"Queer" Poem Banned

The poem referred to the acquittal several months ago of a group of youths charged with killing a man, understood to have been a homosexual, in Hagley Park, Christchurch. Considerable doubt has been expressed over the propriety of the jury in rendering an acquittal. The issue has been discussed of recent months in columns of the New Zealand Listener following an editorial by M. H. Holcroft.

Richard Packer published his poem in Christchurch's student newspaper, Canta. Salient requested and was granted, permission to reprint it.

The poem, which Salient's editor considered worth printing because of the pungency of its social comment was not allowed to go past the proof stage by Truth, who were advised by their censor not to print it. Appeal by the Editor did not change the verdict.

Consultation with other legal minds revealed doubt as to the situation of the poem regarding the law.

Several days before Salient heard that the poem was unacceptable to their printers, news was received from Christchurch that a libel case was possibly being presented by one of the jury.

A toll call to Canta's associate editor revealed that the case was not expected to come to a head, there being no legal grounds for a case in the mind of the juror s lawyer.

We regret, then, that we cannot publish the poem and tender our apologies for the libel laws to students and society.

We give, you, however, comments sought from appropriate people on the position of the homosexual in society today, an issue we feel in considerable need of examination.