Police Ban Novel

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 13

Police Ban Novel

SYDNEY, July 22. Sydney bookshops are selling freely the American novel, “Carlotta Mcßride," which Melbourne vice squad police consider “unfit” for the people. The book, by Charles Orson Gorham, depicts the moral decline of an American actress. The Commonwealth Literary Censorship Board passed the novel and it has been on sale in Australia since last January. But Melbourne police have now seized hundreds of copies, of the book, saying it could “deprave persons whose minds are open to immoral influence.” Leading Sydney booksellers today described the seizure as typical of the confusion between

Commonwealth and State policies on literary censorship. A spokesman for th' book firm said it had sold out of “Carlotta Mcßride" in a few weeks. More consignments of the book were being obtained from the London publishers. Seeker and Warburg, Ltd. The spokesman said the novel had been passed by the Customs Department toward the end of last year. “When two intelligent Govern-

ment bodies have passed the book< it is ridiculous to think that police tan override their decision and suddenly ban it—but that is what is happening.” the spokesman said. “As yet there has been -no police interference in New South Wales, but possibly the Melbourne incident will produce action by New South Wales authorities.” he said. -

“Carlotta Mcßride” is the second novel in recent months to be approved by Commonwealth Government departments and then seized by State police. The other book was Erskine' Caldwell’s “God’s Little Acre'’