IS "SLEEP" INDECENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 324, 25 January 1908, Page 2

IS "SLEEP" INDECENT.

Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A feature of the prosecution ot a bookseller, Mr Whittaker, for selling a magazine with an alleged indecent picture in it, was the appearance of Lindsay Bernard Hall in the witness box for the defence, lie is director of the National Gallery at Melbourne, and the painter of the picture "Sleep" reproduced in the magazine. He deposed lie had been painting the picture oil' and on for seven years. It. had been exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, and had-been commented upon "for and against." He had been painting for thirty years, and had never in his life heard works of this sort referred to as indecent. "Sleep" was a decorative, picture, meant to beautify a wall. It was meant to convey an impression of heat, sleep, and stillness. lu all the reviews of the picture that, had been printed, no suggestion of indecency had been made.

Detective McGrath: "That picture a work of art is not indecent, bi Might it no be so under other circui stances';"

Witness: "1 only know how they regard the nude throughout the world, i don't know how they regard it here, if they regard the mule a« indecent-" Mr Herman: "Do you consider the reproduction of your picture in the Lone Hand would constitute circumstance! in which it would become indecent?'' Witness: "Oh, no; certainly not."

He volunteered the statement to the bench that lie was not, interested in this caw one way or the other. He was simply asked by the Lone Hand proprietory if he would allow them to rP . produce his picture, and he gave his permission.

A! number of other witnesses were palled, including the Hon. T. K. MaeDonald. H. S. Waddell. senr.. president of the Academy of Pine. Arts, and Mr Mingworth, sculptor, who scouted the idea of the prosecution. One of them denounced it as a grotesque absurdity. Judgment was reserved.