WITHDRAWN BOOK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22723, 8 May 1937, Page 17

WITHDRAWN BOOK

QUESTION OF BAN "CORONATION COMMENTARY" POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND NO DIRECTIONS ISSUED No instructions have been received by the Customs Department in Auckland regarding the entry into New Zealand of Mr. Geoffrey Dennis' book, "Coronation Commentary," which has been withdrawn from sale in England. It was stated yesterday that under the usual procedure a copy of the book would be examined in Auckland and if tho contents were considered of such a nature that further investigation should bo made it woidd be sent to Wellington for perusal. Regulations governing tho entry of literature into New Zealand provide for tho seizure or banning of several types of books, including those which are indecent and those which are calculated to incite or encourage violence, lawlessness and disorder or express any seditious intention. When "Coronation Commentary" was first withheld from sale in Canada after its banning in England the grounds were stated to be that it might be considered seditious or libellous, and the cable message which announced yesterday that its sale was now being permitted stated that the Canadian Revenue Department had decided that the book was neither seditious nor libellous. In New Zealand there is no Customs regulation providing for libellous material and officers were uncertain whether Mr. Dennis 5 book could be prohibited on this ground if it were established. If it was decided to send a copy of the book to Wellington it would be examined by a committee which deals with such works and a inagistrato would make the ultimato decision.

Orders for copies of the book were placed in England by Auckland booksellers when publication was announced but these were automatically stopped when the ban was placed upon its sale. Since the copyright for the whole of the British Empire was held by one Knglish firm the ban naturally applied to publication in any of the Dominions or colonies and representatives of prominent booksellers were uncertain yesterday what edition of the book will be sold in Canada.

An American edition of the book has been printed, it is stated, by an American firm, but because of the copyright laws this cannot be imported into New Zealand.