"SLEEVELESS ERRAND” SENT TO DESTRUCTOR

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6852, 6 March 1929, Page 7

"SLEEVELESS ERRAND” SENT TO DESTRUCTOR

239 PAGES OP FILTH. WOMAN AUTHOR HEARS MAGISTERIAL JUDGMENT

Australian Press Association.

LONDON, March 4. A Bow Street Magistrate decided that the book 'The Sleeveless Errand’ which was recently seized by the police under the Obscene Publications Act, was obscene and ordered the destruction of all printed copies. The Public Prosecutor declared that this story, of 239 pages and covering a period of two days, was told in the form of conversations by persons entirely devoid of decency and morality. Blasphemy was freely indulged in by all the characters; filthy language and indecent situations were the main characteristics. It was amazing that such a collection of degrading muck should be printed by any firm. Counsel for the defence stated that Mr Eric Partridge read the manuscript personally—Erie Partridge, formerly of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, recently established a Scholastic Press in Bloomsbury and was connected with the printing of "The Sleeveless Errand’’—and it was also well commended by a well-known reader. Counsel admitted that .it included many horrible things, but the intention was to mirror the life, language and habits of certain sections.

Mts Nora James, the author, was present throughout the hearing of the case.