ALLEGED IMPROPER LITERATURE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1909, Page 3

ALLEGED IMPROPER LITERATURE.

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., the cases in which several individuals were charged with selling copies of the New Zealand Truth containing parts of an indecent, immoral, or obscene nature were proceeded with. Mr. Myers conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Wilford and Mr. Dunn acted for the defence.The case against Henry William M'Carthy was taken first. The information alleged that he sold a certain copy of the paper to Edwin Blake. Mr. Wilford held that there were three different and specific charges in the one information, viz., immoral, indecent, or obscene. Counsel objected to this course of action. Mr. Myers contended that the information was right, and followed the usual lines. His Worship maintained that the charge had been laid according to the statute. Constable Blake gave evidence that he purchased a certain copy of the New Zealand Truth at defendant's shop in Vivian-street. In his defence, Mr. Wjlfordi submitted that his Worship had no power to find defendant guilty of intending to sell a paper which ( would have an immoral, indecent, or obscene nature. After reading the particular article over, Mr. Wilford contended that it had a moral attached to it. Articles of the kind would help to eradicate a cancer, and not perpetuate it. Defendant had no knowledge of 'the contents of the paper he was charged with selling. His Worship reserved his decision. In order to shorten the proceedings, the defendant booksellers, Harold Leonard Cording, Charles Albert Innes, Robert Mackay, and William Mackay, all admitted selling copies of the New Zealand Truth. Each pleaded not guilty. These cases were adjourned until the 19th inst. The cases against defendants Hawkini, a Truth employee, and John Thomas M'Kinnon, publisher o* Truth, were also held over,