WELLINGTON TRUTH.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 273, 23 May 1907, Page 2

WELLINGTON TRUTH.

[PEB PBESB ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, May 22. * A deputation organised by the Citizens' Anti-Gambling League waited upon the. Attorney-General this evening to complain 'of the failure of the police to take further' steps, after the dismissal of the first person prosecuted, against the others connected with the publication and sale of a certain newspaper* which was alleged to contain filthy and immoral matter. The members of the deputation explained 4hat the Stipendiary Magistrate, in dismissing an information against the publisher of the paper, did so on the ground that 1 this person was away From Wellington, and that it was not established that he understood what was being done. The polioe had declined to prosecute anybody else, although some one must have been in charge of the office. The 'Attorney-General said * drastic provision had beetf,. passed into law in 1906, providing that the ignorance of the vendor of a paper containing illegal matter was no defence. The Magistrate in this case found that the defendant did. not know that there was reasonable grounds for his not knowing, and that the ignorance was excusable. The freedom of the Press was a thing 'to be zealously guarded, and if they were going to put a total prohibition against the publication of a paper because it had achieved a disreputable reputation, they would touch on dangerous ground. The Minister of Justice said that the point raised in this case was one that could hardly pfccur again*, and they would be giving the matter undue publicity if they brought another Case. The law was almost as. complete as it obulil be made,. - The deputation agreed thai it would do no good' to prosecute an actual seller of the paper; that would not get at the proper people. ~