THE AUCKLAND POST OFFICE.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13966, 25 August 1917, Page 1

THE AUCKLAND POST OFFICE.

COUNSEL'S ADDRESSES

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 2X Counsel's addresses were taken at the. postal iliquiry this morning. Mr Gray contended that the, Rev. Howard Elliott's charges had not been substantiated, as out of "2500 envelopes posted containing thee circulars, only nine persons had received them empty, and only two persons had been shown not to have received them at all, Notices posted to forty clergymen had been shown to have been delayed by the Censor, and the Post Office could not be held in any way responsible. He, drew a comparison between the figures he quoted and the charges of corruption made by Mr Eljiott, from a public platform, In one instance at least, one letter was proved to have been wrongly addressed, and in a number of instances envelopes were posted with the flaps outside. Mr Ostler, replying, submitted that the function of the Solicitor-General was wholly advisory. He had no right to tako independent action in recommending a censorship. .. Such action, counsel held to be entirely unconstitutional without instructions' from the responsible Minister.