CENSORED LITERATURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18199, 21 March 1921, Page 5

CENSORED LITERATURE

PROTEST FROM LABOUR. DEMAND FOB AUTHORITY. PRIME MINISTER’S VIEW. CFbom Odb Own Coebmpondknt.) WELLINGTON, March 19. Does the Minister in charge off: the oea*,: eorship propose to continue to suppress historical literature as far as New Zealand ■§ concerned? asked Mr H. E. Holland (Bui* ler) in the .House of Representatives to-day. The member asked who was responstDlo for placing various books under an official ban, and what legislative power was being employed for this purpose. >.•: The Postmaster-general (Mr J. G. Coates) replied that, as far as the Post Office was concerned, there was no censorship. - The. : Attorney-general certainly had a censor- : ship. 1 forget exactly where it begins and : where it ends, said the. Minister. Thera . are very distinct, regulations in connection with the censorship of books and mail mat-’' ter. Mr Holland: Who is responsible? Mr Coates: The Attorney-general. Ha decides. Instructions come from bis office, and are acted upon by the Customs Department and the Post Office. It is a matter for the Prime Minister to , say whether he thinks that the censorship should be removed or not. I rather think - he does not. i Mr Holland: This is a matter over which very grave dissatisfaction exists, andr which may lead to very serious trouble.- - Quite a, number of books i are on the index here which are allowed to circulate in other countries. We do not want to,take up the timeof the House unnecessarily, but certainly this- is a matter which baa got to be dis- . cussed. If the Prime Minister will give v assurance that the circulation of literature of historical value which is allowed to circulate in ether countries will _ not be prohibited in. this country I am sure that it will shorten the proceedings. Under what statute are books suppressed? Cap the Prime Minister- say definitely who. is the. Minister or officer who decides which hook is to go on the index? The Prime Minister replied that ho waa not in possession of all the information thee , member had asked for. There sM an officer under the Attorney-general whosa business it was to examine literature • brought mi to this country and see if there - was any objection to its circulation. The officer formed his own opinion, and expressed it to the Attorney-general If the Attorney-general agreed, that certain htera- - .. ture was not fit for uublication in this country, that it was seditious or Bolshevist, then it* was not allowed to be circulated. Mr Holland: Is that to continue? - . - Mr Masscv: We have hot yet considered that. I shall be very glad to consider the' matter with the Attorney-general I ana not in possession of sufficient information on this subject to be, able to give the House all the information asked for. o<* far as I cm concerned no disloyal or seditious or Bolshevist literature should bo allowed it-to this country. . ' _ Mr Holland; You allowed the cablegrams in this morning’s papers to wy that- trade relations between Great Britain and Russia, are being resumed. ' Mr Marsey: There is nothing wrong with that. We can sell goods to Russia; but it does noi follow that we should allow, Russian Bolshevist opinions to b© disseminate®’, through this country. .' '' ’ ■■ Air Holland offered to lend some of the banned literature to tbe Prime Minister for his perusal, but Mr Massey, said he had nt» time for reading of that kind.