THE ALLEGED INDECENT PICTURES.

Lake County Press, Issue 2139, 11 October 1906, Page 5

THE ALLEGED INDECENT PICTURES.

Reproductions Of Works Of Art. Giving his dueision in i 110 cases in which two Auckland picture-dealers were charged with .selling copies of Leighton's picture, "Psyche's Bath," ami of the picture "Psycho at Nature's Mirror," by Paul Shuinann, tha pictures being allege! to lie indecent, His Worship said the question was whether the sale of these pictures to a constable was it breach of the Offensive Publications Act. It would he a gross libel on famous worka to characterise " I'sycho's Bath" as indecent. There was •in entire absence of impure suggestion, and there was nothing oifonaivo to decency or goi.d morals. The picture was not. intended to have, using the words of the Statute, "an indecent, immoral orobsene" effect. It was not seriously contended that " Psycho at Nature's Mirror" was indecent or obscene. Both informations wore dismissed. The Magistrate adddd that ho wished it clearly understood that lie did not hold that photographs of these pictures as postcards ought to be indiscriminately exhibited and sold to boys and girls. A gteat deal must depend on the manner and extent in which the sale, publication, or exhibition were made. The pictures were works of true and pure art, vastly different from the postcards which he condemned a lew days ago. If it were true that, the indiscriminate exhibition in shop windows of works of pure art won-. prejudicially affecting public morals to any appreciable extent, it might be the duty of Parliament to legislate on the subject.