No. 566

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 Grushenka, anonymous,
published by Holloway House Publishing Co., California.

There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr Downey,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the publisher's representative
in New Zealand and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THE story of a Russian serf girl inside Czarist Russia—a story
of utter degeneracy, cruelty, and violence—a story which the
Tribunal cannot accept as being authentic. The publisher
claims the book as being the first complete and authentic
American edition of the story privately printed in Paris in
January 1933, but this claim does not ring true. The book,
because of its emphasis on violence and indecency, clearly
offends against the provisions of the Act.

The Tribunal classifies this book as indecent.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

No. 567

Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal

IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and
in the matter of an application by Marketing Services (N.Z.)
Ltd. for a decision in respect of the magazine Cinema X,
Vol. 4, No. 4, published by Top Sellers Ltd., London.

Mr Downey, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the applicant
and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS magazine contains many photographs of scenes from
films, together with some account of those films and more
general material on film personalities. It is described on the
cover as an “International Guide for Adult Audiences”, but
it cannot be accorded much significance as a guide to those
interested in the art of the film. The illustrations depict a
variety of sexual poses and incidents in a crude and garish
way. The advertisements in the magazine reinforce our view
that its treatment of sex is prurient and offensive.

The Tribunal classifies this issue of Cinema X as indecent.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

No. 568

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 magazine Girl Illustrated,
Vol. 5, No. 17, published by Plant News, London.

There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr Heron,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the publisher's representative
in New Zealand and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS magazine is a more sophisticated example of a kind of
magazine that the Tribunal is familiar with from earlier
applications: a series of photographs of nude or semi-nude
girls who are associated in the text with the various countries
and backgrounds they come from. Everything in the photo-
graphs and the text is calculated to provoke sexual excitement
in a manner and to a degree that we judge indecent.

The Tribunal classifies this issue of Girl Illustrated as
indecent.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

No. 569

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 9 Holes of Jade,
by Su-Ling, published by Holloway House Publishing Co.,
California.

There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr Downey,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the publisher's representative
in New Zealand and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS is the autobiography of a Hong Kong call girl named
Su-Ling, born in the slums of Hong Kong and determined to
rise above this humble origin. According to her story she is
beautiful and not unintelligent and eventually achieves her
ambition. But the path to success is a tortuous one and her
story deals with bizarre experiences, perversion, and sexual
indecencies.

The book has little literary merit. The story is contrived
and has no honesty of purpose.

The Tribunal classifies this book as indecent.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

No. 570

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 Erotic Duet translated by Howard Nelson, published by Holloway House
Publishing Co., California.

There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr Downey,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the publisher's representative
in New Zealand and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS book comprises “two long-forbidden works” of French
erotica from the late nineteenth century. One of the stories
tells of the customs of young ladies of that age and is by way
of a series of dialogues wherein their amorous adventures are
recounted. The other is in the form of an exchange of letters
between two girl friends who have a lesbian relationship.

The emphasis throughout is on sex and perversion and both
stories are presented in a manner calculated to exploit prurient
interest. The authorship is uncertain. In the opinion of the
Tribunal the book is indecent within the meaning of the Act.

The Tribunal classifies this book as indecent.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

No. 571

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 Memoirs of Dolly
Morton, anonymous, published by Holloway House Publishing
Co., California.

There was no appearance of the applicant. Mr Downey,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the publisher's representative
in New Zealand and made submissions.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS is a reprint of a book reputed to have been written by
one Hugues Rebell, and first printed in Paris in 1899. Its
authenticity as the memoirs of a young girl who became
involved in rescuing and transporting escaped slaves from the
southern states of America to the north, is not established.
Although the book contains detailed accounts of sexual activity
and violence, looked at as a whole it cannot be classed as
likely to corrupt in the hands of mature persons. Its impact
is more a feeling of compassion for the victims of slavery
and abhorrence of their aggressors. Nevertheless, the des-
criptions in the book of sexual and sadistic practices make it
unsuitable for young persons.

The Tribunal classifies this book as indecent in the hands
of persons under the age of 18 years.

R. S. V. SIMPSON, Chairman.

10 October 1972.

Consenting to Raising of Loans by Certain Local Authorities

PURSUANT to section 3 of the Local Authorities Loans Act
1956 (as amended by section 3 (1) of the Local Authorities
Loans Amendment Act 1967), the undersigned Assistant Sec-
retary to the Treasury, acting under powers delegated to the
Secretary to the Treasury by the Minister of Finance, hereby
consents to the borrowing by the local authorities mentioned
in the Schedule hereto of the whole or any part of the res-
pective amounts specified in that Schedule.