INDECENT LITERATURE

Southland Times, Issue 24834, 28 August 1942, Page 6

INDECENT LITERATURE

(P.A.) AUCKLAND* August 27. "He has been reading books of this kind which he got from a lending library,” said Mr Aekins. who appeared for the youth, aged 17, who appeared before Mr Justice Fair for sentence in the Supreme Court for indecent assault, which he admitted. Counsel handed a copy of a magazine. to the judge, remarking that it seemed incredible that such books were available to young people through a lending library. His Honour remarked that the magazine seemed to be one of horror stories and indecent pictures catering for a depraved taste. It seemed that the time had come for the exercise of stricter supervision and for rigidly prohibiting its circulation among young people. He admitted the prisoner to probation for two years conditional on the payment of £lO costs and ordered his name to be suppressed. A police officer informed a reporter later that the importation of the magazine concerned was banned by the Minister three years ago by arrangement with importing booksellers. There were, however, old copies of the magazine circulating among lending libraries.