ALLEGED INDECENT BOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 15

ALLEGED INDECENT BOOK.

DR. VALINTINE'S VIEWS

"PERFECTLY BEASTLY WORK."

[by telegraph.—press association.]

WELLINGTON, Friday. A member of a book-selling firm, Norman Brown, was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with selling a book alleged to be indecent. It was Marie Stopes' work "Enduring Passion."

Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, director-gen-eral of health, who was called for the prosecution, considered tho work "a perfectly beastly book," which, if it got into tho hands of young people, would do a great deal of harm. He did not consider any good would be done by the book, either to young people or married people of cither sex. The author quoted authorities of whom he had never heard. Ho did not think any medical paper would pay compliment to the book, unless, he added, it 'were American. "What are the particular passages you object to?" witness was asked. "The whole book," ho replied. The book was also condemned by Dr. Watt, assistant-dircctor-general of health. Detective Bavlis, who bought the book, was asked his age. "Thirty-two," ho replied. Are you married ?—Yes. Have you read this book?— Yes. "Has it depraved you at all?" Witness laughed and said he had travelled round the world a good deal and thought it would take a good deal to deprave him, but there were certainly things in the book which were a surprise to him. Brown said he had never been asked for Stopes' books by young people. He did not think many people read the books and they were middle-aged. Young people read either classics or Edgar Wallace or something similar. The magistrate, Mr. E. Page, reserved his decision.