A BOOK BY LEON BLUM

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 10

A BOOK BY LEON BLUM

MR DOIDGE’S COMPLAINT fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 23. A book written by the French politician. M. Leon Blum, and which, he said, was pprnographic in every page,' was displayed by Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga) in the House to-night, when he sought from the Minister for Customs (the Hon. W. Nash) information as to how such a book got into the. country. The estimates of expenditure of the Customs Department were under consideration at the time. “I had a letter recently from a high Church dignitary in New Zealand, suggesting that I call attention to this book,” said Mr Doidge, holding it up. “I have read it, and it is really pornographic in every way.' It preaches freelove and, extols incest. It is the sort of book that should really be buried in quicklime, and the author is Leon Blum.” Mr Nash; Has the honourable member any idea when the book came in? Mr Doidge: It was published in 1937, and is in the General Assembly library. The Minister said he would be glad to examine the book. The department took every possible step to see that books ot> the type mentioned by Mr Doidge were not imported. When they came in, action might be taken by the police. There was as close a surveillance as possible, and he would like to have the whole story of the book.