LITERATURE BAN

Grey River Argus, 28 May 1938, Page 9

LITERATURE BAN

Federal Regulation UNDESIRABLE PUBLICATIONS SYDNEY, May 11. The Acting-Minister of Customs, Mi Perkins, announced in the House of Representatives at Canberra that regulation would be gazetted this week under the Customs Act, "prohibiting the importation of literature which, in the opinion of the Minister of Customs, unduly emphasises sex or crime or is calculated to encourage depravity, whether by words or by picture, or partly by words and partly bv picture.”

"There is no intention to interfere with reputable detective or crime stories which have definite literal''’ merit,” said Mr Perkins, "but liters ture in which crime and criminal activities are features, and which gives lundue emphasis to sex, will come [within the scope of the regulation."

Mr Perkins added that no exception could be taken to many reput able publications in which crime and even horrors were judiciously pre 'sented, and which had definite literar” 'and intellectual merit. | There were, however, certain pqbJications with no literary or inlellec[tual value, obviously published to 'cater for those seeking to satisfy de'praved tastes for moihidity, sadism and sensuality.