CENSOR'S HEAVY PEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 19, 22 January 1915, Page 5

CENSOR'S HEAVY PEN.

PUBLIC TREATED AS CHILD AND PRESS AS PLAYTHING. OBLIGATIONS TO THE PEOPLE. AUSTRALIAN CRITICISM. (By Cable.—Press Association.— Copyright) (Received 8.30 ajn.) i SYDNEY, thia day. l J 8 " S y dne y. Morning Herald," in » leader on the censors, disclaims any intention to attack Mr. Pearce or any-of his staff concerning details of administration. It points out "the need, however, 0 f getting the Government and the public into closer touch 'the Press so that Australian, aid teethe Mother Country may be as full and free as possible.

The duty of the Press is clear.- It does not stand for irresponsible newsmongering. Unfortunately, ma'hv "persons insist that" the Press.does so'stand, and when clothed with" authority they act towards newspapers as if the latter were mischiefemakers. The' the war had shown a deep and'profound* ly searching responsibility, and had cheerfully, accepted most ot the-restric-tions as necessary and right-in dealing ■with the position in ' ' It points out further that there ~is- a. disposition to. treat the public "as a child and the Press as it 3 plaything. ."We get cables censored in London and again censored in Australia as if the fountain of authority were here and not there." "2*ew Zealand, an island," adds_ the *, "Herald," "publishes matte-" without fear which is * unavailable here. The censors in the Australian "continent have been busy, and in the focus news have grown : reciprocailyJ narrow. War news is available. in Melbourne which the-Sydney papers-are not 7 given • an opportunity to use." .' -'" 'r 3 ": Consistency is demanded, and especially is it urged that the public," haye the right to judge between bad. and .good, news. " .V-'-. ...*t,-

The article concludes:-"The public haw done its dutyT>y going.about "itsMinsineas, refraining.from paniCj, and, responding to. the. call-.for men to figldVflrafrrit must be treated as_ of adult stature. The Press, as its watchtower and bulwark, cannot he, ignored or. suppressed except at a risk whieh_.no. Government in. its senses wi]l"dare to 1 take.",* T '.lV' " UNJUSTIFIABLY: DANGEROUS. NEWS SECRECY CRITICISED -.---• LONDON," January "2i.r The "Times,*;, in- a leader saysir, have strongly Expressed the Opinion that the silence" of "the Adnunistrataon'tipon the unparallelect "efforts Britain is making prosecutibii of .the war on the Continent-- "is "unjustifiably -dangerous. The nation wants to know--what : : the Government is doing to - ■ ensure '■ the necessary reinforcements.. . I£~tliis7.3esire is general here, how much' 'stronger must it be iir Francej'Tvhoserpeople-haye suffered the horrors of war? They dong to hear more regarding the-efforts we'are making in our common cause, and" when they are likely to bear fruit in the direction of their deliverance." .... . ~