HANNAFIN'S CIRCULAR

NZ Truth, Issue 1062, 1 April 1926, Page 7

HANNAFIN'S CIRCULAR

Counsel's Scathing Indictment Of Official Outlook CHARGE AGAINST A CHEMIST (From "Truth's" Special Christchurch . Kepresentative.) ' ; Following on the prosecution and conviction of a Wellington,? man for sending indecent matter through the post, a.Ghristclmrch? ) chemist, James George Hannafin, of Stanmore Road, was -sinularly; 1 proceeded against. h;

BOTH cases were similar m essentials, although they differed somewhat m detail. . Whereas the Wellington defendant v. r as not a chemist, Hannafin is. The latter admitted that he had. sent pamphlets and catalogues relating to contraceptives through the post, "but only to those who replied to his advertisements and who requested that the documents be sent to {hem." No attempt had been made to bioadcast the documents, and the point at issue was whether the documents were .indecent or not. It was strongly .denied that they were. No evidence was . called on either side, the case resolving itself into a wrangle between counsel as to what was and what was not indecent. Facts Must Be Faced In Hannafin's case, as was admitted. l:y Mr. A. W. Browne, who conducted the case for the prosecution, the documents sent out, while descriptive of the articles for sale, were not comrientary, except insofar as they related to the type and price. Mr. Browne did not dispute that public opinion on the question of birth control might have changed considerably m late years. He was not taking exception to the advertisements, but to the documents. One m particular he thought would ( br harmful were it to come into the possession of irresponsible people or those whose minds were easily influenced by immoral suggestion. Many learned English authorities were quoted by Mr. Browne m support of his contention that the documents were indecent. The sale of these goods was carried on by chemists throughout the r country.' The explanation was not satisfactory, and it was the incentive that bi ought Hannafin's counsel, Mr. C. S. Thomas, to his feet later to deliver a scathing indictment of "the bigotry and hypocrisy of the powers that be." "It is impossible to see how an ordinary trade circular can be held to be mischievous or immoral today when we talk openly about these matters," said Mr. Thomas. . The pamphlets had not been broadcasted, but merely sent 'on the request ol people who wrote asking for prices. "Everything sent out by Hannafin m his documents could be found m the ordinary trade catalogues," said counsel, "and everything that he adVPrtised can be bought m the city of Christchurch m the chemists' shops." It came out that m November last the Post Office authorities

closed down on Hannafin's private:; box. : . After an undertaking- had been given by him not to, advertise or carry on with what he had. been doing through the post, however, the boisc was restored to him. • "And now m March," said Mr; Thomas heatedly* "Hannafin is made the subject of these proceedings. "Everything was fixed up with the authorities' m "November, and I say that the action of the powers that be j-z nothing more or less than one of straight-out persecution and hypocrisy. ; . , "If this is the action of the au- ' thorities they are a set of Rip Van Winkles who have never awakened from sleep, and who are still living away back m the Dark Ages. . "If the Government Wants to stop this thing, why does it not prevent these goods from coming into the country?" Mr. Thomas asked. "The P'.wers that be can act through the Customs if they want to." Counsel then dealt • at length with the change m public opinion throughout the Empire and the world on the subject of birth control. .'«..- It was not much use Mr. Browne qvoting ancient English law decisions to prove his case, he said. * 'A Bishop's Example "Some of the best brains m the Empire to-day are preaching birth control," counsel continued. "Even m the Church, where one would not be likely to look for it, there is a large body of opinion m favor of it. , "It has actually been preached from the pulpits, such a serman having been delivered, i believe, by the Bishop of Peterborough. "And .yet we haye — shall I say— ' these Government busybodie.s coming along to say that this is an immoral thing, when we have actually a bishop advising his congregation to the contrary. . .■'■•■■ "But m this one-horse country of New Zealand the Government comes along with an attitude showing that it is still baok m the Victorian era and telling us so, I and saying that they won't have this thing. "If the Government allows .these things into the country, how can they hope to be logical when they prevent tbem from being advertised? i s ' "These goods are sold through- „ out this country, literally m thousands. "Why all this hypocrisy? We must face facts as they are. and this action ie that of men who don't understaiiil or who don't' want to, understand.'^ ;ji The Magistrate reserved, his • dedision. . ■■.-■■; ,!j. .