CONDUCT OF POST OFFICE.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13930, 12 July 1917, Page 2

CONDUCT OF POST OFFICE.

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS '" ''. MADE. ' HOLD-UP OF COKKESPONDENCE; r (Per Press Association.) i AUCKLAND, July 11. Allegations regarding Iho postal service were made by the Rev. Howard Elliott, in the course of a speech at the meeting of the Protestant Political Association. Tie stated that there had been an attempt to stifle the meeting, alleging that this attempt had revealed corruption in the Postal Service. An envelope, which had contained an invitation to the meeting, liad, he declared, been opened and the contents abstracted. He knew of letters so posted, and delivered ennfy. Other letters were posted in due time, bn l had not yet been delivered. Tickets and notices of a. meeting sent 'to Protestant clergy, and posted in time for delivery last Saturday, were, he aswrted, hold up by the military censor fill Monday, so that in the Protestant churches last Sunday no announcement of the meetig could be made.

During the City Council elections the censorship OVO r the Protestant Vigilance Committee's letters hail, lie said, been carried out entirely in the interest of Roman Catholics. He read letters which he asserted had been stopped in the post. The chairman (the Rev. Principal Garland) said that the charge made by .Mr Elliot against the Post Office was the most serious charge that had been made in the meeting that nigh;. He hoped that Mr Elliott was certain he could prove his statement,

The chairman in conclusion,■ said: I hope the Postmaster will hear what has been said here to-night, and he will .lake proceedings against Mr Elliott, for we are not men if we can sit quietly down here and believe that iliis is the condition in our post office, which we believe to be above suspicion, and take no action, and submit to it.'' He added that on Sunday last he was asked, after the service: "How is it you did nor announce the meeting for Wednesday?" His reply was that he had' received no notice. His notice was delivered to him m\ Tuesday.