PICTURE FILMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 298, 12 September 1919, Page 8

PICTURE FILMS

| "RUBBISH" FROM AMERICA

GOVERNMENT CONTROL

ADVOCATED

I That ; the. importation of films of niov[ing" "piofares'Tand their distribution to 'managers be nationalised and controlled (by the Government, was a remit laid before the conference of tie municipal association by the Hastings [Borough Council,

; ; "Wo aro living under tho threat of a combine," eaiid the Mayor of Hastings, MriVG. Ebbott. "In Hastings we are finding. difficulty in getting , films owing, to-'the^jCombitie." :■::!&■;&, jS!.W. King.(Mayor of Devonport) . seconded the remit. Ho considered it'would Be to the benefit of the Dominion if the "picture films could be better controlled than thoy were at present. ':; "The type' of picture that is being shown in this country is not what it ought, to be," remarked Miss E. Melville :(Auokland City Council). "Although there' is a censor who is supposed to IcensOT the pictures, it is not dono to the satisfaction of the' community, and if -the, Government had the whole control there would not be the same inducement to put the. pictures through in tho apparently haphazard mamior that obtains at -present, To my mind, the alamming increase in juvenile crime is attributable to the type of picture that is put on. V. i-.'Offences such as burglary and the Carrying of firearms by children aredue, 'there is no doubt, to tho sensational pictures shown. Tho absoluto itobbish brought in from America under the heading of 'drama' is not drama but 'sensational melodrama of the commonest desoriptish. If tho Government can got away from that it will bo worth while. A great many, women's societies havo discussed this thing very seriously. They tare the people who know. Tho films aro imdcr the control of a trust, who can 'bring them in as they like. If we are ; going to bring up our children to have e-taate for sloppy American drama of a ipernicious type, it is going to bo a very Serious thing." ■ :•';■ Mr. C. B. Mackay (Mayor of Wninganui) did - not altogether agres with : -the cry, th'airtho pictures were doing all tho hark to tho young people. Ho doubt•.ed' whether the effect was so serious as it .-was stated to Ire. Anyone who visited a picture 'shorn- could observe how tho Children cheered -when the "villain" was ; ! ,"run to earth."- That seemed to indi?cate .that the moral tendencies of tho /.young people were not being disturbed '/in' a harmful fashion; But, the real itrbuble.jyas that a film trust was in .{operation, and he thought, steps should (be taken to deal with its activities. • Mr, A. J. M'Curdy (Upper Hutt Town' Board) said that he had always received : iair treatment from the film combine. As '.far as theatre charges were concerned ;{the people had tho remedy in .'their own ;-han'ds:by.."going on strike." Until the went in for nationalisation '■-of"coal mines, or some of the larger vn-i-dustries, ha did not think they should renter into control of the picture films. rHe opposod the remit. ' \.)'"ml P. Luko (Mayor of Wellington) 'reaid he was not much in love with the I'-worrd "nationalisation." Ho thought that '.greater good could be done by a more conso'ring of the films. ,; The remit was carried.