UNDESIRABLE PICTURES

Waikato Times, Issue 12180, 15 September 1911, Page 4

UNDESIRABLE PICTURES

CENSORSHIP OF FILMS. CO-OPERATION ASKED, HAMILTON COUNCIL'S VIEW. The quest:on of establishing a censorship of moving pictures, was brought under the notice of the Hamilton Borough Council last night by a letter from the Raragiora Borough Council, which stated that the attention of the latter body .had been drawn to the fact that moving pictures of a very undesirable character were being 'exhibited in the Dominion and that evidence had been conveyed to that body of an entertainment given there recently, in which a number of films were shown which were utterly unfit for children's eyes. One of these, continued the letter, represented two murders, a second pictured a husband's infidelity, a murder and a suicide, while a third contain- * ed suggestions ef a nature totally unfit for screening. These films, the Rangiora Council was informed, were typical of one tenth of the pictures now being shown throughout New Zealand, and such being the case the Council was strongly of opinion that some steps should be taken to check this growing evil, and bad decided-to approach the Government with the object of having a censorship established to prevent such films 'being used in the future. The letter concluded by asking the Hamilton Council's co-operation, and that, if thought desirable, to also petition the Government to bring about a censorship. The Mayor said there was no doubt that some sort of censorship was desiraible, but so far as Hamilton was concerned, a very good class of pictures had in the past been shown, and he had no doubt that the same ■hi'ph standard of pictures would continue to be exhibited here, but if these people required assistance, there was no reason why it should not be given. There was, however, under the. present legislation, nothing to prevent the Rangiora Borough Council establishing a censorship of its own to deal with pictures exhibited in that borough. Cr. Barton thought the best censor was the public itself. He was of opinion that if anything of an undesirable nature came to Hamilton, it would have a very short shrift. He was speakine for 'the morals <>f the town, as he considered that if anything of the nature mentioned came here, there would be no need to go to the Government for censorship, as the public would carefully refrain from 'attending that particular show again. No action was taken.