UNREGISTERED PRESS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 205, 25 May 1921, Page 6

UNREGISTERED PRESS

AUCKLAND PRINTERS FINED

“LITERATURE OF INFLAMMATORY TYPE”.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Auckland, May 24.

John A. Bevan, Michael Angelo Bevan, and Gordon Bevan, recent arrivals -in New Zealand, were fined in the Police Court X's for possessing an unregistered printing press. Detectives paid a domiciliary visit to defendants’ house in Mill Road, where they found two power-driven printing presses set up, as well as type and other incidentals to a small printing business. Chief-Detective M'Mahon stated that among tbe printed literature on the premises were two or three pamphlets of American origin which were within the scope of Socialistic literature of the inflammatory type forbidden sale and publication within New Zealand. Some leaflet work, not of a harmful nature, which was on one printing press at tho time of the raid bore no imprint. Counsel for the defendants stated that his clients were in the printing trade in England for 30 years, and brought the presses with them. In England the law did not require registration of printing presses, being satisfied with tho registra. tion of newspapers, and in struggling to gain a business footing in New Zealand the defendants blindly accepted a statement in the immigration guide book that the "administration of justice in New Zealand is the same as in England.”

The Magistrate expressed scepticism about the absolute freedom of printing presses in England, in view of the fact that that left the way open to the publication of poisonous literature. In any case, tho administration of justice was obviously a thing apart from the making of laws, as every country must have different laws adapted to varying local conditions. It was equally obvious that the avenue for literature urging lawlessness, class distinction and animosity must bo under control.