ENGLAND SHOCKED

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1926, Page 5

ENGLAND SHOCKED

OBSCENE PICTURE TRADE. The widespread sale of objectionable pictures in England has become so glaring that the authorities are taking drastic action. At the Old Bailey, the Recorder (Sir Ernest Wild), said that in all his 33 years’ experience of the law be had never seen such photographs, and he was glad the plea of guilty recorded by a cabinet maker and photographer, had relieved a jury from having their vision contaminated by a sight of them. ‘They are productions,’' he said, ‘‘which one would think were beyond the ingenuity of the devil himself. SEVEN THOUSAND PATRONS. “But the gravest part of the revelations is that the police had discovered lists of 7000 people, either actual or potential buyers of this garbage. They live in every part of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. One customer is a schoolboy living in Perthshire, who says in a letter that four of his school companions were waiting to see the photographs.” Names and addressee of purchasers are in the hands of Scotland Yard, and Chief Inspector Collins told the judge that the question of their prosecution is under consideration by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Recorder asked prosecuting counsel to convey to Sir Archibald Bodkin his view that some at least of them should be prosecuted, and that in so doing the Crown would be performing a public duty. GIVEN HEAVY SENTENCES. The Recorder passed sentences of 21 months’ hard labour on each of the men. Sensational developments are expected to follow the case. It has been decided to proceed against certain of the individuals who have aided, and abetted in the traffic by purchasing the photographs. Warrants are to be issued against these recipients, who have rendered themselves liable to long terms of imprisonment for infringing the Post Office Act, which prohibits under heavy penalties the distribution of offensive photographs and literature through the post. Some of the recipients are people of good position, residing in London and various parts of the country.