Article Removed From Magazine

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31143, 20 August 1966, Page 1

Article Removed From Magazine

An article about “men with compulsive sexual appetites” has been excluded from copies of the June issue of the women’s magazine “Nova,” now on sale in New Zealand.

This was confirmed last evening by a representative of Gordon and Gotch, Ltd., the sole agent in Australia and New Zealand for the magazine.

Mr J. J. O'Leary, who is in charge of the firm's magazine section at the head office in Wellington. said the article, entitled “The Don Juan Syndrome." was not in copies sent for distribution in Australia and New Zealand. "It was extracted by the publishers in London at the time of printing." he said. "There is nothing sinister about it.”

, "The publishers must have I thought the article could infringe the indecent publica- : tions law here, and decided to leave it out” said the Comptroller of Customs (Mr J. F. I Cummings) when the question was referred to him. Customs officials could not I remove pages from magazines, i he said. “They must refer to me anything they think might be a bit ‘off,’ and I decide whether to let it go, in the light of decisions by the In-

decent Publications Tribunal, or else to refer it to the tribunal. That’s the policy now.” “Articles are sometimes taken out of these magazines when they seem likely to in-

fringe the provisions of the Indecent Publications Act,” said the Christchurch manager of Gordon and Gotch, Ltd. (Mr W. K. Blow). “It’s happened several times before.” He had not been aware that the article was missing in this case. Copies of the June issue are selling in New Zealand at the usual price of 3s 6d. There is no indication on the magazines that they are not complete. “I don’t think it should he on sale—there are so many pages missing,” said a saleswoman at the magazine counter of a large Christchurch bookshop yesterday. Mr O'Leary said a reduction in price for this issue had not been considered. If any reader was dissatisfied his money might be refunded.

The title of the article, by Alma Birk, appears in the contents list of the magazine. The reader is referred to page* 65. but pages 65-70 are missing.