H.—22

National Patriotic Fund Board (New Zealand only) £ Balance as at Ist October, 1943 : Cash and investments .. 604,181 Receipts from Provincial Councils and all other sources .. 1,267,976 1,872,157 Less payments .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,234,353 Balance, 30th September, 1944 : Cash and investments .. £637,804 Estimated expenditure, ]944-45 .. .. .. . .. £573,400 IX. CINEMATOGRAPH THEATRES A. Film Censorship During the year 1,560 films of ail classes, totalling 3,954,690 ft., were examined. Of this number 128 were passed subject to excisions, 93 were passed with recommendations that they were more suitable for adult audiences, and 15 were passed with the caution that they were unsuitable for children. Only one appeal was lodged, this being against the Censor's decision to make a certain elimination in a full-length feature film, but the Board of Appeal, after viewing the picture, disallowed the appeal. An analysis of the work is shown hereunder ;—

Quota Films : The countries of origin of the quota or feature films examined were a follows : Great Britain, 49 ; Australia, I ; Russia, 1 ; United States of America, 310. General Remarks : Compared with the previous year, the number of films in which, excisions were made was 128, as against 102 ; the number recommended as more suitable for adults was 93, as against 113 ; and the number considered to be definitely unsuitable for children was 15, as against 22. Miniature or 16 mm. films examined totalled 104, a considerable increase compared with the number presented in the previous year—viz., 51. There was also a marked increase in British films examined (both feature and non-quota subjects), the totals being 49 and 497 respectively, as compared with 24 and 450 for the previous year. Many of these productions (the full-length pictures) were of a high standard, it being considered that they were equal to, if not better, than those made in foreign studios. On the whole, there was not much variation in the types of pictures examined, films with war themes being again in evidence, although there were perhaps slightly more comedies and musical comedies viewed than last year. B. Licensing of Cinematograph Operators One hundred and seventy-six new applications for provisional and assistant operators' licenses were considered, as compared with 180 for the previous year. Sixty-eight new provisional licenses and 114 new assistant operators' licenses were issued. This made a total of 1,212 operators and 752 assistant operators licensed since the coming into force of the regulations in 1938. Owing to the expiration of the triennial licensing period on the 31st May, 1944, renewals of 749 licenses, comprising provisional, grade, and assistant operators' licenses, were issued. In addition, a number of emergency licenses were issued to operators urgently required to fill vacancies caused by man-power difficulties arising out of the war. C. Exhibitors' and others Licenses Licenses under the Cinematograph Films Act for the year ended 30th September, 1944: exhibitors', 465 : itinerant exhibitors', 26 ; renters', 16 ; storage, 11 ; miscellaneous, 12. X. ANIMALS PROTECTION AND GAME A. General (1) Bird-life Open game-shooting seasons were held in all acclimatization districts. More shot-gun ammunition was made available than for the 1943 season, resulting in a very greatly increased demand for shooting licenses. Certain reserves vested in the Whangarei Borough Council were declared sanctuaries. (2) Opossums The number of skins stamped was 563,061, compared with 180,168 the previous year,

7

Quota or Long Films. Non-quota or Short Films. Origin. Number. Length. Number. Length. Ft. Ft. British .. .. .. .. 50 416,710 497 447,110 Foreign .. .. .. .. 311 2,443,470 702 647'400 Totals .. .. .. 361 2,860,180 1,199 1,094,510