CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15613, 20 May 1914, Page 11

CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS

OATHOLIO SOCIETY'S. POLICY: ATTACKS ■ ON 'RELIGION. >,\ HELP FROM.,THE ~POST: ' ,'. ' ' -OFFICE. -v'" ~.' Ax active' 'campaign has} been'undertaken % the Catholic Federation of •■ Now' Zealand againstthe circulation of .literature 'which ' tends to undermine: good morals 'oiv which assails religious faith. 1 l An official of; the federation, in 'an 'explanation of its actiyi.-' tieV'in connection with the censorship of books, stated that recently the' Dominion: executive initiated' a'policy of •.opposition towards' literature- by which . attacks ..were made''upon .the Catholic religion. The coOperation of all the branches «; secured through the diocesan councils, 'the plan adopted;. being- that of representation "by federation -officials to booksellers in l whose shops.the objectionable .literature was [ stocked. • Tho proposal that' such/books | should "be withdrawn from •'< general sale would ■' be supported ' by- the.; membership of -the federation;/ the existing organisation providing a simple channel for the information of member's regarding -tehe ;. advisability •of witlidrav'hig their,- custom from bo6ksellers who were 1 not- sympathetic tritlj the federation's aims., ;:■■'; '-i'.j.rt ;;:, ■

: "The-membership. of federation is confined to laymen." said the official,'"and it neither receives nor solicits, the support of tho pulpit. During the past few weeks, the attention of ' the l whole-federation has • been 'given to the sale of.a-novel published last-year by*'a leading English author, which then attracted much' hostile criticism owing to its 'treatment of 'Catholic doctrine. ••-;'■',■'.;,,; ■■' - v ; "A few -days ago advice: was received from - the ' Postmaster-General •< that •he had decided the. post office 'should, no longer be made the means for .distributing aii, American journal concerning 'which- repre'sentA-' f ions were made to him by the federation. Copies of'this- publication,, -came into. possession of federation, officers' some time ago,' and they learned . that large numbers of the journal were being regularly .sent into the Dominion and distributed by. post to 'persons without consideration of their creeds.'-; It not only contained attacks upon the Catholic church, but was 'disgustingly immoral in tone. • A similar , publication, regarded by the federation as obscene and blasphemous, is .still coming' into the conntry and being . circulated" promiscuously through the ' mails. It' is now the subject j of. correspondence with the'/ PostmasterGeneral." ■'--.„. -..-■■"■ ,

' .It was explained that ' neither .of- these periodical publications was, handled ' by booksellers, but copies •' were posted"" to people without any ' charge* being made for them. r . •'•'.*'•■} '; ;; >■ .-,■• J ... ■,/..■■ /• ; : . Tlib;official,-who gave •this' information explained: that the federation.invited the Co/operation of { any'. other • organisation which waj striving for t'jo suppression of impure literature. •He added; that' moving pictures were also closely watched by the federation and as.a rcsufl, of its successive protests, an ojectionable' film 'which was '!|ho\vn in One of the country towns,. had been' withdrawn and was not again .displayed either in New Zealand or "'Australia. - 5 v ' a- ~-.-::-,'•'.■•;-:•'. . - :