FILM REPORT ON NEW ZEALAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 114, 27 February 1950, Page 4

FILM REPORT ON NEW ZEALAND

PRODUCTION BY RANK ORGANISATION “FACTUAL AND UNBIASSED” . ACCOUNT (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 25. Later this year picture theatres throughout the world will be screening a “factual and unbiased” film report on New Zealand. The film, which will deal with both good and not so good features of New Zealand life, will be released in the “This Modern Age” series, produced by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation. For the last four months, Mr Peter Hennessy has toured New Zealand gathering material for the film. His assignment has ended, and he left today by Solent flying-boat on the first stage of his journey back to the United Kingdom. Expressing the objectivity which was the aim of the series, Mr Hennessy indicated in an interview the nature of some of the things he has recorded. He acknowledged that the period selected for the assignment offered unusual possibilities. Mr Hennessy spent the first month studying the election campaign, which he saw as a symbol of working democracy. Toward the end of his stay he was able to see how the Dominion staged the Empire Games. In between, he covered such aspects of New Zealand life as farming, meat works, hydro-electric schemes, housing, the Plunket system, universities, thermal regions, and all other tourist attractions?' The weather was ideal throughout his visit. “I got some good shots of architecture in Auckland, and some 'bad achitecture, too,” he said. “Good things he noticed were the wonderful opportunities for young people, the chance to stay healthy, the scenery, perambulators carried in front of trams (a service not given in England), and hospitality. In the not-so-good category came the drinking habits and hotels. • “New Zealand girls lose a good deal of social life through early closing of the. bars,” said Mr Hennessy. Pie took a shot of a typical 6 p.m. exodus, with groups of men carrying their parcels of beer. He considered “lack of imagination” the main drawback in New Zealand hotels. The people were friendly, hut there were too rigid eating hours and too conservative a preparation of food,* In all Mr Hennessy shot 20,000 feet of film . This will be cut to make a 2000 foot feature which should he released in about five months.