INDECENT POSTCARDS.

NZ Truth, Issue 64, 8 September 1906, Page 5

INDECENT POSTCARDS.

Shocks and Smiles at the Police Court.

A week or two back "Truth related how the Blue Brigade of Auckland were dispatching special emissaries round the town trying to purchase spicy post-cards from shopkeepers. The result of these visits were shown at the Police Court • last Monday when two coves toed the mark to answer charges of selling indecent postcards. The first victim of police zeal was Joshua Connolly., a stationer, of Queen-street. Two cards, "It's a shame to take the money," and "Please help the "blind," were selected as the basis of the prosecution. Poor little Josh hadn't a hope from the jump. The first oard was ample to put his pot on. It represented a small shoeblack attending to a swell tart's tootsie coverings ; her skirt and lingerie were drawn up to Her knees and opening up a vast panorama, of naughtiness. Apparently that wicked shoeblack having gazed to his fill is supposed to ejaculate "It's a shame to take the money." The other card showed an individual labelled "blind" (razing m raptures on a lady attending her garter. ■ Stipendiary Kettle gazed wrathfully upon these art specimens, while Sergeant Hendry related how the dear females of the local Y.W.C.A. had been awfully shocked and scandalised by several other sensations exhibited by Connolly m the window. Little Josh stoutly maintained that the cards were not indecent, and Magistrate Kettle acquiesced so far as to say that they were mild compared to some m circulation, but he asked Josh if he meant to say that any respectn'V.c woman would stand m I«<_' street m that, position? "Oh, ye:-., '

answered the naughty, little man

"You can see them like that every wet day." Some men have all the luck and Connolly seems to be one of these, but he didn't count himself lucky on Monday, for Mr Kettle said some awfully hard, cold things to him, and fined him five pounds on each charge— ten quid— besides costs, and as Connolly had been up before for selling indecent matter the Magistrate warned him that the next time he might use his discretionary power and send him up for six months. The other cove who bought trouble was named Barney Barripp, and twelve informations confronted him. Lawyer Singer defeided. One of the post-cards was entitled "After Dark," and was supposed to represent a conversation between a pair of love-birds m a park. The words were shown by white splashes on a black back-ground and such ejaculations as. "Darling, don't!" "Stop it," "Don't squeeze so hard," finally culminating m a .pig query mark which might mean anything. Of course the blushing copman m the box was interrogated as to where the indecency m "After Dark" came m; and he said he would not like to say m open court. Evidently Magistrate Kettle decided m his own mind, as he said there wgs no question as to what the query meant, for he convicted and fined defendant fifty shillings on it. (Notice of appeal was given. Another post-card m Barripp's bunch was "The. early bird catches the wormV^&blioifcor Singer struck his flag onvthis ! dne, the scene of which is a poultry farm. Of course \\ was proved grossly indecent. Another fine of £2 10s was r.diii-'d to Barripp's little score for this. Other cards were "An Australian native bear.V and '-'A bally dancer." The Magistrate reserved his decition on these. The police added to the list two . well-known statuary pictures Psyche and Reflections, both of them being nude studies of girls which are to be found m any art gallery. Mr Kettle reserved his decision on these also, but suggested that his opinion was that Psyche m an art gallery might be permissible but on a post-card was indecent. Solicitor Singer thereupon, suggested that the statues m Albert Park and m the Museum were indecent, so Mr Kettle's role as an art critic is the latest amusement m Auckland.

On Wednesday the decision m Barripp's case was given and a nominal fine of five shillings m each case was imposed. This leniency was due to the fact that the defendant had previously been mulcted m a fine of a "fiver." .