NOTBANNED BY S.M.

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 8

NOTBANNED BY S.M.

Book hy Dt. Stopes Under Scrutiny (From "N.Z. Truth's" Wellington Rep.) Mr. E. Page, S.M., recently dealt with a case brought by the police to determine whether or not a book .' from the pen of Dr. Marie Stopes, is an, indecent publication. THE bookseller charged with; selling the book was Norman Brown, a member of the firm of Richard Brown and Sons, Limited. ■-.-''. When the case was first called the; book was handed to ythe Magistrate ana, at hip suggestion, the case was adjourned for one week, to enable him to peruse the work before hearing the evidence. At the adjourned hearing the police called Dr. T. H. A. Valentine, Director-. General of Health, and also Dr. Watt, his assistant: Dr. Valentine described the work as "a perfectly beastly book" and he did hot~think it was scientific on the subject, it treated. Dr. Watt, too,, condemned the book. "In my opinion," he said, "the book has no scientific .value. It is written m a crude way." Detective Baylis, who, acting under instructions, purchased the book, told the Magistrate that he was 32 years of age and married. To counsel he admitted that' he had not been depraved by reading the book. In briefly setting out the facts relating to the sale of the book the defendant paid a compliment to the youth of to-day. He stated that his experience as a bookseller was that the young person of to-day does not worry about such a book m dispute, but preferred the classics or Edgar Wallace. After hearing counsel on legal argument, Mr. Page reserved his decision and later delivered a written judgment. "The circumstances of the sale of tKe book to Detective Baylfs by the defendant show that it. was a sale 'to a married man of mature years," stated the Magistrate. "In my opinion the evidence m regard to the possession and sale of this book by the defendant as detailed does not establish that his act with respect thereto was of an immoral or mischievous tendency. "The information must therefore be dismissed." . I MORTGAGES BOUGHT Will buy or lend on Mortgages, Bonds, Shares, Fixed Deposit Recepits, Securities any kind. -Apply agents for purchaser. National Investment Co., Ltd., Huddart Parker Building, Wellington.*