A HAPPY MEDIUM

NZ Truth, Issue 1184, 9 August 1928, Page 6

A HAPPY MEDIUM

It should be mentioned that special provision was made m that Act for school authorities to screen the right type of picture, showing at once that the medium which cbuld be so dangerous m showing the wrong type, could be just ias proportionately influential for good m the selection of the right type. In Australia the Government brought a Bill before the Federal -Parliament providing for a board of three censora; one of whom was to be a woman. ■ ■ This board waa to discriminate be* tween films suitable for persons unde* and over sixteen. An experiment has also been made m London — and now extended to the provinces—of showing educational films exclusively on Saturday mornings. But, of course, without any control, the youngster of modern times is Jußt as keen to see a film advertised aa "more suitable for adults" as the particular adult is to -sec the picture that has been specially prepared for his own questionable diversion/ Until the young conscience has finished its preliminary groping for 'a nucleus m life and has been able to set up a mental Ideal free taint and gloomy artificiality "The Tantalising Temptress," m all her half-clothed appeal to sex, or "Stolen Love," m air its pregnant -wealth of insidious suggestion to the immature, can only sow the seed of distress .to be reaped m a saddened adulthood. If election issues included a few more of these "planks," there might be governments that would more closely approximate to the national conscience. The only thing that can eventually reform these incomprehensible .social twists, is the ever-growing and hop«»» tendency ■ of a long- suffering public, thinking more for itself and snapping its fingers at bluff, subterfuge and inspired eyewash that party hack newspapers are paid for broadcasting.