BACK-DATE MAGAZINES

Northern Advocate, 8 November 1934, Page 6

BACK-DATE MAGAZINES

IMPORT TO NEW ZEALAND

POLICY OF GOVERNMENT

[Per Press Association.—Copyright.] WELLINGTON. This Day.

A further reference to the importation of back-date magazines into New Zealand from America was made in the House of Representatives yesterday when Mr. C. L. Carr (Labour — Timaru) asked the Minister of Customs whether he had gone into the matter.

Mr. Carr said their trashy and often baneful character, their unfair competition by virtue of dirt cheapness with reputable New Zealand and British journals, and their flooding of the New Zealand markets, raised the question of prohibition or some degree of control.

Mr. Coates said the Government did not at present propose to take any steps with a view to imposing a duty upon back-date magazines. It was not considered advisable that any restriction should be imposed on the importation of literature merely because it was at low cost. Precautions were by the Customs Department to prevent the importation of magazines or any other publications which were considered indecent documents within the meaning of the Indecent Publications Act 1910.