"SANCTITY OF THE POST."

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 79, 2 April 1914, Page 4

"SANCTITY OF THE POST."

HOW QUACKS AND GAMBJjBRS ÜBI THE MAILS. HUXDR£DS OF OFFICIAL. INTERDICTIONS; (By Telegraph.-Special to "Star.")/ WELI/IXGTON, this day. The park played by the Genera] Foil Office in the dissemination of (yamblinf and other pernicious literature w*g the subject of inquiries made by your correspondent to-day. He ascertained thjj the Department exercises constant vigilance to intercept a flood of postal literature ■which regularly comes frota outeidt countries, and which, if circulated through the Dominifln, would providi easy opportunities 'for ouaoks "who cater for the deprived and sensuat, and thai etill larger class infeoted with the gambling paesion.' ■ . ■ -.. .-. As ajfciadicatldn of tfce constapjiffort to this good end, a highly-pieced postal official pointed out to mc thai *n Italian lottery firm, whose scheme -vrtm expose! in the " Lyttelten Times' , kat week,> had its correspondence witfc Jfew Zea? land officially interdicted on the day the article appeared, information (Mtrong previously teen in the Department's posseteion. Often in such cases the lottery circular affords sufficient evidence to justify the drastic step of refusing t6 pass through the post any communication to or from the lottery principals. A POWER FOB GOOP. ..,-:■ "The Post Office iis a big power for good jj» th'je rw*y," remarked the offcial. At one time there were hosts of circular! coming to this country dealihg wtyfc' gambling schemes, inrtcccnciee of many kinds, quack remedies and swindle. Sometimes -our attention is drawn to tie matter 'by the Governments of other comtries, or by the conviction of individual* who have been carrying on illegal prafr ticee. We appreciate the help given ky the public, and will β-lwaye be glad to receive otyectkmaWe matter which gafc past our scrutiny." INTERDICTIONS BY THE HUNDRBD. I was shown the official list of mtep dictione current at the present 4»t* They number nearly three hundred, though many addressee which are barred aj-e e««p]y alternatives adepted-l'trip time to time bj- clever scoundrels rntlf are continually getting their wjjp clipped by postal interdiction. Sj4&*f, provides the most luxuriant enoe p activities -which trespass against the l»». Xearly a third of all t%e quacks •Bβ panderere te vice who' have been ioiaA out by the New Zealand Pfletal Department, have headquarterg there. Mribourne figures largely, to», ihiit tbiiljTi owing to the popular .practice of addrf* , duplicating. One irrepreseible gentitman, whose postal ■operations are rigid! barred, possessed establishment* in eft ney, Brjebane, Adelaide, Kafeoorlie »fl* Welliiigton. "The jpdex sxnujgie" £«»: prises a mo6t remarkaljle variety «i •firme, striking evidence of the limithll credulity of the public. There are '%»<>• f eeeore " and " aoademies " by the ftW - dozen, electricity figures largely in WWJT of the high.found.iag titles of the ftHW , ' dieted firms, and there is even an •W**' banking association.

IMPORTANT BRtfITATIONS. " Tattersaljie, Hobart," k on the lift but the sweepstake business fleuroA** nevertheless, because the post office h»» its limitatjene. It must saeredjy the prjv*cy of the post. The m' sends a closed letter to an address net on the interdicted list can be quit* W« that no official "Paul Pry" interfei* with it. The administrative chiefs '•*■ the post office appear from my ifflpr*" sions to ibe particularly anxious to ivoH interference -with what one of tht* called " the sanctity of the post." TJiere, is no possibility of dnforaation obtain*" ■by postal officials in the course of their duty being used to the prejudice of & dividua/ls except -where the individo*'' are actually convicted of an offence. Wgive ex parte information to the is not their function. The suspicioe that a man is engaged in some ■business Trath the aid of the maile i 4 W enough for action; there must **."•*' proof or nothing ie done to dnterfw* with his correspondence. Under t>J cover of this scrupruloue regard iot sanctity of the post" the 'New ZiatW* ■bookmaker, purveyor of long odde .•■ doubles, continues to flourish. So as his double cards are not sent throng* the poet in unsealed packets as comtwr , ciaj papers the bookmaker is eaie ft* postal interference, but once a w»» ** convicted the Gaming Act. **• Department orin assist in the euppreari* of his illegal'business by stopping 3* correspondence, and depriving hwrof •■ ■ [use of a box at the post omi