We are prepared to believe that it is an accurate picture, and
to accept the emphasis on violence, unpleasant language, and
precocious sexual activity. As a social document the book has
a good deal of merit, and it is not lacking in literary quality.
Section 11 (2) of the Act prevents the Tribunal from
classifying it as indecent, and we see no reason for applying
any lesser restriction.
The Tribunal classifies the book as not indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 300
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by Murdoch Riley, company director,
of Wellington, for a decision in respect of the book The Garden
of Earthly Pleasures, translation by A. C. Phillips, published
by Belmont Books, New York.
Mr P. J. Downey appeared for the applicant and made sub-
missions.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
We are told that this Belmont paperback is by an anonymous
author and that the original title, no doubt in Arabic, was The
Harem of Ain Sebaa. It is translated and edited by Ary Cald-
well Phillips.
The story is thin and contrived and the catalogue of sexual
activities, natural and perverse, is enough to strain the reader's
credulity. We can come to no conclusion other than that the
book is indecent.
The Tribunal classifies the book as indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 301
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by the Comptroller of Customs for a
decision in respect of the book The Name of the Game by Eric
Wilkins, published by New English Library, London.
There was no appearance of the applicant nor of the pub-
lisher's representative in New Zealand. Accordingly no sub-
missions were made.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
THIS is a fast-moving novel about a fashion photographer
whose professional and sexual energies involve him with a
succession of women and enable him to enjoy much bizarre
high life.
Some of the scenes include detailed descriptions of sexual
violence and perversion as party entertainment and nothing off-
sets the impression given by these scenes and much else that
promiscuity, violence, and perversion are being glamorised and
offered for vicarious pleasure.
This is to deal with sex in a manner injurious to the public
good.
The Tribunal classifies the book as indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 302
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by the Comptroller of Customs for a
decision in respect of the book Mantee by Robert J. Hensler,
published by New English Library, London.
There was no appearance of the applicant nor of the pub-
lisher's representative in New Zealand. Accordingly no
submissions were made.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
THIS novel is a crude portrayal of a negro slave's cruel suffer-
ing, his escape, his progress as a champion fighter, and his
eventual return to his master's plantation to immolate himself
in destroying all he can lay hold of.
It has the predictable white girl tormenting him sexually
through her racial supremacy and the offensiveness of the
scene in which she first exploits him is exceeded only by that
in which he takes his perverted revenge on her.
The book is simply an exploitation of sex and violence and
brings no understanding or feeling to the portrayal of the
relationships it presents.
The Tribunal classifies the book as indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 303
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by Murdoch Riley, company director,
of Wellington, for a decision in respect of the book Sexual
Report of a Flea, anonymous, published by Belmont Books,
New York.
Mr P. J. Downey appeared on behalf of the applicant and
made submissions.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
THE book is offered as the third part of the memoirs of a flea,
the earlier parts being claimed as well-known classics of erotic
writing. The introduction says that the "charm" of these earlier
volumes is present here, too, along with "the same wit, the
same wry humour, the same salacious observations".
Whatever those volumes may have had, this particular one
is tedious, trivial, and harmless. Mr Downey submitted that it
was to be taken as a lighthearted joke. It is to be hoped that
anyone who pays out $2 for it on the strength of this introduc-
tion and the blurb on the cover has sufficient sense of humour
to realise that this was the writer's intention, and does not
reach the more painful conclusion that the joke has been on
him for buying it.
The Tribunal classifies the book as not indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 304
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by Murdoch Riley, company director,
of Wellington, for a decision in respect of the book Confessions
of a Pimp, anonymous, published by Belmont Books, New
York.
Mr P. J. Downey appeared on behalf of the applicant and
made submissions.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
THERE is nothing of any substance in this worthless novel by
way of characterisation or story to interfere with the simple
appeal it makes to wallow in grossly offensive incidents of
sexual indulgence. This is to deal with sex in a manner
injurious to the public good.
The Tribunal classifies the book as indecent.
R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.
13 July 1971.
No. 305
Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal
IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the
matter of an application by the Comptroller of Customs for a
decision in respect of the book Naked Sex Positions by Anders
Jorgens, published by Medco Books 1969.
There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr P. J. Downey
appeared on behalf of the distributors of the book in New
Zealand and made submissions.
DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL
THE Tribunal has considered closely comparable books in its
decisions No. 200, 222, and 223. The book before us is in fact
a variant version of that discussed in the third of those
decisions. The main differences are that the couple who demon-
strate the positions are now naked and that the poses are more
natural. The captions are the same and nothing has been
added to provide more text.