artmental Committee set up in 1952 to report on worthless
and indecent literature similarly found that, while publications
intended for adults are controlled by the Indecent Publications Act
(which in the opinion of that Committee, was adequate providing the
public initiated action under it), comics and other publications outside
the scope of that Act might be objectionable for children.

When considering comics it is essential to appreciate the difference
between the traditional comic, intended exclusively for children, and
the more modern style which is basically designed for low-mentality
adults. Both styles and variations of them circulate widely in New
Zealand among children and adolescents. In general, however, younger
children buy, and even prefer, the genuine comic which is not harmful
and may even be helpful. Adolescents, and adults also, are attracted by
comic books that have been denounced by various authorities as
anti-educational, and even pernicious, in moral outlook.

The Inter-departmental Committee recommended that all comics be
registered and that it be made an offence to deal in unregistered
comics. There are strong doubts whether the adoption of those proposals
would provide a satisfactory solution. Once registration were obtained
(which would be almost automatic on application) much damage might be
done by the distribution of a particular issue before registration could
be cancelled.

Surely a simpler, faster, and safer procedure would be to make initial
registration more difficult and subsequent deregistration more speedy.

Amendments recently made to the laws of various Australian States should
result in a general improvement in the standard of publications
distributed in Australia, and consequently in New Zealand. On the other
hand, this tightening of the law may induce distributors to dump in New
Zealand publications for which they have no longer a market in
Australia.

A banning, rather than a censorship, of printed matter injurious to
children should be the subject of immediate legislation for three
reasons:

(_a_) To prevent the Dominion being used as a market to offset any
trade lost in some Australian States;

(_b_) To encourage the efforts of those people who seek to lead
children through good reading to better things; and

(_c_) To let publishers know that the time has passed when
publications likely to be injurious to the minds of children and
adolescents may be d