Book Censorship Abolition League, 1933-1935

Component identifier:: Series 7
Content Summary:: The League was created in response to the actions of a Commonwealth Minister. In 1934, when Robert Menzies (Attorney-General) was overseas, the Minister for Trade and Customs, Thomas White, embarked on the practice of banning the import of political publications which were circulating freely overseas. Ball set up the Book Censorship Abolition League 'to protect the rights of readers and booksellers'. Late in 1937 Cabinet decided that the Attorney-General's Department was superior to the Department of Trade and Customs on the matter of censorship and the restrictions were lifted. Many members of the League, however, went on to join the Australian Council for Civil Liberties, formed in 1936.
Immediate source of acquisition:: The collection was purchased in 1987 from Ball's widow, Katrine.

Access and use

Parent Restrictions:: Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1332360).
Parent Terms of Access:: Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Location of this collection:: National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia