AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1927, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australia fit N.Z. Cable Association.] FEDERAL POLITICS. MELBOURNE, Alareh 9. In the Federal House of Representatives. the State Grants Bill, introduced by the Government, is meeting with strong opposition. There is a protracted land heated debate proceeding on Air Charlton’s amendment in favour of the withdrawal of the measure. The Labour Party are solidly atfiinst the Bill, while several members of the Nationalist and the Country Parties have condemned it.

The indications are. in the face of these circumstances, that the Government is likely to be in a tight place when the vote is taken.

THE CINEAIA’S SIN. -MELBOURNE, A larch 9. The Commonwealth Film Censors, in their report for 1926, scathingly comments on certain classes of imported films. It declares: “What the cinema wants is more refinement of feeling and sentiment.” “A very damaging indictment which might- easily !>e brought against the cinema,” says the report, “is not that it is immoral, but it is vulgar. It cannot he said that there has been any general improvement in the quality of the imported films. Tlie Censors ask : “Why is it necessary so often for the film women to appear in ..e act of undressing, or engaged in their toilet; and also why should the climax of so many films lie an attack on innocent women? Most people of taste find those scenes neither interesting nor exciting, but- merely dull. The censors will continue to eliminate the ‘loose’ scenes, and also the ‘honeymoon’ scenes, unless it is evident that the motive behind the latter is genuinely artistic or dramatic.” Last year Australia imported 15.386.000 feet of American films, and 475.000 feet of British films.