A Telegraph Index?
Sir,—l' wished, for good and sufficient reasons, to use the word “rape” in a telegram; the Post Office informs me that the word is intrinsically offensive, and doubly so should there be an innocent operator on the telegraph machinery at either end. If the word itself is under Governmental interdict, why is it seen thrice daily in our newspapers and heard six times a week on our radio and television? And if postal staff are so to be sheltered, how can. it be that the whole message was telegraphed to Wellington and back for censorship on Wednesday afternoon? —Yours, etc.,
ken McAllister. May 2, 1969. [The Chief Postmaster (Mr M. T. Reedy) replies: “The Telegraph Regulations prohibit the transmission of telegrams which are indecently or obscenely worded or which appear to contain matter of a treasonable, seditious, libellous or grossly offensive character. The telegram referred to was refused as being grossly offensive.”]
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31982, 8 May 1969, Page 14
Word Count
155A Telegraph Index? Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31982, 8 May 1969, Page 14
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