Pornographic import charge rebuffed
Miss Patricia Bartlett, ant. i-pomography campaigner. has received support. from her Danish counterpart in her batt’< against Mr Gordon Tait. -■ Christchurch bookseller. Mr Tait said in h : booklet ‘‘The Bartlett S> • drome,’' that last yea Miss Bartlett had tried . import a Danish pornogr. phy book. "Week-er Sex.” In a letter to "Th Press." the president oi the Danish Societk Against the indoctrination of Children (Mr SvendAge Laursen) rejected Mr Tait’s allegations. He said that “Week-end Sex” was recommended as background reading for Danish Secondary School pupils. "Miss Bartlett knew nothing about the book until it was seized by New Zealand Customs." said Mr Laursen.."! sent it to her to inform her society ■of the true state of per-
missive education in Denmark.’’ The book was seized by Customs officials and was referred to the Indecent Publications Tribunal for a hearing on March 16, 1978.
The tribunal said the book was “hard-core pornography.” Miss Bartlett was “only technically the importer, since, the book
was sent to her unsolicited as an example of sex education material u<ed b> Danish authorities in schools.” At the time of the hear:ig, Mi>* Bartiett had not .•eJi the book. After rearing it she 'aid it was the lost obscene book sht ad seen. But 'he sought i specialist restriction lassification to permit the wok to be used h\ the society for the Promotion of Community Standards. Miss Bartlett told the hearing she wanted the book so that the society would be informed about "what depth of depravity sex education can descend to.” The tribunal found that the book was "plainly in-
decent,’ and declined Mu« Bartlett's application for a restriction classification Mr Tait said that Miss Bartlett became the importer when -she sought the special restriction classification. ! he New Zealand Booksellers A'>ociation had written to the Royal Danish Consulate General informing him of the tribunal ' decision, and asking if the book wa< used as background reading in Danish schools. ‘We received a -ar ;oric denial.’ said Mr I'ait. "The New Zealand Indecent Publications fribunal said the book was indecent and that Miss Bartlett was the importer She is pretending the hearing never took plai c
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19791106.2.98
Bibliographic details
Press, 6 November 1979, Page 14
Word Count
363Pornographic import charge rebuffed Press, 6 November 1979, Page 14
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in