NINE-TENTHS PIFFLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1927, Page 3

NINE-TENTHS PIFFLE.

VERDICT OF CENSOR

During his ten and a half years o! office, Mr Joliffe, Government film censor, has witnessed the screening of approximately ten thousand miles of pictures—to be exact, 49,743,260 feet. 11 is tally for the year closing at the end of last month was 5,415,370 feet, nearly a million feet more than tho previous year’s total. This length of celluloid comprised 2751 different pictures, an increase of 800 on tho previous year. These pictures were of all kinds, dramatic, scenic, industrial, and comic. Every cinematograph film destined for public exhibition in New Zealand must be passed by tho censor, even if it is only a small scenic effort made by the Government Publicity Department. There are no exceptions to this rule.

. Hour by hour and day by day, in his little theatre sits the censor, watching. The prevalent idea that “movies” are

bad for tho eyes finds no support from Mr JolifFe’s own experience, and he ought to know if anyone does.

“What they are bad for,” be says, “is the nerves (for a good nine-tenths of the pictures are piffle).” That crime amongst juveniles can be traced to a large degree to the pictures is not believed by Mr Joliffe. JTp admits that children may. and do, get quite n( wrong) impression of life ns it really is, by watching American dramas, but this is counter-bn’anced by the fact that the children, at an-v rate, are being kept out. of mischief. Were it not for the pictures they would probably be roaming the streets and getting info all kinds of mis'Ji-'ef.

A source of harm, Mr Joliffe reckons to be in fashion parades. Such pictures, he says, tend to make the young girls who see them dissatisfied with what they have and the result may be disastrous.

“If you ask me if continuous attend anco, at the pictures is bad for the morals. I can only say that I do not think that- mine have deteriorated during the last ten venrs.” he said.