MUTILATED MAGAZINES

Evening Star, Issue 22576, 18 February 1937, Page 6

MUTILATED MAGAZINES

CENSORSHIP BY CUSTOMS CLERK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION PROTEST [Teu United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 17. Tire mutilation of magazines through censorship was discussed in a remit fi-om the Canterbury Public Library at the conference of the Now Zealand Library Association in Wellington today. The remit, which was carried, was that the attention of the Government be drawn to the unnecesasry mutilation of magazines by the censor, by which portions of the reading matter were made useless and the public encouraged to further mutilation. Mr E. J. 801 l (Canterbury) said it would be interesting to ascertain whether magazine mutilation was carried on all over New Zealand or inly in parts of the country. “ I have ascertained from a reliable source that this mutilation is done by any ordinary Customs clerk,” he continued. “ A great many people, and I for one, object to such a person censoring. magazines. The whole matter is of vital interest to all libraries and magazine readers in the Dominion.”

Mr Bell said he would like to know who had the right to censor all books that came into the country.

Mr C. W. Collins (Canterbury University College) said that material received direct from America was net mutilated in any way.

“We ought to indicate that we do not believe in a very rigid censorship,” caid Dr S. C. Allen (New Plymouth), who suggested making representations to the publishers, who would then probably be able to distribute their magazines uumutilated. “ The censorship is wrong,” he said, “ and we should not try too much to alter world events in a little place like New Zealand.” Mr E E. Wiltshire (Linwood, Christchurch) also said obliteration was impossible, mainly because of the small magazine market in New Zealand. No doubt large circulations in Australia would account for the fact that undesirable advertisements were left blank. “ All the same,” he added, “ most of the advertisements regarded as objectionable can bo seen in New Zealand publications.”