MOTION PICTURE FILMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22329, 1 August 1934, Page 5

MOTION PICTURE FILMS

WORK OF THE CENSOR SMALL PERCENTAGE OF REJECTIONS. (From Oub Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 31. Of 2010 films of all classes examined by the New Zealand censor during the year ended March 31 last 32 were rejected in the first instance, 166 were passed subject to excisions, and 194 were passed with recommendations that_ they were more suitable for adult audiences. This information was contained in the report of the Internal Affairs Department which was presented to the House of Representatives this afternoon. Ten appeals were lodged against the censor’s decisions. In three cases the decisions were reversed and in seven cases they were upheld. . The countries of origin of the 508 quota films which were considered during the year were as follows: —Great Britain, 144; Australia, 2; United States, 359; Germany, 1; Russia, 2. Of the rejects one was of British origin, two were of Russian origin, and 25 were American. FILM CENSORSHIP BOARD \ POSSIBILITY OF ABOLITION. (From Oob Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 31. The possibility of the abolition of the Film Censorship Appeal Board was mentioned in the House of Representatives today by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr J. A. Young) when replying to the debate on the Parliamentary Film Committee’s report. The Minister indicated that as a substitute to the Appeal Board he was considering a provision by which no film might bo rejected until it had been examined both by the censor and his assistant or assistants. The responsible officer would be required before rejecting a picture to consider the written reports of his colleagues.. This would give some measure of protection to the trade, while the final responsibility would remain with the censor. Referring to the inquiry by the committee, Mr Young said, tha t evidence was given by Mr Noel Gibson, of Auckland, on behalf of the Secondary Schools Association, which purported to speak for 77 religious and social institutions and to represent 100,000 electors. One of the resolutions submitted to the committee was that the censorship should be exercised in the direction of serving the best interests of the community rather than pandering to the lower tastes of a section of the community. Mr Young said that one would assume from that resolution that the representations were an attack on the censor. The statement submitted by the deputation, however, had made it clear that the deputation was not lodging a complaint against the censor. The Minister said that tin; censor was well-informed, widely-read, and a man of high ideals. “During the 17 years that the Appeal Board has been in operation from 1018 to 1934,” said Mr Young, “it has considered 84 pictures, or an average of five a year. The censor’s decision was upheld in 55 cases and reversed in 29, or fewer than two pictures a year. The direct effect of the Appeal Board on the censorship would, therefore, appear to be negligible.