pictures obscene.

The picture of eight Indonesian tribesmen in traditional dress had been on display at the Olympic Club in Pembroke.

But last week Police confiscated it following a complaint.

"It is very off putting for me when I get back to the Island after a lot of hard work, stress, expense and anxiety and develop my film then someone finds a picture offensive and it is taken off a wall,' said Mr. Stallard, co-owner of the Olympic Club.

"If this is considered offensive in the west then we better start putting plastic wrap around National Geographic magazines and keeping them on the top shelf.

"There's also a nude sculpture of Miss Bermuda outside the Bank of Butterfield. Should that be removed? "People are stopping me in the street and telling me how ridiculous they think this is.'' The photograph of Dani tribesmen was confiscated on August 28.

"Because the club is considered a public place, and one which children attend, the print could be considered as offensive and obscene under the Obscene Publications Act or the Summary Offences Act,'' a Police spokesperson said.

After the picture was returned to Mr. Stallard, who was warned about it, "no further Police action was deemed necessary,'' she added. Mr. Stallard -- who has five books to his credit -- took the photo while in Indonesia. The 16 by 20 inch colour print was on the wall to advertise a slide show.

The Police claimed a female member of staff made the complaint but Mr.

Stallard and his partner Nick Jones denied this.

And Mr. Stallard noted that the complainant never said what it was about the picture that was offending.

"When I went to see the Police they were polite, almost embarrassed. It was as if it was something they had not enjoyed doing but was their job to do.'' The Dani tribe is one of the last primitive stone age tribes left in the world. They will feature in an upcoming book.

The photo shows Dani warriors in traditional dress including a gourd which covers the penis.

"The only genital exposure is of part of their testicles which you can barely see. If you were to censor it, the area to be covered would be less than one-eighth of an inch big.'' And he pointed out that the fact that the person spotted the tiny part of the picture meant he or she "would have had to stop and taken a good look at it''.

The tribesmen existed today in the same way that they existed in the stone age, continued Mr. Stallard.