N.Z. PRESS MAGNATE

Grey River Argus, 22 May 1941, Page 3

N.Z. PRESS MAGNATE

Wants to Dictate to Censorship

OVER HEADS OF THE FORCES!

AUCKLAND, May 21

Discussing the operation of the censorship in the Dominion, at the annual meeting of New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., the Chairman, Sir Cecil Leys, expressed it as his emphatic opinion that the Government should recast the censorship policy. He had said last year that it was the duty of the press to maintain public morale and stimulate the national effort, also to ventilate abuses and bring to light slackness, so that all should do their part to save the Empire from extinction. “In this mission, I am sorry to say, the newspapers have been considerably hampered by the timid censorship, which has become an unnecessary restrictive ‘blanket. (Drders prohibiting publication of this or that class of information, much of wmeh should rightly be in the hands of the public are being issued in increasing numbers, until there is scarcely xn item of war news which can be published without reference? to the censor. No New Zealand newspaper would publish matter which would give information to the enemy not already in his possession or available to him from a dozen sources, and a grave disservice to the people of the Dominion is committed by the policy of keeping back essential facts.” He asserted that one result of this policy was that an erroneous impression of our preparedness for defence could be created. The enthusiasm of many thousands, who were ready to do their utmost to put the country in a state of preparedness, could be rekindled by a vigorous campaign in which the real facts would be stated, but these must not be told —they would be giving information to the enemy. Such a policy was utterly wrong. The censorship system was basically at fault. It gave to one man a monopoly of judgment as to what should be made known. There was no appeal from his decision. It was essential that the authority should have the assistance of experts, to whom to appeal—outside the heads of the Forces, whose invariable reaction was that as little as possible should become public about anything. Restrictions had been placed upon the publication in New Zealand concerning matters upon which the widest publicity had been given in other parts of the Empire.

“This is not criticism of an individual, but of the system. The Government should urgently reconsider and recast the censorship policy, and should require that, before the issue of orders prohibiting reference to u subject without the approval of the censor, a limited body of men qualified to judge and advise upon longterm results of such restrictions should be consulted.

“Only the Government has the power to remedy this matter,” said Sir Cecil in conclusion, “and I am positive that they have no more important duty in connection _with the prosecution of New Zealand’s war effort.”