MAGAZINES INDECENT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 16

MAGAZINES INDECENT

Dismissal Of Appeal

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, May 9. After giving consideration to the submissions and the magazines in question over the mid-day adjournment, Mr Justice Hutchison, in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth today, dismissed the appeal of Marketing Services (N.Z.), Ltd., against its conviction by Mr A. W. Yortt, S.M., on each of three charges of Infringing the Indecent Publications Act, 1910. The charges related to the sale of three imported magazines “Man’s Action,’’ “Man’s Daring” and “Wildcat Adventures”—to Lawton Spencer Dyer, of Dunedin, between July 30 and August 31, 1960. The Magistrate imposed a fine of £lO on each of the three charges and described them as a type of publication New Zealand was better without. Today’s appeal was on points of law. His Honour, after reviewing the matters in detail, found that the Magistrate had complied with the requirements associated with his decision. Referring to photographs and drawings, his Honour said that in his opinion, taking them as a whole, they were running along the borders of indecency and sometimes stepped over them. Dealing with various articles referred to him, his Honour found undue emphasis on sex and to some extent on horror, and that their tendency was to corrupt and deprave.