ALLEGED INDECENT POSTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1919, Page 6

ALLEGED INDECENT POSTER.

THEATRE MANAQtfSR FINED. . Auckland, July 8. Jußgment was given to-day by Mr Wilson, S.M., in the case in which Robert Cleland, manager of the National Theatre, was charged with having publicly exhibited an indecent picture. The picture in question was a photogravure exhibited as a poster in the vestibule of the theatre advertising the attractions of the film picture, "Queen of the Sea." His Worship stated that lie must find that the vestibule was part of the theatre, and, therefore, a public place within the meaning of the Indecent Publications Act, under which the charge was laid. He further considered on the facts that one of the figures in the poster gave the impression of being that of a nude woman, and in his opinion its exhibition under the circumstances stated had a mischievous tendency, and made the picture an indecent one. He accepted the statement of defendant that the photogravure was an actual reproduction of part of the film, which had the unqualified approval of the censor. The defendant stated that when the picture was shown on the screen certain shades appeared which were not discernible on the photogravure. It seemed to be purely a matter of shading, but nevertheless the result in the photogravure did not meet the requirements of the Act. Tiie management of the theatre should have recognised that the poster was one it would be better not to exhibit as they did, although in the screen picture there might be nothing to which exception could be taken. The defendant would be convicted and fined £2. *

Mr. Skelton, for the defendant, remarked that probably there would be an appeal on both law and fact, and asked his Worship to increase the fine sufficiently to enable that to bo done. The magistrate acceded to the request, and raised the fine to £5 Is, with costs. He also fixed security for appeal at ten guineas, in addition to the amount of the fine and costs.