SILENCE IS PATRIOTISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 February 1940, Page 4

SILENCE IS PATRIOTISM

MR. FRASER’S REMINDER [FEB PBESB ASSOCIATION,] AUCKLAND, February 20; The necessity for exercising every possible care to prevent the dissemination or publication of confidential information relating to the war w T as emphasised by the Deputy-Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) in,a circular letter received by the Auckland Harbour Board. He stated that it was idle talk that had' to be guarded against, and in times like the present, especially since the introduction tof shortwave wireless telegraphy, it was 1 impossible to exercise too much care. “In certain cases considerable numbers of people must be entrusted with information which, if divulged, might be useful to the enemy, and I appeal to all concerned to exercise every possible discretion,” Mr. Fraser stated. “It is the duty of all those to whom such information is entrusted to keep it entirely to themselves, and to pass it on to nobody unless their duty clearly requires them to do sd, and even in that case only to those who are strictly authorised to obtain it.” The Government felt confident that an urgent request for discretion from all concerned was all that was required. He added, however, that the Government must make it plain that it would not hesitate to prosecute in any case of a breach of the law, and any employee of the Government who Avas found guilty of a breach of' secrecy was liable to instant dismissal and would be summarily dealt with.