IMMORAL LITERATURE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2087, 23 May 1907, Page 2

IMMORAL LITERATURE

AN ABORTIVE PROSECUTION

Press Association.

WELLINGTON, last night

A deputation'organised by the Citizens’ Anti-Gambling League waited upon the Attorney-General .this evening to complain of the failure of the police to take further steps after the dismissal of the' first person prosecuted against connected with the piubli~cation and sale of a certain newspaper which was alleged to contain filthy and immoral matter. Slemhers of deputation explained that the Stipendiary Magistrate in dismissing an information against tho iiublislier of the paper did so on the ground that this person was away from "Wellington, and that it was not established that he understood what was being done. The police had declined to prosecute anybody .else, although someone must have been in charge of the office.

The Attorney-General said drastic provisions had been passed into law in 1905 providing that the ignorance by the vendor of the paper containing illegal matter was no defence. The Magistrate in this case found that defendant did not know that .there was reasonable grounds for his not knowing and that ignorance was excusable. The freedom of the press was a thing to be jealously guarded and if they were going to put total prohibition against the publcation of a paper because it had achieved a disreputable reputation they would trench on dangerous grounds. The Minister of Justice said that the point raised in this case was one that could hardly occur again and they would be giving the matter undue publicity if they brought another case. The law was almost as complete as it could be made. • The deputation agreed that it would do no good to prosecute an actual seller of the paper—that would not get at the proper people.