P.P.A. LITERATURE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1918, Page 4

P.P.A. LITERATURE

QUESTION OF CENSORSHIP.

In the Legislative Council yesterday the Hon. W. Earnshaw asked the question of which, he had given notice, relative to the discontinuance of the censorship of so-called Protestant literaturo, and the release of literature which had been detained under the regulations. Sir Francis Bell, in reply, explained the scope of the censorship, and its application to extreme Socialistic literature and theological literature in which there were imputations of immorality against members of' religious orders .which were under a vow of celibacy. . He, i'as fAtt'pr-iMsy-Oeneral, and the Minister for Customs had endeavoured to do their duty in this matter, and to that end- had obtained the assistance of. Mr. Martin Chapman, a thoroughly independent and impartial gentleman; "So' far as the theological literature is concerned," said Sir Francis, "it has been bo far aB it concerns me a matter of 'a plague on both your houses.'" No document in which Mr. Chapman had advised detention had been finally detained; without being read by the . Ministers charged with the duty of carrying put the regulations. Very much of the matter was trashy, and there was no pleasure in the task. As to the charges of bias in favour of Catholics, he would read a letter dated 24th November, from the editoi of the Tablet to him as Attorney-General, when he shopped the:circulation of a defence against certain attacks of the P.P. A. The . editor wrote, that for "peace sake" he agreed/ but he submitted that tho literature of tho P.P. A. itself was offensive. "Already," he con. tinued, "too much: colour has been given to the common rumour that Mr. Massey looks with a favourable eye on the progress of the anti-Popery campaign." In his reply, tho Attorney-General stated that he regretted that the P. P. A. literature should be published, -but he considered it did not flagrantly exceed the permissible limits of theological controversy. He stated that the Prime Minister had never intervened 'in the matter nor had tho Attorney-General had tho privilege of consulting him on the question.

Sir Francis Bell then read his reply to Mr. Earnshaw's question:— "The Minister of Customs and the Attorney-General are satisfied that under the conditions existing since the conclusion of the armistice, with Germany it is no longer necessary to exercise' the discretionary powers conferred upon each of them respectively by statute and regulation to the extent which their duty has hitherto required. The greater part of the literature detained at the Customs will be set free for circulation shortly after the conclusion of the session. A few of the books and pamphlets which grossly transgress the rule against charges of immorality of celibates must still continue to be prohibitedl, together with books and pamphlets advocating violent sedition, until peace is finally establjshed. The necessary selection of the documents to be still detained prevents the immediate liberation of the rest."