INDECENT PICTURES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19968, 9 December 1926, Page 10

INDECENT PICTURES.

ON CIGARETTE CASES. A TOBACCONIST FINED. (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 8. That he sold an indecent document, and publicly exhibited an indecent document for sale, were the charges brought against Edwin J. Fearon, hairdresser, heard before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., this morning. Fearon (Mr Gresson) pleaded guilty to both charges. Sub-inspector Mathew said that defendant had exhibited cigarette cases in his window which bore pictures that_ should not be exhibited in public. A police constable had purchased what was considered to be the worst of the cases exhibited. “The picture speaks for itself,” said the sub-inspector, producing the case. “It depicts two girls going in to bathe. Even the work of art, ‘The Sleeping Venus,’ has been held indecent, and these pictures are by no means works of art, and worse pictures than that.” Mr Gresson, for the defence, held that if Mr Justice Cooper’s judgment that nudity itself was indecent were literally interpreted every picture shop in New Zealand would be closed. Such cigarette cases and pictures were offered for sale in Sydne., London, and all the large cities of the world. The cases had been sold openly, and in all good faith. Defendant had bought them from the warehouses, which had large stocks. The cases had been passed by the Customs people, which showed that they had not considered them indecent. „ __ The Magistrate fined Fearon £o on the first charge, with costs. On the second charge he was convicted and discharged*