892

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 34

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS is a soft cover book described as a study of oral-genital sex and consisting for the most part of alleged case studies with comments. There are a few illustrations throughout the book.

The style and content of the case histories are salacious and leave the Tribunal with doubts as to the integrity of the author of the book.

This is not a serious or restrained study of oral sex and does not fall within permissible limits set in previous decisions of the Tribunal.

The Tribunal classifies Soixante Neuf as indecent.

L. M. GREIG, Chairman.

9 April 1975.

No. 842

Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal

In the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the matter of an application by Waverley Publishing Co., for a decision in respect of the following publication: The Intimate Embrace by David O. Cauldwell, published by Monogram Books, California.

No appearance by either applicant or distributors, but written submissions were made by the applicant.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

The Intimate Embrace was published in 1969 by Monogram Publications Inc., California, U.S.A.; its author is a doctor whose declared intention is to educate and reassure married couples. The intimate embrace, he writes in the introduction, is “often the least intimate of all acts having a relation to the status of spousehood”, and this state of affairs is largely the result of ignorance.

Sexual ethics, sexual taboos, sterility, transvestism, are among aspects of the subject which the author examines. The text is followed by a folio of coital drawings, included to aid married couples in “familiarising themselves with the diverse postures used around the world”.

Information given appears to be sound and the tone of discussion is direct and open, if, as quoted lines suggest, a little ponderous in manner; indications are that the author is sincere in his purpose. However, in view of the explicitness of the drawings, and the fact that the book's chief value is as a manual for couples interested in sexual experiment, the Tribunal considers it should be restricted to adult readers or those likely to have embarked on mature sexual relationships.

The Tribunal therefore classifies The Intimate Embrace as indecent in the hands of persons under 16.

L. M. GREIG, Chairman.

9 April 1975.

No. 843

Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal

In the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the matter of an application by the Secretary for Justice for a decision in respect of the following publication: Laff Time published by Crestwood Publishing Co., New York.

Mr D. J. Turley made representations on behalf of the publisher.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THIS book is a cheaply bound collection of cartoons, jokes, and advertisements devoted entirely to sex.

Its treatment of this subject is trivial and tasteless and in places, crude, and offensive. This publication is devoid of artistic, social, or literary merit and is indecent within the meaning of the Act.

The Tribunal classifies this book as indecent.

L. M. GREIG, Chairman.

9 April 1975.

No. 844

Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal

In the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963 and in the matter of an application by Hoghton Hughes Ltd., for a decision in respect of the following sound recordings: The Perfumed Garden and Fanny Hill by Marion Reed published by Arrowtabs Recordings, London.

Mr. Murray, as an interested party, appeared and produced written submissions on behalf of the Comptroller of Customs.

No appearance was made by either the applicant or distributors.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

THESE two items are sound recordings (in disc or tape form) based on the eighteenth-century novel Fanny Hill by John Cleland, and on the Arabic classic of the sixteenth century, The Perfumed Garden. In their printed form, both works have been before the Tribunal: decision No. 13 restricted Fanny Hill to those 18 years and over (New Zealand Gazette, 20 May 1965), while decision No. 24 found The Perfumed Garden to be not indecent (New Zealand Gazette, 24 February 1966). It should be noted, however, that the translation used on the sound recording is not that of Sir Richard Burton, the translator of the printed version.

It was submitted for the Customs Department that the literary worth of both books had been lost in the sound recordings for a variety of reasons, including abridgment and the use of sound effects to exploit their sexual content. With this view we disagree. While it is true that neither is a complete transcription of the original written work, the episodes covered are given in reasonable fullness, and do not concentrate solely on the sexual episodes involved. We did not find the sound effects used to be intrusive or tasteless, indeed they are quite restrained. We felt that the literary and period flavour of the original in each case had been preserved, and this is the principal test we consider should be applied.

While the Tribunal gave different decisions about the two books involved in 1965 and 1966, we cannot see any reason to discriminate between the two sound recordings now before us. The decisions on the books were among the earliest given in the life of the Tribunal, and judging these recordings in 1975 we do not believe that they deal with sex in a manner injurious to the public good. We find Fanny Hill and The Perfumed Garden to be not indecent.

9 April 1975.

L. M. GREIG, Chairman.

The Standards Act 1965—Overseas Specifications Available for Comment

PURSUANT to subsection (3) of section 23 of the Standards Act 1965, notice is hereby given that the under-mentioned specifications are being considered for declaration as New Zealand standard specifications or for endorsement as suitable for use in New Zealand:

Number and Title of Specification

ISO 668–1973 Freight containers—external dimensions and ratings.

ISO 2230–1974 Forklift trucks—Fork arms—Technical characteristics and testing.

All persons who may be affected by these specifications and who desire to comment thereon may, on application, obtain a copy of each on loan from the Standards Association of New Zealand, World Trade Center, 15–23 Sturdee Street (or Private Bag), Wellington 1.

Requests should specify that copies are required for comment purposes.

The closing date for the receipt of comment is 15 May 1975.

Dated at Wellington this 10th day of April 1975.

G. H. EDWARDS, Director,

Standards Association of New Zealand.

(S.A. 114/2/1)

The Standards Act 1965—Specifications Declared to be Standard Specifications

PURSUANT to section 23 of the Standards Act 1965, the Standards Council, on 31 January 1975, declared the under-mentioned specifications to be standard specifications:

Number and Title of Specifications Price of Copy (Mailed)

NZS 3301:1975 (BS 1196:1971) Clayware field drain pipes. Metric units. (Including Amendment A) (Superseding NZS 1824) 2.75

NZS 4207:1975 (ISO 2777–1974 (E)) Preferred co-ordinating sizes for rigid flat sheet materials used in building. Metric units 1.70

Copies of the standard specifications are available from the Standards Association of New Zealand, World Trade Center, 15–23 Sturdee Street (or Private Bag), Wellington.

Dated at Wellington this 14th day of April 1975.

G. H. EDWARDS, Director,

Standards Association of New Zealand.

(S.A. 114/2/2: 554–55)