The President, Mr. D. Garrett, drew attention to the increase in the number Film Societies during the year. There are now
about fifty Societies affiliated to the Institute, and this has caused difficulties in formulating a policy acceptable to both small and large Societies.
One of the objects of the Institute is to stimulate public taste in films and to secure the exhibition, either commercially or through Film Societies, of good films which would not normally be exhibited. The Institute has been successful in obtaining the commercial release of an increased number of continental films, although this has meant reduction in the number of such films which can be hired by Film Societies.
A remit seeking to stimulate Government expenditure on the arts and in particular film, on the grounds that New Zealand need not be isolated from good cinema as it is from intertnational opera, ballet, drama, and orchestral music, was referred to the Working Committee to take such action as considered desirable.
A remit seeking to end the present anomalies in the licensing of film exhibition and to place Film Societies on a legal footing instead of operating under the existing unofficial arrangement was also referred to the Working Committee.
It was resolved to convey to the Minister the thanks and appreciation of the Conference for the satisfactory conclusion to the discussions on film censorship.
The Working Committee was asked to consider bringing out a statement for all members of Film Societies explaining the working of the N.Z. Film Institute. It was also suggested that Film Societies interchange bulletins and other information.
Following on from that last resolution, the Working Committee decided to implement its own quarterly bulletin, the outline of its intentions listed by its editor: Mr L. A. Cutts, in Issue No, 1 NZFI Newsletter May 1957