FILM CENSORSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 February 1921, Page 6

FILM CENSORSHIP.

SCENES OF ROBBERY AND MURDER TO BE BANNED. GOVERNMENT’S LATEST ENACTMENT. The Government has decided on further censorship of motion pictures, and the following letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs to film importers and companies, agencies in the Dominion indicates to what extent the latest restrictions will operate:— I have the honor to inform you that the Government has decided that any film or portion of film * where thieving, robbery, murder, or suicide is made a feature of such film, will not be passed for circulation in this Dominion. And after consulting with the Censor of kinematogra.ph films, I beg to advise you that the restriction will take effect as from May 1 next. — (Signed) G. J. Anderson, Minister of Internal Affairs. From inquiries made by a Dominion reporter it was ascertained that film businesses in the Dominion which have headquarters in Wellington are regarding this move as a serious one. One American representative\said that the Government evidently intended with one stroke of the pen to abolish dramatisation of some of the world's greatest novels, which hitherto, through the medium of the motion picture, had reached hundreds of thousands throughout many countries. With reference to thieving and robbery in motion pictures, he said: “No pictures nowadays which depict in any part the wrongdoings of any individual fail to conclude without showing the ultimate punish ment of that individual ... If it can be said that the motion picture has ex hibited in any way evil and crime, it can be said also that it has shown also the punishment meted out for evil and crime. . . . Thousands of the cheap novels that litter bookshops at the present day have more in them worthy of censorship than the average photo-play; and they do infinitely more harm than do motion pictures.”

.“I wish to compliment the film censor, Mr. Joliffe, on his work,” said another American -film corporation representative to a Dominion reporter. “He has always treated us fairly and well, and has been absolutely impartial in his criticisms. But this last move is going to hit us very hard. In my own case, several big feature films, dealing, amongst other things, with robbery, will have to be sent back to America, as unsuitable. In my opinion, the latest censorship will mean the withdrawal of large interests from New Zealand. If this happens, the public will lose their only cheap form of entertainment.”

“This move may be intended in the teterests of children.” said another exhibitor. “But we don’t want the children at- our theatres. Far better would It be if the law prohibited children under sixteen from attending picture shows, instead of making ridiculous mandates. Why not have a special State-owned theatre for children, where suitable films could be shown?” The general imprdfcsion among those interested was that the new legislation would mean the withdrawal of film interests from New Zealand.