Warning Against Idle Talks

Northern Advocate, 21 February 1940, Page 6

Warning Against Idle Talks

[Special to ’‘Northern Advocate ”] AUCKLAND, This Day. The Deputy Prime Minister stated in a circular letter received by the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday, the necessity of exercising every possible care to prevent the dissemination or publication of confidential information relating to the war. He stated that it was idle talk that had to be guarded against, and in times like the present, especially since the introduction of short-wave wireless telegraphy, it was impossible to exercise too much care. Need for Discretion. “In certain cases considerable numbers of people must be entrusted with information which, it 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 so, and even in that case only to those who are strictly authorised to obtain it.” Mr Fraser added that the Government felt confident that an urgent request for discretion from all concerned was. all that was required. However, they must make it plain that they would not hesitate to prosecute in any case of a breach of the law, and any employee of the Government who was found guilty of a breach of secrecy was liable to instant dismissal and would be summarily dealt with.