INDECENCY IN BOOKS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27470, 2 October 1954, Page 8

INDECENCY IN BOOKS

PASSAGE OF ACT DEFENDED

MR HOLLAND REPLIES TO BOOKSELLERS

(New Zealand Press Association) ” WELLINGTON, October 1. “The Government is with the New Zealand Booksellers’ Association all the way in the concern which its president has expressed that trade in doubtful literature intended for young people should stop,” said the Prime Minister (Mr Holland), today. He was replying to a statement by Mr M. S. L. Vale, president of the Booksellers’ Association, alleging that legislation dealing with indecent literature had been rushed through Parliament.

There had been no question of rushing the legislation through, said the Prime Minister. It had received very close consideration by Parliament, and had been passed in an endeavour to meet a difficult situation which was causing great concern throughout' the country.

“The booksellers need have no fear that the legislation will cause any serious dislocation of their trade, except as it affects undesirable and trashy literature,” said Mr Holland. “All that has happened is that the definition of an indecent document is extended to include a document which unduly emphasises matters of sex, horror; crime, cruelty, or violence. “In determining whether a document is indecent, a Magistrate is now required to take into consideration the persons or age groups to whom the literature is intended to be distributed. He must also consider the tendency of the document to deprave or corrupt these persons. So far as indecency is concerned, there are no further amendments to the principal act.”

Registration of Distributors Mr Holland said that the rest of the amending legislation required the registration of the distributors in accordance with regulations that were to be introduced in due course, and made it an offence for a distributor to sell or distribute for sale any printed matter unless he was registered. “It also makes it an offience, after the date of the first publication of the register in the Gazette, to distribute for sale any printed matter unless each article is marked with the name and address of the distributor,” Mr Holland said.

“On.the question of an indecent'publication, a Magistrate is not permitted to hold any document to be indecent unless, having regard to all the relevant factors laid down in the act, he is of opinion that the action of the defendant is of an immoral or mischievous tendency,” Mr Holland said. “It is clearly impossible to make a general or arbitrary definition of an indecent document, for that in many cases would result in injustice being done. Every document must be considered on its merits.

“The Government is not blaming the booksellers for what has been going on,” said Mr Holland. “It is well aware that the material which the new act is intended to deal with comes from sources outside New Zealand, and that many respectable booksellers refuse to sell objectionable literature.”