WELDING THE EMPIRE BY THE FILM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 48, 21 November 1918, Page 5

WELDING THE EMPIRE BY THE FILM

HOW BRITISH SENTIMENT CAN BEST \ ■ BE FOSTERED !

(By the Eight Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime; Minister of New Zealand, in the; "Weekly Dispatch.") ;

The kinenia is a thoroughly modern! institution, ouo that is popular with all j classes of the community, especially the! rising generation, and, therefore, so far' as it is possible to judge, it has come to! stay. Tho number who visit tho picture! shows on any ono day in any of tho cen-, 1 tres of population is simply enormous.; If properly used as an education influ-: ence there would bo nothing to equal iti in reaching the masses of tho people,, but so far very, little, comparatively,| lias been dons in this way. ■ j

In tho past British people have _ to a great extent neglected their own history: —tho most glorious history in the world.! They have not encouraged tho patriotic; sentiment, love of country, and pride of! Empire as they should nave done andj as other great nations have done in allages. I trust this state of things will' be remedied in, tho future, and the! kinema. affords an unqualified opportun-j ity. Scenes' from tho recent war, 6how-j ing incidents of tho part which our sol-' diors and sailors and airmen have taken,' will always bo of intense interest to Bri-i tislt citizens. Such pictures appeal to ; the imagination, and are certain to ; lmvo a good effect in assisting to formi the national character and developing; those feelings of loyalty which are neces-; sary to good citizenship. ;' I believe this matter to be so impor-| taut that the State should take action' in dealing with it, not'only to see, asj they are supposed to bo doing now, that no objectionable pictures are shown, but that a proportion of pictures of historical; importance, and even pictures of commer-i cial and industrial value and interest to citizens of the Empire, shall be shown< For instance, I have witnessed on many! occasions in the United Kingdom scenes! of industry which, if filmed and exhibit-: ed, would'bo looked at with intense in-, tercst by the people in tho overseas Do-j minions, and especially by the younger, sections of tho population, who have! never had an opportunity of seeing Bri-! tain for themselves. . | The same thing would apply to scones, from British countries in other parts of; tho world if reproduced here by means of the kinema. They would convey ideas' and impressions of tho possibilities and) potentialities of our Empire which could! not with anything like the samo accnr-! acy be gathered from books or news-; papers. As a matter of fact, I am convinced that, if properly .used, tho kinema; may be made another and a very useful conrncdng liiik between the. different, countries of the Empire, and at the same time show tho peoplo something ■ f tho', privileges and advantages of. British; citizenship. It is generally understood that when the war comes to an end there will be very keen competition between; tho industrial countries of the world, and we know that preparations are already; being made for the coming economic; struggle. Hero again the kinema may; be made' exceedingly useful. We ate allj anxious to see Britain hold her own industrially, commercially., and in every, other respect, and we believe she will. .; IVo are anxious to develop the resources; which we possess, ro use up our'own raw, material, and find employment for our; mil people, but if we are to do llif-su; things properly the citizens of each conn-: tiv within the Empire must have br'nishr. home to them, what their fellow-citizens in the other countries are capable if, ei!h>r in the way of producers or conv-imors, so that there may be a co-ordination of effort leading up to interchange of rtoducts between the mannfaotiirnir and producing countries, increase- in trade and confidence in ourselves—and I know of; no better method of assisting to attain! these ends than by a judicious u-*e of; (he kinema. Tt can bo made a really! educative influence; many of the rubbishy! films which are shown now might bo replaced by others equally or even more interesting, certainly more instructive s' teaching us more of our national life, 1 of our native races who have displayed such splendid loyalty during the present war; our leading industries both in the; temwrate and tropical zones, and tho might and power of Britain, whether as represented by our Army or Ns.vy or! our Air Service, nil of which are rwvlyj (o lirotecr the rights of British citrens, 1 assist on' - Allies, nr defend the c int'ler; nations whenever they are required. For. nil thes" reasons ,T intend to see that! ■Rrilish films hive everv chance m New] Zealand which I can help to give tiv-m. j