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circumstances associated with the war. A review of the activities of the National Patriotic Fund Board for the year is given in the report of the National Patriotic Fund Board which is presented to Parliament annually. The administration expenses of the National Patriotic Fund Board for the year ended 30th September, 1941, were ss. lOd. per cent, of receipts. Full mobilization has placed a heavy strain on the staff of this Branch in coping not only with the demands for comforts and amenities for men in the armed forces in New Zealand, but also for our fighting forces in various theatres of war overseas, and this burden is likely to increase. The Patriotic Purposes Emergency Regulations 1939, and amendments governing the operations of this Branch and its allied organizations, have worked smoothly and efficiently. The value of coordinating the collection and expenditure of patriotic funds on a Dominion-wide basis, with adequate freedom for provincial control through eleven jirovincial chests, has been amply demonstrated by the results that have been achieved. B. Patriotic Raffles. One hundred and thirty-three licenses to raffle gifts of real or personal property for patriotic purposes were issued. Returns to hand indicate that the gross proceeds from licenses issued by the Department were approximately £47,000 and the net return £45,500. IX. CINEMATOGRAPH THEATRES. A. Film Censorship. During the year, 1,695 films of all classes, totalling 4,393,890 ft., were examined. Of this number, 2 were rejected outright, 3 were deferred for the time being as unsuitable for exhibition owing.to the war situation, 99 were passed subject to excisions, 172 were passed with recommendations that were more suitable for adult audiences, and 17 were passed with the caution that they were not suitable for children. No appeals were lodged in the case of the two films rejected. An analysis of the work shows : —

Quota Films : The conn tries of origin of the quota or feature films examined were as follows : Great Britain, 42 ; Australia, 1 ; New Zealand, .1 ; United States of America, 388 ; France, 1. Rejections : Of tlie 2 films rejected, both were " quota "or long pictures. One was made in the United States of America and the other in Great Britain. General Remarks : During the year under review, as compared with the previous year, the number of rejections was 2, as against 4 ; the number of films requiring amendment was 99, as against 125 ; the number of films recommended as more suitable for adults dropped from 187 to 172 ; while the number considered to be definitely unsuitable for young people was 17, as compared with 18 in the previous year. Contrary to expectations, it was somewhat surprising to find that the number of British films of all classes examined during the year (543, as against 440 in the previous year) were greater, and would appear to indicate that the difficulties due to war conditions have, to a large extent, been overcome. Propaganda films (using the word in its best sense) continue to come forward in good measure from Great Britain and Canada, as well as Australia, and the Government Films Studios at Miramar produced some excellent short films for screening in the theatres throughout the Dominion. Miniature films were less in evidence, and those that were examined were mainly copies of short " Featurettes " that had been submitted previously. Children and the Films : Some comments regarding the attendance of children at picture-theatres where " A " certificate films were screened have been noted during the year, and it is considered timely to point out for the information of parents and guardians that three classes of certificates are issued by the Censor, viz. : — (1) One which approves the film for general exhibition ; (2) One which recommends the film as more suitable for adults only ; and (3) One which approves the film for adults only and unsuitable for children. In this case the Film Exchanges are advised in writing the conditions under which the film is approved, and are required to advertise to this effect in the press and also in all publicity matter used in connection with the exploitation of the film. In addition, exhibitors are required by law to indicate plainly in the lobbies of their theatres the tyP O of programme presented—i.e., whether for general exhibition or for adults. It is then a matter for parents to decide for themselves whether their children shall be allowed to see pictures which come within the latter category or not. The matter resolves itself into one of parental control, and parents must take the responsibility themselves. B. Licensing of Cinematograph Operators. Two hundred and fifty-one new applications for provisional and assistant licenses were considered as compared with 119 new applications for the previous year. One hundred and sixty-seven provisional and grade licenses were issued, and 105 new assistant operators' licenses were issued. This made a total of 865 operators and 333 assistant operators licensed since the coming into force of the regulations in 1938.

4

Quota or Long Kims. Non-quota or Short Films. Origin. | Number. Length. Number. Length. Ft. Ft. British .. .. .. .. 44 352,010 499 447,010 Foreign .. .. .. .. 389 '2,900,350 763 694,520 Totals .. .. .. 433 3,252,360 1,262 1,141,530