CENSORSHIP CASES

Grey River Argus, 1 May 1944, Page 2

CENSORSHIP CASES

WHAT WAS CUT OUT Chief Censor Explains (Rec. 6.30.) SYDNEY, April 30. The reasons for the disputed deletions made in newspaper articles by the Australian Censorshin authorities were given on Saturdav by the Chief Publicity Censor, Mr. Bonney, in the Federal Court of Petty Sessions, where charges of censorship breaches against the Consolidated Press are being heard, before a Magistrate. Mr. Bonnev admitted that he would not now censor a reference to the Minister of Information, Hon. Mr Calwell, which he had deleted from an editorial of the “Sunday Telegraph” on April 16. The censorsnip of this editorial and of a statement bv the President of the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association, Mr. Henderson, led to the suppression of that Issue of the “Sunday Telegraph.” The editorial reference which he had deleted had charged Mr. Calwell with having abused his Ministerial privileges Mr. Bonney said that he censored the statement “the Nazi Minister i for Information,” which was "a reference made to Mr. Calwell bv the Townsville Aiderman, because he did not permit Ministers of the Crown to be described as enemies. Mr. Bonney said: “We think it is very destructive to public morale to have Ministers of State, wnose reputations stand high abroad, given the names of the attributes of the enemy.” , . , , , Mr. Bonnev said that he had followed the same principle in censoring in the “Daily Telegraph” a reference to Hon. Mr. Calwell as “the Australian would-be Goebbels." Mr. Bonney referred to a reference in a statement by Mr. Henderson to the fact that the newspapers were not permitted to question the communiques, or to comment upon, casualties ; or faulty administration Dv tne Army leaders. Mr. Bonnev said; the section deleted was taken to reflect on the veracity of the communiques —a most, serious l thing If you undermine confidence in the High. Command, vou- might as well give up flg Mr in ßonnev said that a statement made on Immigration bv Doctor Ciunies Ross had not been passed tor transmission abroad. This was because “it raised tne colour question, and as Indians. Chinese and Negroes are fighting with us,, we thought that it was a matter that should not go out from Australia m a form which might be misunderstood as being the opinion of the Australian people.”