POST OFFICE ENQUIRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12088, 17 August 1917, Page 6

POST OFFICE ENQUIRY.

RESUMED IN AUCKLAND. [Pf.p Press Association.J AUCKLAND, August 17. The Postal enquiry was resumed this morning. Mr Ostler, in opening Ihe case for the. Rev Howard Elliott, .said he would prove that- letters addressed to Rox 012 were tampered with in the interests of tho Roman Catholic Church lie commented that there was- no similar censorship over the '• Tablet• " going through tho post, though that paper had contained statements which he regarded as almost seditious. There was no order showing that: the ''lmperial Government had established a censorship over correspondence in New Zealand, so that the censorship must- be under the control of the Minister of Defence. Ho contended that though thp Empire was at war the people wore.. still under constitutional (Government and the censor had no right to interfere with correspondence that did not interfere with military matters. Henry !Billy, secretary of tho Protes-t-ant Political Association, .stated that* he posted on Friday, July 0. at the. suburban post office, circulars to a. number of clergymen. That post office Man cleared up to 11.20 p.m. He was positive that' none of tho envelopes were empty. In all there wei<a posted at the same suburban office 2500 loflors. He bad received complaints that a number of envelopes were delivered empty. Cross-examined he said that lie would not bo surprised to hear that' F.omo of tho letters were returned by lettercarriera endorsed " not, known." Eric Key worth gave corroborative evidence. Three elergmen gave evidence that tho envelopes in question were not delivered to them till Tuesday. John Lowe stated that he received by post an empty envelope. He made inquiries at the Devonport post- office, and was shown a. number of similar envelopes all of which wore full.