NRS-1257 | Register of prosecutions under the Obscene and Indecent Publications Act 1901

The Register records details of legal action taken against individuals or companies printing or distributing printed material considered to be obscene under the Obscene and Indecent Publication Act 1901 (Act No.12).The Register provides the following information: name of publication; file number, defendant; section of Act under which legal action was taken; date to Crown Solicitor; date information laid; and details of court action. The format of recording information in the Register varies with early entries containing additional columns that have no information. They were: date purchased, to police, returned from police, and information laid. These additional columns were not used from circa 1968. Until 1971 details were recorded in columns but from this date each subsequent prosecution was entered on a separate page. Most of the information previously recorded in columns was then recorded in prose form. The police reference number and the date of the Minister’s approval was now included. A few entries have a minimum of information and no details indicating if prosecution proceeded or was dropped.File numbers are for the Colonial Secretary's correspondence series and some of the files listed in the Register are located in the Correspondence files relating to indecent articles and classified publications (NRS16734; Colonial Secretary special bundle 12/4118–4142).There is a separate index to the Register (stapled booklet) that is arranged alphabetically by name of publication and is located with the Register.The first page of the Register contains the name of an expert witness from the University of Adelaide and a handwritten list of Chief Secretaries between 1968 and 1972. The list includes the New South Wales Government Gazette number and date of each Minister’s appointment. On the inside cover of the Register there is a file number for a file containing information related to a South Australian judgement.