WAR CENSOR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 231, 29 September 1945, Page 6

WAR CENSOR

MR. PAUL RESIGNS

PRIME MINISTER'S TRIBUTE

Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, .thfc day. The resignation of Mr. J. T. Paul, Director of Publicity, was announced to-day by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. "Few men associated with New Zealand's war effort within the Dominion had a more onerous task than that carried out with marked ability by Mr. Paul," said the Prime Minister. "He was appointed to the position in September, 1939, two days before war was declared, and his duties involved Press censorship, direction of war publicity, film production by the National Film Unit, distribution within New Zealand of war publicity material from all United Nations, organisation of news services to the N.Z.E.F. Times, and other news services to our servicemen in various theatres of war.

"Because the situation at the time of his appointment was critical, Mr. Paul came at short notice from his position on the literary staff of the Otago Daily Times, where he had been engaged for many years. From the beginning of his work as Director of Publicity, Mr. Paul performed his duties as Press censor with diligence and outstanding ability. He had many problems to deal with, and I have no hesitation in saying that he dealt with them with extraordinary care and scrupulous fairness. As a veteran journalist he knew the urge among newspapermen to obtain .news, and within the limits which were set by security and importance of not impairing the war effort he did his utmost to help them with all the information available. "During the period of Mr. Paul s co-operation the National Film Unit has developed from a small pre-war organisation devoted mainly to scenic film production to a splendid service producing the popular New Zealand newsreels which have so admirably publicised New Zealand s war effort. Another important part of Mr. Paul's work was the development of a war correspondents' news service, first in the Middle East and later in the Pacific, all the forces on land and sea and in the air being adequately covered. "The service of official war photographs to the Press was organised by Mr. Paul, and the general public made good use of the opportunity to obtain copies of these photographs. Altogether, next-of-kin and others have bought over 100,000 copies In the past two years over 1.500,000 publications have been distributed through the office of the Director of Publicity, and window and poster displays have been made available to all parts of the Dominion. "These and many other duties have been performed by Mr. Paul and his small staff with great efficiency," said Mr. Fraser. "The Government and the country are greatly indebted to him and the members of his staff for the faithful service rendered in an important part of our war effort."