JOHNSON-JEFFRIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10039, 13 July 1910, Page 5

JOHNSON-JEFFRIES.

STRAIGHT TALK PROM PRIME MINISTER. REFUSES TO PROHIBIT FILMS. NOT GOING TO BE DKIVEN BY A LITTLE EXCITEMENT. Unites Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph Copyright Received July 12, 9.30 p.m. MELBOURNE, July 32.

A big deputation of clergymen and others, claiming to represent practicilly the whole of the forces acting for the moral good of the community, waited upcn Mr Fisher, tie Federal Prime Minister, and urged him to prohibit the importation of the films of the Johnson-Jeffries tight. The grounds of the request were the bad moral effect generally, ani the bad effect educationally, their exhibition would have on the youth of Australia. The Kev. Mr Worrall expressed the opinion tnat it would be simply rational suicide to allow the films to be shown here or else where in the Empire. , :

A lady deputationist claimed *hat the sight of ill d?eds was responsible for ill deeds being done. While the deputation wanted the Johnson films especially prohibited, it aiso desired that other films of a similar character should also be kept out. Mr Fisher, in reply, stated that he would have to deal with the question of general prohibition later on. As to the Johnson fight pictures they could not be barred unless found to be indecent. He would not legislate for one particular event, and would not think of taking steps to prohibit boxing. Much as he abhorred prize fighting, which introduced the purely commercial spirit, the Press reports of the fight disclosed nothing more degrading than ordinarily connected with "boxing, and he had no intention of asking the Department to prohibit, the introduction of the films. He was not going to be driven by the little excitable feeling which had arisen.