CENSORING FILMS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1932, Page 3

CENSORING FILMS

' . AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE. , SYDNEY, Octcber 12. Film censorship.; is .al.v?ys retogn|aeJ as a dijicuit suojeet, anci Austrana not finding the. solution .any eas»;i ’than other countries. The wealth appoints, a censor' whose judg- . ment is accepted by some of .iiu 1 States, but ‘Victoriay iawamongthc States which .places reliance 'ony own 1 officer!. The doubie' censorshlpjvcf films .shoß-n in lYiqtoxia doqs aofepase the,.''(roublesm| the theatre proprietors and distribining firms, and. has'vpeeii the subject • complaints. ;>Tfe . plea for nnffdrmity, : se®mß'-td; be Z.WP justified.} and the announcement ;thq* a would: ifW; held., .•shortly' »r thatrcwould oe brought 'aboutvhas beeniwell >-.eceiyed. v v'■■■

'ilTt* Victoria the. i-ansor has- been “Accustomed to releasing films tor ‘‘general exhibition, ’* and’otners uhidi are ..not to .be shown to. children be tween the ages cf four years and six ■ teen years. In Victoria ,fori years it has been an offence to admit t-hildnn to a i>icture theatre tinless a “ginernl exhibition”/-filrii. has, been shown, but the law has not been strictly obey ou r t except - when it was known that; »«« censor inspector was dn the •"yicinitf: Even the inspector has not been too severe: • Now the-restriction on “cpnditional M films is to be abandoned and the reform has been generally wet :omedv •'The 'decision' Of the Gover rirfierit has not pleased the Churches. They have lodged a-pretest to the Ministers but the Cabinet is det: rmined to i.i-emcve the-ban and leave ,it to the . common sense, of the parents to sa'v \ylmo picture their childrm r . or... should

■HCiGGsS^-.-'.-. 1 ; ■■ ■■“SSlr'Zj • ‘I have learned to my very great surprise- that the Commonwealth, film censor is a Methodist local preacher,” said the Chief Secretary of Victoria tie'other dry. “It has. net prevented • him; from letting through films, which, in, my opinion are n Pt, fit-.-for geueraU, exhibition. It, is remarkable liow the attiti:de of censors varies. World fig-';.-lires show that tbreeeq|U , j.rters o-f. the:, cuts made by ~ some ciensprs are not. duplicated by ethers,- but sex: and. ; crime -are the two most fruitful rea-, goes for deleiious. ,About 65 per- cent,; of ,the cutting:' is done for -sugcfeitive .. reasons. ; 30 p.tr cent js done- because of • law-breaking, and the remainder : for'-igruesoniem'ss, blaspl emy, ' and of-? < fence to . religion. Japan; objects to-,,. oyev-long kisses,. Java- to-bank rob--' beries, .England to' fi’nn.;> shewing American- efigine wheels 'on British trains. Singapore to loose morals, 1 Chicago- to.:, gangster -activities, bftd some'^Americait.’States to?the drinliing - of, intoxicating lipuors. -f •/ : '