The Sun MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1914. THE CENSORSHIP.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 170, 24 August 1914, Page 4

The Sun MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1914. THE CENSORSHIP.

The poor old British public, which has to find the men and money for the war, is getting anything but a fair deal. The amazing medley of scrappy misinformation, which is allowed to percolate through a series of censors to New Zealand is surely the last word in unnecessary precaution. First of all the news is censored before it leaves the Continent. Then it is censored again before publication in London. A fresh censorship is necessary before it can be sent out of England to the Dominions, and apparently another set of military gentlemen have a look over it in Australia lest it should not have been distorted sufficiently by the hands it has already passed through. By the time the "news" reaches New Zealand it has become a farrago of nonsense and untruth. Were it otherwise the band of censors would probably consider that they had failed in their duty. On Friday night the Press Association received what was alleged to be news of a serious German disaster at Tirlemont, some twenty-five miles east of Brussels. The Allies, we were told, had defeated the Germans with heavy losses. In the morning, instead of their being any confirmation or explanation of this allegedly important action, it was reported that the Germans had gone west in force and had occupied Brussels! If there was any fighting at Tirlemont at

all it could only have been a clash between advance guards, and did not interfere in the slightest with the German advance. But although there may be some excuse for enshrouding the operations in Belgium in a maze of confusing prevarication, lest something should actually get into print that might be of use to the enemy if it ever reached him, there is no reason for suppressing or withholding news of events far removed from the theatre of war. For instance, it was reported the other day that two German cruisers had been taken into Hong Kong in a badly battered condition. If that is true, there must have been an important sea fight in the China Seas, and surely the public might be told something about it. The present time is one of trial and- anxiety for all classes. The public is being exhorted to keep up its courage, to be patriotic, and to contribute freely in men and money. It is doing its part very handsomely. But the Imperial authorities are making a very poor return by refusing to permit of the publication of intelligence that the public has a right to know. No one expects the Empire to go through the war without losing some ships and some men. That such losses will be borne with fortitude goes without saying. It is a characteristic of the British race to meet reverses with a stubborn determination to fight all the harder. If the clearing of the North Sea was attended by any losses, as it probably was, there is no good reason for withholding the details. A - continuance of the present tactics will lead the public to suspect that the authorities are keeping something back because they are afraid to let the truth be known, and it would be a great pity if any such impression got abroad.