CENSORSHIP OF FILMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 9

CENSORSHIP OF FILMS

NO CHANCE OF SALACIOUS PICTURES MR. TANNER EXPLAINS Special to THE STJN WELLINGTON, Today. “There is absolutely no chance of a ‘salacious film’ being passed by this office,” said Mr. W. Tanner, censor of film, today. “There seems to be a certain amount of misunderstanding about the ‘A’ certificate which is issued in the case of certain films. This is made out for films which are recommended for adult audiences. It does not mean that there is necessarily a moral element in the films, but it is a hint to parents that if they wish their children to see the films they are recommended to investigate them first or accompany them to the theatre. If they wish their children to see a film after having visited it themselves that is, of course, their affair. “The certificate is merely a recommendation, and I do not know if it would be possible to enforce a condition that any film should he shown only to adult audiences. As far as the theatre people are concerned, I ~+hey prefer the adult audience.” Representations which were recently made to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la P-errelle, for the censorship of film posters and a review the censorship of films have been anticipated by the Film Exchanges Association. Months ago the various film exchanges completed work on draft regulations governing the procedure in dealing with film posters. Provision for this censorship was made in legislation passed two years hack which has never been put into operation be-, cause of lack of staff and accommodation in the film censor’s office. The exchanges are willing to co-operate with the Government in facilitating censorship of posters, though they do not see why film posters alone should be censored and not other classes of posters. However, nothing can be done in the direction of gazetting the regulations and placing them in force until new quarters are provided for the censor and his staff, and everything now turns upon the Government’s decision to provide these. It was stated today that for some time the Department of Internal Affairs has been looking round for suitable new offices.