UNDESIRABLE LITERATURE.

Northern Advocate, 2 October 1918, Page 1

UNDESIRABLE LITERATURE.

WHY IT WAS SUPPRESSED

WELLINGTON. Oct. 1

The Acting-Prime Minister, in the course of- a letter to the Rev. A. Doull, Palmerston North, regarding the Government's actions in the matter of banned literature, says:—"No book or document has been detained permanently at the Customs the contents of which did not exceed the limits of controversy which the At-crney-General and the Hon. A. M. Myers have attempted to define.

Reference has been made in correspondence which has reached me to two works, of which Dr. Alex. Robertson is the author, entitled 'The Roman. Catholic Church in Italy,' and 'The Papal Conquest.' As a matter of fact these books have been the

subject of most careful consideration, and their detention was merely conditional, and not permanent, until Mr Chapman's report of them was received on Septemlbsr 11. The greater part of the contents of these books do not exceed the limits defined, but in each of the books there are grave charges of immorality against persons who have taken a vow of celibacy in Roman Catholic churches, and because of the inclusion of that class of matter it has been thought advisable to prevent the circulation of the literature. I cannot understand why the circulation during the war of books which contain such allegations should ' be considered desirable by any section of the public."