CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 30 November 1927, Page 8

CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS

■^^^ —; SOME OF PUBLICATIONS DETAINED 1 i ■ ENUMERATED BY OPPOSITION LEADER (By Telegraph) (From "The Mail's" Parliamentary Reporter). 1 WELLINGTON, 29th Nov. A question regarding the'censorship of books was raised by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Holland asked the PostmasterGeneral whether lie was aware that among the. publications which were intercepted and detained under the Post and Telegraph official circular was one by J. A. Hobson, England's leading economist, called "The Fight for Democracy"; that another book prohibited was Nbwriari Angell's "War and the Workers", written on Russia in reply to Trotsky's book on Britain; and whether the Minister was also aware that another prohibited publication, was entitled "A Wise Man Learns till the Day of his Death, while tlie > Fool's Education is Always Complete." Mr Holland also asked whether the Minister was aware that nearly all the publications that were listed as prohibited for , transmission by post were already in circulation in New Zealand and were on the shelves of quite a number of: members'of Parliament. Mr Nosworthy replied that he was not aware of the facts stated by ..Mr Holland but he would have inquiries made. "But," said Mr Nosworthy, "I expect that the only book that gets through the Post and Telegraph Department without examination is the Bible,-any-thing else we'd have a look at. Mr Eraser: "A most dangerous book." (Laughter)'. ■ •Mr Nosworthy said that he would inquire into the position. ■ Mr D. G. Sullivan: "What about the 'Newsletter'"? Mr Nosworthy: "Oh, the 'Newsletter' is let through because I think it is quite desirable that hon. members should have'it." (Laughter). , ,