International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1930)

220 A special clause of these Regulations dealing with sound films is deserving of note. It seems quite likely that this is the first definite rule that has anywhere been laid down with respect to the censorship of this new form of cinematographic production. Art. 3 of the Regulations provides that in the case of all films the exhibition of which is intended to be accompanied by the mechanical reproduction of sound, the applicant, if required so to do by the Censor, shall arrange, at his own expense, for the examination to take place at a theatre in Wellington adapted for the production, so as to enable the Censor to judge the film as a whole. A supplementary fee is charged in every case, where the applicant specially requests that the examination and registration of the film be completed within 48 hours after its submission to the Censor and Registrar, and, in cases where application is made for the re-examination of a film in respect of which the Censor has required certain alterations to be made, in order that the Censor may satisfy himself that his orders have been duly carried out. Unless the applicant arranges for the removal of the films after their examination by the Censor he must pre-pay return postal expenses. Censorship System. — Four different courses are open to the Censor. He may: a) approve the film for general exhibition; b) approve the film subject to the condition or recommendation that it be exhibited only to a specified class or to specified classes of persons; c) approve the film after making such excisions as, in the exercise of his discretionary powers, he considers proper; d) refuse his approval of the film. A photographic reproduction of the certificate of the Censor and Registrar must be incorporated in the film to which it relates, so as immediately to precede the cast of the characters; the Regulations require this photographic reproduction to be not less than 6 feet in length in the case of a film exceeding 3000 feet and not less than 3 feet in length in all other cases. Where the Censor issues a certificate in respect of any film subject to the condition that it be exhibited to adults only, the renter of the film is required to give notice to any exhibitor to this effect, and the exhibitor, before exhibiting it must display effective notices to this effect at the entrance to or in the lobby of the theatre. A statement of the conditions or recommendations in question must further be included in every advertisement of the film in the press. Where any excisions have been made in a film prior to its submission to the Censor, the applicant shall, together with the film, forward the portions so excised to the Censor. The Censor is entitled to retain all portions of the film that he has himself excised as also all portions excised by the applicant and delivered to the Censor as above. Films definitely approved as fit for exhibition, whether to adults only, or to the public in general, including children, cannot in any case, as already stated, be publicly exhibited until they have been registered with the indication of their origin, British or otherwise. Appeals from Censor. — Any importer who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Censor may, within 14 days from the date after the notification to him of such decision, appeal therefrom to a Board of Appeal, consisting of three persons to be appointed from time to time by the Minister of Internal Affairs, one of whom shall be appointed by the said Minister as Chairman. The decision of not less than two members constitutes the decision of the Board, and members thereof, who are prevented by illness or otherwise from being present must be replaced by persons appointed by the Minister. The Regulations further provide that any applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Registrar with respect to the registration of a film may appeal therefrom to a Stipendiary Magistrate. The Regulations do not specify the circumstances in which appeal may be made from the Registrar's decision (failure to register or mistake in registration, etc.); but it is obvious that any decision in this regard must be more or less in accordance with the Censor's decision. This limits itself to certifying whether the film is fit for one