$5O fine over banned book

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32879, 30 March 1972, Page 2

$5O fine over banned book

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, March 29.

A Hamilton bookseller, A. E. Young and Company, was fined $5O in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of having for sale an indecent document.

Mr T. B. Mooney, S.M., refused to suppress the company’s name, but ordered that the name of the book be suppressed. The complainant’s name was not mentioned in the police summary, but she was described by counsel as a person who is particularly well known. Prosecuting, Sergeant S. Mills said the book in question had been banned by the Indecent Publications Tribunal. He said a woman entered the company’s shop at 11 a.m. on January 19. She noticed the book on a shelf, and reported the matter to the Hamilton police. Questioned by the police, the manager of the shop said he was not aware the book had been banned, said Mr Mills. Counsel, Mr J. G. Dillon, said the complainant was with another woman when she entered the shop. Rather than point out to the manager that a certain book was banned, she attempted to buy two other books, which were not related to the charge. The complainant was re-

cognised, and was told that the books would not be sold to her, and that she would not be able to purchase even a newspaper. At this, the complainant left. Later the police arrived, and the book was seized by detectives. “It had been in the shop about a year, and was yellowing with age. The book had been passed over as not being worth purchasing, Mr Dillon said.