“PULP” MAGAZINE CONDEMNED

Southland Times, Issue 23437, 18 February 1938, Page 6

“PULP” MAGAZINE CONDEMNED

Concern At Sale In New Zealand

(United Press Association) NELSON, February 17.

Concern at the importation of a degrading type of “pulp” magazine which, it was stated, is being read, especially by the younger people, and is spoiling a taste for good literature, was expressed by the conference of the New Zealand Library Association. A suggestion to ask for a restriction on the importation of such magazines was opposed’, however, on the grounds that a censorship might interfere with good literature.

The following remit was submitted by Miss E. A. Chaplin: “That the association urges the Minister of Education and the Minister of Customs to take action to prevent the importation and sale of cheap American pulp magazines now disseminating filthy and degrading literature of the gangster and sexual type among young people.” Miss Chaplin said that surplus American magazines of this type were being dumped in the country and the minds of large numbers of young people were being polluted by this stream of literature. As an association they had a duty in the matter. They were striving to build up a taste for good literature, but if they allowed such a stream of literature to come into the country and become popular among young people, the latter’s taste for good literature might be spoiled. The Government was taking certain action, but the association should stand behind it and point out that magazines of the type mentioned should be entirely banned. The remit was seconded by Mr J. Barr, of Auckland. He had had occasion to inquire into a decline in the use of certain literature distributed to school libraries, and found that the reason was the introduction of pulp magazines to the cities. They were definitely anti-social. He did not think there was any question of a literary censorship coming into it. The magazines caused a perversion of the aesthetic sense, and he could find no reason why they should come into the country. USE OF REGULATIONS A statement made two years ago by the Minister of Customs (the Hon. Walter Nash) that he disapproved entirely of a censorship was referred to by Mr A. G. W. Dunningham, of Dunedin. It was dangerous for the Customs Department to have the say of what was improper, he said. They might have a great deal of humbug with the Customs Department if restrictions were imposed. They should emphasize

that insufficient use of the regulations on the sale of these magazines was being made. , The secretary (Mr J. Norrie) said that these magazines were being bought by boys and girls of secondary schools. It was all very well to say that action should be taken by the police, but action was not always taken by the police till a complaint was made. He had no desire to curtail anyone’s liberty, but this was a very dangerous thing indeed, and the remit should have the full support of the associations. Mr S. Perry, of Wellington, said that, as a general rule, he was much opposed to a censorship, but in a case like this there was a responsibility on an association like theirs. Mr E. B. Ellerm, of Auckland, said that he had had bitter complaints from teachers of primary school children about the magazines. Mr G. T. Alley, director of rural libraries, said he considered that the remit was wrongly drafted, and should be altered. If the publications were indecent, surely some action could be taken. He moved an amendment that another sub-committee be formed. Once they gave the Minister of Customs the right to say what could, or could not, come into the country, they were giving him a dangerous weapon. The amendment was seconded by Mr W. J. Harris, of Otago University, who said he thought it was very dangerous to take action in the form suggested. The whole question of who was to decide what was bad or good literature was a tremendous one. Dr S. C. Allen, of New Plymouth, said he saw . the danger of censorship, but asked which was the greater danger—flooding the country with this pernicious literature, or excluding work which to the layman seemed filth, though to the “highbrow” it seemed the work of genius? The amendment was passed in the following form: “That a sub-committee be set up immediately to decide what action should be taken about the pulp magazines referred to, and to refer back to the business meeting of the conference.”