NOVELISTS IN COURT
Sir,-While admitting that there is mote than one side to the argument concerning the censorship of the printed word, and. while respecting the views held... by .certain ‘eminent writers, and upheld in your leading: article "Novelists in Court," you will, I am sure, admit that there is something to be said for other sincere views upon the subject. You suggest that the enforcement of a law designed to check writings which a magistrate might rule as indecent, "would act as a deterrent, and letters would be purged of coarseness"; and you continue, "But what would happen to literature? Vitality in letters demands the widest possible freedom of expression." Surely, Sir, literature will suffer no loss if obliged to keep within the bounds of common decency? Why should incidents and allusions be permitted in the printed word that could not be uttered in a public place without risk of prosecution? One of the world’s oldest recorded questions was asked of the Almighty by one who was deficient in a sense of responsibility for the welfare of his fel-lows-"Am I my brother’s keeper?" As a Christian commonwealth we profess to be guided by the teaching of the Bible, and I would suggest that one of its precepts is appropriate to the subject under disctission: "Take heed, lest. by any means this..liberty,.of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak." We admit the necessity of curbing unbridled liberty in other matters that concern our community welfare. Is there no danger in giving "the widest possible freedom of expression" to literature? And now, having expressed views which I think will be shared by not a few, may I be allowed to compliment you upon the general high standard of your leading articles, to my mind ene of the best features of the New Zealand
Listener.
A. H.
REED
(Dunedin).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19541210.2.12.1
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 803, 10 December 1954, Page 5
Word count
Tapeke kupu
310NOVELISTS IN COURT New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 803, 10 December 1954, Page 5
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in