BANNED DETAILS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20568, 30 May 1941, Page 7

BANNED DETAILS

MILITARY MATTERS REFERENCE IN LETTERS SAILINGS OF SHIPS SAFETY IMPERILLED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. “After some 18 months of war cases are still coming to notice of letters both to and from our troops overseas containing most dangerous references to military matters,” says the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in a statement last night. “It is incredible that at this stage any member of the public should fail to appreciate the threat to the national security implied in such disclosures. It is essential, in the interests of the Empire generally and for the safety of our forces overseas, that such indiscretions should cease. “No letter should contain any reference to any matter of military importance such as the name of a ship, date of sailing, the projected route or destination, the number of troops, the composition of a convoy, or any other matter which might assist the enemy to locate the ship or trace its movements. Delay For Amendment “The public should realise that ar.y reference to shipping or troop movements means that the letter is put aside for necessary amendment and frequently on that account misses the mail despatch. Those letters which are free from such references are entitled to first consideration and receive it. Others stand oven* until the mail is completely censored. “Further, it may even be necessary to take action under the national emergency regulations to impress on the individual the gravity of his or her offence. “I am confident that no one would deliberately endanger the national interests in the manner I have indicated and am confident that, in the majority of cases referred to, the root cause of the indiscretion is thoughtlessness. I am, therefore, appealing to everyone to co-operate with the Government to ensure the prpmot despatch of mails and I would finally again stress the fact that the only sure means of such co-operation is to abstain entirely from any reference to shipping or troop movement."