“MUDDLING DELAYS”

Evening Star, Issue 23500, 14 February 1940, Page 9

“MUDDLING DELAYS”

CENSORSHIP REGULATIONS CRITICISED SYDNEY PRESS EXTREMELY ANNOYED Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) The daily newspapers are extremely annoyed at “ the muddling delays and conflicting censorship regulations ” associated with the departure of the Australian troops early in January, also their arrival with -the New Zealanders in Egypt. To-night’s ‘ Sun ’ describes it as an amazing tale of bow the fumbling hand of “ Mumbling Minnie ” (British censorship) has reached out to Australia and created a situation that would have been incredibly farcical if it had not been so incredibly tragic. The ‘ Sun’s ’ criticism is directed mainly against brass hats, “ who constantly came between the Ministry of Information and the Press, preventing publication of the departure of troops or pictures of it when literally the whole of Australia was familiar with every detail. Thousands actually waved tha troops out to sea.” The ‘ Sun,’ along with the morning newspapers, adds a bitter _ protest against the inexplicable delay in withholding the news of the troops’ arrival abroad, and emphasises that the news was heard from the 8.8. C. hours before it was officially released here. Tha ‘ Sun ’ states that Mr Menzies intends making a protest to the British Government over conflicting announcements, censorships, and unwarranted suppression of pictures.