Children's Cinema Clubs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1946.

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Photo of Mr Louis Tolley Mr Louis Tolley , Kidderminster 12:00, 27 November 1946

I welcome the opportunity to intervene in this Debate and take the opportunity of congratulating the hon. Member for St. Albans (Mr. Dumpleton) for introducing this all-important matter. Again tonight I have heard that as a result of children attending the cinema, child delinquency is on the increase. As a result of the films, it is said, children adopt the tactics of the screen artist and so break out into crime. I have had some experience as a magistrate in juvenile courts, and I take the opposite view from that which has been expressed. In an attempt to assess juvenile crime in all its aspects, I have found that where the boy or girl has entered into temptation, and done something wrong, it has been when they have had nothing to do. They have had time at their disposal and bad company to keep rather than being occupied, or having some form of entertainment to which they could go. I have never felt that we had the right to charge the cinema industry for the increase in juvenile crime. I wish to make a suggestion in regard to the very great attempts these two organisations are making to occupy the minds of the children intelligently by the pictures which they see on Saturday mornings.

I should like to see set up in every town and city, in connection with the industry, a committee consisting of clergymen of all denominations, representatives of head teachers and mistresses and all those local authorities which are concerned with child welfare. I believe that if such a committee were set up the organisations would welcome it, and as a result we should perhaps get a type of film which would be regarded as being appropriate and essential so far as the child's mind, intelligence and outlook is concerned.