Irish subscribers to lige Ronald Knox's privately published translation from the Vulgate of the New Testament, according to the Irish Standard. received a shock this week when they were informed by the Customs and Excise that the book had been held up " as contraband " for the payment of duty. The subscription to the book is 6s and the Customs demand Is. 9d. duty. They furehei demand the payment of a fine of 2s. plus 6d. postal charges because the book has been sent letter post instead of parcel.
Irate victims of this nese example of the inelasticity of the official mind have pointed out that a copy of II. G. We& Crux Ansata or any similar piece of anti-Catholic or anti-Irish propaganda can ,come through the post duty free. A leading bookseller explained to the Irish Standard that in accordance with the Finance Act of 1935 Bibles, missals and prayer books for general use by any denomination are subject to the duty imposed on Mgr. Knox's work,