WELDING THE EMPIRE BY THE FILM.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXIX, Issue 3998, 25 November 1918, Page 2

WELDING THE EMPIRE BY THE FILM.

HOW BRITISH SENTIMENT CAN ' BEST BE FOSTERED.

(By the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister of. New Zealand, in

the "Weekly Despatch.")

The.kinema is a thoroughly modern institution, one that is popular with all classes of the community, especially the rising generation, and, therefore, so far as it is possible to judge, it has come to stay. The number who visit, the picture shows on any one day in any of the centres of population is simply enormous. If properly used as an education influence there would be nothing to equal it in reaching the masses of people, but so far very little, comparatively, has been done in this way.

In the past British people have to a great extent neglected their own history—the most glorious history in the world. They have not encouraged the patriotic sentiment, love of country, and pride of Empire as they should have done and as other greuS nations have done in all ages. I trust this state of things will b3 remedied in the future, and the kinema affords an unqualified opportunity. Scenes from the recent war showing incidents of the part which our soldiers and sailors arid airmen have taken, will alwaysbe of intense interest to British citizens. , Such pictures appeal to the imagination, and are certain to have a good effect in assisting to form the national character and developing those feelings of loyalty which are necessary to good citizenship.

I believe this matter to be so mi- ■ portant that the State should take action in dealing with it, not only to see, as they are supposed to be doing now, that no objectionable pictures are shown, but that a proportion of pictures of historical importance, and even pictures of commercial and in I dustrial value and interest to citizens"" of t,he Empire, .shall ."be shown. For instance, I have witnessed oh many" occasions in the United Kingdom scenes; of industry which, if filmed and exhibited, would be looked at with intense interest by the people in the overseas Dominions, and especially by the younger sections of the population, who have never had an opportunity of seeing Britain for themselves. The same thing would apply to scenes from British countries in other parts of the world if reproduced here by means of the kinema. They would convey ideas and impressions of the possibilities and potentialities of our Empire which could not with anything like the same accuracy, be gathered from books or newspapers. As a matter of fact I am convinced that if properly used the kinema may be made another and a very useful connecting link between the different countries of the Empire, and at the same time show the people something of the privileges and advantagss ot the British citizenship. It is generally understood that when the war comes to an end' there will be very keen competition between the industrial countries' of the world, and Wi know that preparations are already being made for the coming economic struggle. Here again the kinema made be made exceedingly useful. Wo are all anxious to see Britja'n hold h"2f own industrially, commercially, and in every other respect, and we believe she will. "•

We are anxious to develop the resources which we possess, to use up our own raw material, and find employment for our own' people, but if we are to do these things properly the citizens of each country within the Empire must have brought home to them what their fellow-citizens; in

the other countries are capable" of, either in the way of producers or consumers, So that there may be a coordination of effort leading up to interchange of products between the manufacturing andVproducing counties, increase in trade and confidence in ourselves —and I know of. no better method of assisting to attain these ends than by a judicious use of the kinema. It can be made a really educative influence; many of the rubbishy films which are shown now might be replaced by others equally or'even more interesting, certainly more instructive; teaching us more of our national life, of our notive races who have displayed such splendid loyalty during the present war; our leading industries both in the temperate and 1 tropical zones, and the might and power of Britain, whether as represented by our Army or Navy or our Air Service, all of which are ready to protect the right of British citizens, assist our Allies, or defend the smaller, nations whenever they are required. For all these reasons I intend that British films have every chance in New Zealand which I can help to give them. ' ,