ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1920. THE CENSORSHIP.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 167, 17 July 1920, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1920. THE CENSORSHIP.

The reply gfven by the PostmasterGeneral to Mr Howard's question in the House- regarding the censorship of letters is far. from being satisfactory. It palpably lacks frankness, and the Minister has only himself-to blame if the impression has gone abroad that the Government is'prac-

tising something that it is ashamed to acknowledge. It is a relief to know that the censorship is no longer ' under tho control of the military authorities; but if these gentlemen have not of late been opening anybody's correspondence but their own, | how is it that letters have been coming to hand, recently stamped with the words "Passed by the Military Censor, N.Z,"? Perhaps the Crown Law Office has been economising by. taking over the Defence Department's stamps! However that ,mjght;'-be, ;ithe Minister has not justified the continuance of tlie practice in any shape or form. The. censorship is continued for.the time being, he says, in oiidar to-enforce the terms of the ; Treaty of Peace with regard to enemy .moneys and properties) and 'for';'the pvevenision of'the evasion-of these-'terms, and al=o to prevent evasion of the e.ojjidition/t .of-the law as to trade\with countries' lately enemies of Great Britain. The Premiers at the*. Spa, Conference, will feel very grateful,, no doubt, for tlus proof of; cooperation, in the Antipodes, 'but, on the surface, at all events, it looks veiy much like 'a' work of supererogation. Tliere may be • some deepseated reasons that would reconcile the general public' to a system of censoring certain classes of letters, l-ut, ,if there are, the Government. should not make a mystery of them. It may- safely trust, the, good sense of the people of New Zealand and depend:on them to accept any official oversight of mail matter that is reasonably calculated to protect the common weal. But the reasons must

be cogent; nothing but the very strongest grounds would ; justify the imposition of a censorship that invades a citizen's -private and ■•^^ confidential correspondence in times of peace. Plenty of letters come to and go out of New Zealand that would make the average patriot's hair stand on end, but it would do more harm than good to make a fuss about them. The Postmaster-Gen-eral owes, the community a better and more candid explanation of the existing principles and methods than he gave in the House this week. It is not in a mood to tolerate any unnecessary extension of the war regulations, and nothing would it resent iriore than an undue espionage over its letters at the hands of a party Government, however well-intended the measure. If the Minister is not prepared voluntarily to take the people a little, more into his confidence, Mr Howard should certainly press for further information.