CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS.
PfiOTKSTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIA'TION. i t '■ ■ ■ ! DISPUTATION TO ipHIOTJBRS.' Wellington, Last Night. The 'juoailiou of tlio censorship of printed matter was discussed between the Government and the Protestant Political Association recently and the Minister of Customs. The Attorney-General addressed a letter to Mr. J. S. Dickson, M.P., representing the Dominion executive of tlie association, stating;—To ensure as far as posftible uniformity in the principle of decisions, Mr. Martin Chapman, K.C., has been requested to read and aet as censor. Air iiteraturo has been referred to him by Ministers tojidvise as to its character. Ii was the Ministers' duty to prevent during the war the circulation of matter thfit would be an incitement to the resistance of the law, or having a tendency to assist the enemy, or so offensive in language, allegations, or insinuations as to give rise to justifiable resentment by anv class of the community'';; following the receipt of the letter, the Dominion executive appointed a deputation to (he Hons. Bell'and Myers. Mr. Dickson said they wished to oppose the appointment of Mr. Cllapmau as censor, and desired to know if he would be the military censor The Hon. Bell said the Minister of Customs and he could not read all the literature that might be stopped by the Department, and they had asked Mr. Chapman to read and advise. The censor would have no further responsibility, the actual decision remaining with the Ministers. The Bev. Howard Elliott said the Roman Catholic Church failed i n the' Supreme Courts of Canada and the United States to suppress certain books that the New Zealand Government proposed to prohibit; If the books were true, there was no reason to complain of;the use of the facts. If they were untrue, redress could be obtained in the courts of the country The Hon. Bell pointed out that any war regulation might be extended to interfere with innocent people, but the common sense of the community and fairness of magistrates were sufficient to prevent that being done. The Hon. Myers said certain books were brought under his notice by his officials, and he brought them before the Prime Minister, and the general conclusion was that at a time like the present it was undesirable to circulate such literature. •■ There would be no favoring any one section of the community. v ,
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Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1918, Page 5
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389CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS. Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1918, Page 5
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