INDECENT BOOK?

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 8

INDECENT BOOK?

POLICE PROSECUTION BOCCACCIO’S “DECAMERON” DESCRIBED AS A CLASSIC (Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Saturday The question whether Boccaccio's classic “The Decameron” was a type of book which should be on the shelves of a lending circulating library was argued in the Police Court yesterday when Howard Keddell Sumpter, a principal of the London Book Club, pleaded not guilty to the charge that he hired an indecent document to a plain-clothes constable on October 14 1938. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said the Solicitor-General had given his consent to the prosecution. A constable, who was a member of the London Book Club, a large library, with branches in all the main centres of New Zealand, selected “The Decameron” at random from the shelves of the library in Auckland on October 14. The book was composed of 100 so-called stories, most of which were of a very filthy nature, Mr McHugh added, making reference to six passages, the pages of which he detailed. “Openly Displayed” “It may be claimed that the book is a classic of literary and artistic merit,’’ Mr McHugh continued. “However, it was openly displayed and made available to persons of cither sex, without any restriction to age, and in this way we claim it could have only a very immoral and mischievous tendency on readers, as referred to in the Act. We cannot find any statutory definition of an indccenl document, but hold it to be anything offensive to common propriety.” Constable T. J. Hughes gave evidence that he joined the library last June, and on October 14 poked “The Decameron” at random from one cl the shelves, paying 6d to hire it. “This is a case which brings into question the whole attitude of tin law at present toward books called classics,” said Mr L. K. Munro. counsel for defendant. “It is common ground that ‘The Decameron’ is a olassic. Nor do I think it will be disputed that The Decameron' bo ids a supreme place in the literature of aul time. Changes In Taste “I am not going to submit that there are not passages in the book \vhich are not of an unpleasant character,” counsel continued. But ii that Is going to be our standard ui criticism we will find few books immune from unpleasant references in this age. The directness, of early writings have been objectionable 11 certain ages, but tastes change with generations, and we live in an age today that looks upon matters frankly.” Counsel added that there were 6000 members in defendant’s library in Auckland and “The Decameron’ had been taken out 70 times in two years. Defendant did not deliberately put the book on the shelves for pornographic purposes, and the book was not banned. Professor’s Opinion Professor W. A. Sewell, professor of English at Auckland University College, said in evidence that the book produced was a presentable translation of Boccaccio. It was translated in precious style, although it would not win a scholarship in English. The illustrations were not offensive, ul though he preferred not to comment on their artistic value. When asked to read two passages in the book, witness said Boccaccio had to be read as a whole to be appreciated. There was a type of mind that would concentrate on passages which would give them seif-indulgert pleasure—the type of mind that regarded the dictionary, the Bible and Shakespeare as pornographic. Tho ordinary type of mind would find Boccaccio dull.

At this stage the case was adjourned until Tuesday.