Mr. R. Day. He had hoped the standard would be raise when Professor Shelley was appointed director, but some of the material broadcast was worse than ever. EMOTIONAL EXCITEMENT THE EFFICIENCY OF PUPILS Commenting that lack of sleep and emotional excitement had a very * real effect on the efficiency of pupils, the principal of the Waihi High School, Mr. Vryn Evans, reporting to the biennial meeting of parents, said he found that 64 per cent of the pupils attended pictures regularly once a week, 30 per cent attended two or three times a week, while some pupils did not miss a single change of programme. These pupils were those not found at the top of the classes. His researches showed that 61 per cent of pupils chose their own pictures, only 39 per cent being advised by their parents. Seventy per cent were permitted by their parents to attend programmes certified as suitable for adult audiences only.

COMMUNIST INTERNED

TOOK A GERMAN NAME ATTEMPTED ARSON CHARGE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday How a man who claims to be a Communist was interned on Somes Island for nearly a year with Nazis, his political antitheses, and the steps he took to terminate this state of affairs, was told to-day when John Charles Klmgenstein appeared before Mr. Goulding, S.M., on a charge of attempted arson. Klingenstein pleaded guilty. He admitted in a statement attempting to burn a shed on the island, his reason being that he classed himself as a New Zealander and did not think he should be interned. He had written to the Minister several times asking to be gaoled as a political prisoner, but had received no reply. "I have communistic ideals and to dodge gaol for my subversive activities I took my German name, after which T was interned. I object to being classed with the Nazis and think I should be classed as a political prisoner and sent to gaol or a defaulters' camp," the statement concluded. The magistrate committed Klingenstein for sentence.

BUTTER PRODUCTION ALTERED CIRCUMSTANCES POSITION OF RESERVISTS (0.C.) HAMILTON. Wednesday "A statement was made by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, a few months ago which indicated that butter was not wanted," said Mr. A. Hayward at a meeting of the Hamilton Manpower Committee today. "The committee was influenced by this statement, and where few dairy cows were involved the owners were sent to camp." Since then, added Mr. Hayward; the position had changed. Shipping had improved, and the surplus stocks in store would possibly be not greater at the end of this season than they were last season. In view of these altered circumstances, he thought butter producers should stay on their farms. The position regarding share-milkers was chaotic, and the committee had to take care to see that sufficient labour was made available to maintain production of both butter and cheese.

MENINGITIS IN WAIKATO

HUNTLY WOMAN DIEB (0.C.) HAMILTON, Wednesday Five cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis have been reported in the Waikato during the last week. Four of the patients were admitted to the Waikato Hospital and one to the Rotorua Hospital. One of them, a Huntly woman, died. Referring to the outbreak to-day, Dr. L. S. Davis, district health officer, pointed out that the cases came from a widely-scattered area, and, while some of them were serious, he did not consider there wa« any cause for alarm.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS

PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFETY The need for greater precautions for the safety of national treasures is stressed in the annual report of the Auckland Institute and Museum by the president, Dr. W. A. Fairclough. A large number of the collections hare already been removed to safer quarters in the country and outer suburbs, the report states, but some of the large exhibits have presented a problem. The large war canoe in the Maori Court, which was in position before the building was completed, cannot now be removed, and a massive timber framework has been erected over it. VEGETABLES FOB ARMY PLAN BEINQ CONSIDERED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The drawing up of a comprehensive scheme to bring under cultivation areas of land suitable for the production of vegetables for the Army m New Zealand was at present under consideration, said the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. J. G. Barclay. Several conferences on the subject had been held, but the scheme had still to be hammered into shape. "The committee which was set up some time ago after the investigation by the Price Tribunal into the high costs of fruit and vegetables has the matter in hand," added the Minister, "and officers of the Department of Agriculture are working in conjunction with the committee. It is hoped, by bringing down a comprehensive scheme for the growing of vegetables for the Army, to give relief to that extent to the domeets) TegetttW# markets," : '