1616
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 58

Decisions of Indecent Publications Tribunal

Nos. 107–111

IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963 and in the matter of an application to the Tribunal by Seven Seas Publishing Pty. Ltd., of Wellington, for decisions in respect of the following books:

Walter—My Secret Life.
Kimiko.
Mr Madam.
The Wonderful Webbers.
The Glory of de Diene’s Women.

DECISIONS OF THE TRIBUNAL

LEAVE to submit the above books to the Tribunal was granted by the Minister of Justice. Mr Downey appeared at the hearing as Counsel for the applicant and made submissions.

In respect of each book the Tribunal decides as follows:

Walter—My Secret Life, edited by Drs Eberhard and Phyllis Kronhausen. Published by Polybooks Ltd., London. 2 volume paperback. 9s. 6d.

Walter, described elsewhere as an underground classic, is an extremely long, erotic autobiography, originally privately printed in 11 volumes, each of about 380 pages. Three of the six copies have survived. A public edition was prepared by Grove Press in 1966 using a much larger size; but the text still occupied some 2,400 pages, bound in two volumes, sold as a boxed set for US$30. There is a long “abridged but unexpurgated” Grove Press paperback edition in print with an introduction by G. Legman which is the subject of another reference to the Tribunal: the price of this abridgment is $1.75.

The edition which we are now considering, in two volumes, is a good deal shorter and consists of illustrative extracts, which must constitute only a small fraction of the whole work, with a considerable amount of interpretation put forward by Eberhard and Phyllis Kronhausen, a well-known husband and wife team of practising psychotherapists whose extensive literary work is concerned with the psychology of erotic realism and pornography.

Walter, the pseudonymous author, was born probably between 1820 and 1830 of very well-to-do parents. He lived only for extremely frequent sexual occasions of a fairly straightforward and superficial kind. Emotionally he seems to have remained at an immature level. The account is tedious and repetitive; it may nevertheless have some value (1) as a warning that such people do exist, (2) as a detailed commentary (pointed up in their own way by the editors) on some of the sexual mores of the nineteenth century, (3) as a balance to the great novels of the period which largely ignore this side of Victorian England. For these reasons we think adults should have access to the book if they wish.

The submission made by Mr Downey, counsel for the importers (the applicants) was that the book was unsuitable if not harmful for children. The subject is perhaps sordid rather than disturbing, but it might well mislead young persons into thinking the author’s particular obsessions more usual and more tolerable than they are. We therefore decide that both volumes of this edition are indecent in the hands of persons under 18 years.

Kimiko—Illustrated paperback at 95c, published by Luxor Press, London.

This book claims to be the true story of a nightclub hostess in Tokyo, told to and translated by John Brownleigh. It is a straightforward account, at once naive, pathetic, and tragic. As a human document this is reasonable adult reading, nor do we see any distortion of truth that might compel us to restrict its circulation. We judge it to be not indecent.

Mr Madam, by Kenneth Marlowe. Published by Luxor Press, London, at $4.20. net.

This book claims to be the autobiography of a female impersonator. It may have value as a help to the understanding of the homosexual and of the exploitation of sexual deviants. In particular the author’s early history may throw light on the influence of parents on a child who is essentially unwanted and whose sex is a further source of resentment. The price and format of this book should sufficiently ensure that its circulation be among those able to read it with understanding. We judge it in this edition to be not indecent.

The Wonderful Webbers. $10.
The Glory of de Diene’s Women. $7.75. Both published by Elysium Inc., Los Angeles.

Both of these books are collections of nudist photographs.

The Wonderful Webbers is described as an intimate family album covering a decade in the life of a couple and their young son. It contains some text to which no exception can be taken. Most of the photographs are natural and straightforward and the positive value of these outweigh the very few which are slightly exaggerated in pose. Applying the law as we understand it, and the tests set out in the Tribunal’s decisions in respect of several nudist or naturist books and magazines published in the New Zealand Gazette of 25 July 1968, we classify The Wonderful Webbers as coming within the first category, and decide that it is not indecent.

The Glory of de Diene’s Women contains numerous photographs of nude figures in extravagant poses which could have prurient interest and we therefore place it in the third category, and decide that it is indecent.

L. G. H. SINCLAIR, Chairman.

9 September 1968.

Decision of Indecent Publications Tribunal

No. 112

IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963 and in the matter of an application to the Tribunal for a decision in respect of the magazine Man’s Life, published by Cavalcade Magazine Pty. Ltd., Sydney. 30c.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THE April and June issues for 1968 of this magazine have been submitted to the Tribunal by the Comptroller of Customs for classification. At the hearing there was no appearance by or on behalf of the Comptroller and Mr Heron appeared as Counsel for the publishers.

The magazines are described on the front cover as “The Magazine for Men”. The front cover of each also depicts scenes illustrating the violence and horrors of war, and each contains articles and illustrations dealing almost exclusively with violence and sex. In our opinion these magazines are not “indecent” within the primary meaning of the word but come within the extended definition contained in section 2 of the Act. We regard them as undesirable reading for immature persons and we do not think magazines of this kind should be openly sold or exhibited for sale. With a view to restricting their distribution and sale we classify them as indecent in the hands of persons under 18 years of age.

L. G. H. SINCLAIR, Chairman.

9 September 1968.

Decision of Indecent Publications Tribunal

No. 113

IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963 and in the matter of an application by Mrs Catherine Leonard, of Auckland, for a decision in respect of a book of photographic studies proposed to be published by Leonard-Smith, of Auckland, under the title Pad.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS collection of nude photographs of a female model has been submitted to the Tribunal, with leave of the Minister of Justice, for classification before publication. It is proposed to publish the collection in a form similar to that submitted to the Tribunal at the price of $3–$4. Again we apply the law and the tests set out in respect of nudist and naturist books and magazines in our decision published in the New Zealand Gazette of 25 July 1968. In our view the publication of a collection of photographs of the kind depicted in Pad without restriction would not be in the public interest. We place the proposed publication in the second category mentioned in our decision of 25 July 1968 which means that it is declared to be indecent in the hands of persons under 18 years of age.

L. G. H. SINCLAIR, Chairman.

9 September 1968.

The Standards Act 1965—Draft Amendments to New Zealand Standard Specifications

PURSUANT to subsection (3) of section 23 of the Standards Act 1965, notice is hereby given that the draft amendments listed in the Schedule hereto are being circulated.

All persons who may be affected by these amendments and who desire to comment thereon may, on application, obtain copies free of charge from the Standards Association of New Zealand, Private Bag, Wellington C. 1.

The closing date for receipt of comment is 11 October 1968.

SCHEDULE

Ref. No. Title and Number of Standard Specification of Draft

D 9647 Rolled steel bars and hard drawn steel wire for concrete reinforcement. (NZS 197:1949)

D 9648 Mild steel for general structural purposes. (NZS 309:1963)

D 9649 Deformed steel bars of structural grade for reinforced concrete. (NZS 1693:1962)

Dated at Wellington this 13th day of September 1968.

G. H. EDWARDS, Director,
Standards Association of New Zealand.

(S.A. 114/2/8)