12 AUGUST
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
1883

times and standards. The earlier decisions were given in 1968 and 1969, My Secret Life being the subject of Decision No. 119, given on 11 November 1968, while Decision No. 146 on The Pearl was delivered on 28 July 1969.

My Secret Life deals with the sexual adventures of a rich Victorian by the name of Walter: these are retold in great and unrelieved detail, with no attempt at any development of either story or character. The only thing which distinguishes it from others which the tribunal has unhesitatingly found indecent in recent years is that it was written in the nineteenth rather than the twentieth century.

The Pearl is a reprint of all the 18 issues published of an “underground” journal of 1879–1880, and it again dwells unendingly on sexual episodes, whether the form is prose or verse. There is no pretence at literary merit or social importance of any contemporary kind. If either of these works were written now, rather than a century or more ago, the tribunal would have no hesitation in finding them indecent. We must, however, also consider their place in studies of the Victorian age, which might be literary or historical, sociological or psychological in character, and the need for them to be reasonably available for such purposes. We have examined again the slightly differing decisions made in 1968 and 1969 on these two books, and are of the opinion that the most satisfactory classification is that of 1968 in respect of My Secret Life. We, therefore, find that these two books are indecent except in the hands of persons over the age of 18 years whose professional or academic studies extend into the fields covered by them.

Dated this 28th day of July 1976.

LAURENCE M. GREIG, Chairman.

(Reference No. 19/2/16 and 19/2/18)

No. 863

Decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal

IN the matter of the Indecent Publications Act 1963, and in the matter of an application by Norman William Laking, Acting Comptroller of Customs, for a decision in respect of the publication The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, published by the Hogarth Guild, of Los Angeles, California.

BEFORE THE INDECENT PUBLICATIONS TRIBUNAL

Messrs L. M. Greig (Chairman), D. M. Wylie, I. R. Cross, Mrs L. Edmond, and Miss W. M. Rolleston.

Hearing: 14 June 1976.

Appearances: Mr P. E. Leloir for the Acting Comptroller of Customs; Mr P. J. Downey for Seven Seas Publishing Pty. Ltd.

DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL

This edition of the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, published by the Hogarth Guild, Los Angeles, California (for “private circulation to members of the Hogarth Guild Book Club only”) created some difficulty for the tribunal. The text, a classic exposition of the techniques of achieving sexual pleasure, is also concerned with the morality and ethics of the conduct it describes. It is the work of a scholar who is a master of concise writing. However, the photographs, which form such a significant part of this edition of the work, fail to match its literary standard and range of concern. Some appear to be designed to assist the commercial exploitation of the text by means which are indecent. These lapses become a dominant effect of the book. Accordingly, though the Kama Sutra itself is not indecent, we classify this particular edition of it as indecent.

Dated this 23rd day of July 1976.

LAURENCE M. GREIG, Chairman.

(Reference No. 19/2/6)

Taranaki Education Board—Election of Members

PURSUANT to the Education Boards’ Administration Regulations 1965, it is hereby notified that the result of the poll held for the election of members for the wards, specified hereunder, of the education board of the district of Taranaki was as follows:

WAITARA WARD

Fleet, Norman … … … 44 (elected)
Winter, Peter Leslie … … 25

Total number of valid votes recorded 69
Informal votes … … … 8

NEW PLYMOUTH WARD

Lind, James … … … 33
Martin, Raymond William James … 76 (elected)

Total number of valid votes recorded 109
Informal votes … … … 1

HAWERA WARD

Young, Mrs Doris Margaret (elected unopposed).

OHURA WARD

Eady, Peder Malcolm (elected unopposed).

Dated at New Plymouth this 28th day of July 1976.

A. V. BERRIDGE, Returning Officer.

(E. 14/3/3)

Canterbury Education Board—Election of Member—Southern Central No. 2 Ward

PURSUANT to the Education Boards’ Administration Regulations 1965, it is hereby notified that the result of the ballot for the election of a member to fill the extraordinary vacancy for the Southern Central No. 2 Ward of the education board of the district of Canterbury was as follows:

Votes

Courtier, Marcus Graham … … 56 (elected)
Priest, Owen Stanley … … 43

Total number of votes recorded 99

Dated at Christchurch this 30th day of July 1976.

D. WILSON, Returning Officer.

(E. 14/3/8)

South Auckland Education Board—Election of Members

PURSUANT to the Education Boards’ Administration Regulations 1965, it is hereby notified that the result of the poll held for the election of members for the wards, specified hereunder, of the education board of the district of South Auckland was as follows:

WARD NO. 3—TE AWAMUTU-RAGLAN

Fraser, David Alexander (elected unopposed).

WARD NO. 5—HUNTLY-NGARUAWAHIYA

McDermott, Robert Charles Gregory (elected unopposed).

WARD NO. 6—PAEROA-TE KAUWHATA

Burton, Brian Harrison (elected unopposed).

WARD NO. 7—TE AROHA-MORRINSVILLE

Votes

Gillon, Reginald Robert … … 19
Nelson, Cynthia Frances Monica … 49
Wiseley, Clifford Ernest … … 91 (elected)

Total number of valid votes recorded 159
Informal votes … … … 5

WARD NO. 9—MATAMATA-CAMBRIDGE

Wills, Ian Newton (elected unopposed).

WARD NO. 12—WIAKATANE-OPOTIKI

Votes

Higgs, Allen Francis … … 92 (elected)
Richards, Jack … … … 66

Total number of valid votes recorded 158
Informal votes … … … 2

WARD NO. 13—TAUPO-MURAPARA-TURANGI

King, Henry Isaac (elected unopposed).

Dated at Hamilton this 28th day of July 1976.

E. TYSON, Returning Officer.

(E. 14/3/12)