THE POST OFFICE INQUIRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12084, 13 August 1917, Page 5

THE POST OFFICE INQUIRY.

OPENED AT AUCKLAND.

QUESTION OF THE CENSORSHIP

[pEn Press Association*.] AUCKLAND, August 13

The Royal Commission to investigate the charge?, by the Rev Howard Elliott that postal matter with reference to a meriting of the Protestant Political Association wevo tampered with in course of delivery through the Auckland Post Office, opened this morning, Air 11. \\. Bishop, S.M., presiding. The order of reference contained three charges, briofly—(l) That envelopes that had contained circulars wore delivered empty; (2) That circulars directed to clergvmen asking them to announce the meeting from the pulpit, posted on Friday night at suburban post offices, were not delivered until the following Sunday; (3) that correspondence addressed to the post-box or the. Loyal Orange Lodge had been subject to'military censorship in the interests of the Roman Catholic Churca, and some letters improperly detained though they had no reference to military "matters or the war but d03.1t exclusively with the subject of Reman Catholicism. The Prime Minister had intimated that there was no objection to inquiry as to alleged improper delivery or* censorship, but inasmuch as the state of war had made the establishment, of censorship necessary, mid as maicters arising out of the censorship are for Stat? reasons secret, Cabinet could not agree to alhvo the Commission to call any censor officer under the control of the Chief Military Censor to do anything more 't-Jian explain what was done by him with any letters or documents referred to in the. charge after going into his hands. A censor officer could give no opinion and no reason for censoring any documents or correspondence.

Mr Os'tler submitted that the Censor was under the control of the Minister of Defence.

Mr Grey contended that the Censor was under Imperial control. Mr Bishop said he would not proceed with the inquiry until ho had a definite ordsr of reference, showing Ins powers in relation to the Censor, and adjourned the inquiry sine die to got that point defined.