PERNICIOUS LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19279, 18 March 1926, Page 7

PERNICIOUS LITERATURE.

Sir _We should certainly lose no time in waking up to realise the evil influence of much of the literature which is entering this country. Recently a mother came to me for advice bringing a . paeicet of most vile picture post-cards which she had found hidden in her young boys room. There was no printer's name upon tbom, and nothing could be discovered of their origin, as they were simply passed from hand to hand, each recipient subtracting one for his or her own delectation. "Not long ago T saw books offering for sale which were by the same author as some suppressed hero in response to protests of the public. Our libraries also are not blameless in this matter. So long as an author's name is fairly wcu-Known little care seems to be taken to exclude books of a depraving character. Add to this vicious influence, that of the lowclass American films, picturing crimes of violence and sensuality, flouting the accepted laws of civilised countries,, and we may surely reckon upon a steady increase "of juvenile crime and mental instability iii the future. For we now are aware of tho extreme suggestibiltv of tho young; of how mere infants will retain, hidden in the preconscious _ and subconscious part of their minds, impressions and experiences which influence their whole lives. We have therefore to seo to it that theso impressions are happy and healthful ones, fostering the highest ideals for character and citizenship. The xoung Citizens', League, the National Council of Women and others have repeatedly pr<> tested against the slack censorship in an these matters, and have urged for women police patrols to bo appointed for this preventive work in vain. Let us now demand to know • how many thousand packets of depraving literature and pictures, etc., have been detected and Confiscated by the Post, Oflice and poTioe during 1925; and let us inform, ourselves as j to" the composition and appointment of the Film Censorship Board and how it functions. These matters are .the vital concern of all who love this fair land 1 oi ours. Psychiatrist.