MAIL CENSORSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24696, 27 August 1941, Page 6

MAIL CENSORSHIP

INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROLLER’S DISCLOSURE extent not stated (Special) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 26. That .internal correspondence in New Zealand is subject to and is undergoing censorship was disclosed to-day in a telephone interview with the Controller of Censorship. W G. McNamara, of Wellington. The question of the censorship of internal mails arose when it was .brought to the notice of the Press that a letter purely of a personal nature which was posted by a Dunedin woman to a friend in Christchurch was delivered with a printed slip on the envelope, saying that it had been opened by the New Zealand censor. “All letters sent through the post, whether for delivery in New Zealand or overseas, are subject to censorship as required,” Mr McNamara said. In answer to a question, Mr McNamara said that he was not at liberty to state to what extent internal mail was at the present time being censored, but the percentage must necessarily be small because of tjje tremendous volume of correspondence.. •, . ' “ New Zealand is a great letterwriting country,” he said, “ and it would be impossible to check every letter posted. The censor, however, has the right to open sny tetter put in the post. The only persons free from this right are the Governor-General, Ministers of the Crown and consuls resident in New Zealand. No one else is exempted, and we could not possibly think of extending that privilege.

“I do not think it is necessary to state the reasons for this course.' of action,” Mr McNamara continued. “Some letters are opened just at random, and others quite deliberately, of course. We might be 1 definitely chasing somebody, at ' times:" We are working under orders from the army, the Navy or the Police Departments, No letter is ever opened, however, without proper notification on the envelope. “ The -internal security of New Zealand is just, as important as the security of the British Empire, and -the.general nubile does' nPt' understand the dangers of information - that: is ; ‘being sent by post. When we realise what people do say. then we must realise that it is necessary to have some sort of a check,” Mr McNamara concluded.