CENSORSHIP OF STAGE AND LITERATURE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8995, 4 December 1907, Page 4

CENSORSHIP OF STAGE AND LITERATURE.

A censorship of plays and pictorial exhibitions is prooable in the near future, judging from some remarks which recently fill from Minister for Justice. literature, \ylll come next as a natural corollary. The notion has been suggested by the fact that a youth in Auckland, who had witnessed an exhibition of pictures illustrating the work "Robbery Under Arms," had stolen a horse, procured a pistol, and set 1 out as an amateur highwayman; and it will find added force in the circumstance that two boys of ten and twelve years of age, respectively, who had been making a study of the heroes of the "Deadwood Dick" literature, have just been arrested in Gisborne upon eight charges of breaking and entering shops. It would appear that this .domiriw is coming to a pppg when morality in all its phases is (o be compelled by legislation rather than inculcated in the home, it is rather a deplorable outlook. If the stage is to be under censorship, much heartburning and little good will result I unless the function. the censor ar* | exercised with the utmost judiciousness, and this is Unlikely to be the case if they be left solely in the hands of a Government official. There is much more to be said in favcur of a censorship of literature of the "DeaJwood Dick" type, which is as unwholesomely stimulating; to the youth as excessive drinking of alcoholic liquors is to the mature. The task of supervision would, however, be a heavy one, and would probably necessitate the establishment of a new and expensive State department. At any rate, it ig to be hoped the question 6t censorship of either stage pi'ddtiCticiiis or literature will be giveii ttte ftWd careful consideration before this further step in the restrictioivof the! liberty of the subject is endorsed by legislative enactment,