THE HOWARD ELLIOTT CHARGES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17066, 20 August 1917, Page 4

THE HOWARD ELLIOTT CHARGES.

THE OENSOE'S APPOINTMENT

INTEHESTINS STATEMENTS

(Per Press Association. ) ' lhe Commission into J.he charges Against the Post Office by the Rev. Howard Elliott was resumed to-day. The Rev. Howard Elliott was crossexamined at length, mainly in connection with his attutude towards Roman Catholics. Hu Said he had been a minister for 20 years, and commenced his propaganda when at school.

At this stage permission was given to take the evidence of the Solicitor-Gene-ral (Mr Salmond) for the Department, as he had to leave for Wellington. He was responsible, he said, for the drafting of the war regulations, and had also been called upon to advise as to censorship of correspondence and mail matter in NfeW Zealand. At the end of 1916 the attention of the authorities was drawn to the activities of the Committee of Vigilance and the "Rev. Howard Elliott. The first occasion was in December, 1916, when a communication was received -by the Attorney-General, with which was enclosed a copy of a pamphlet: "Hideous Guilt of Rom© in the European Carnage." He did no propose to mention, the name qf his informant, but 'he could «ssure them that the writer was not a, Roman Catholic. He came to ths conclusion that the pamphlet was a mischevious publication, and that the association responsible should not be allowed to have unrestricted use of the Post Office for its distribution. He sent a memorandum to Colonel Gibbon, who was in control of the Censorship, enclosing the pamphlet and stating that circulation was likely to be mischevious. The suggestion of the censorship originated! with witness. He had no instructions from Ministers of the Crown. The suggestion had been made that the censorship bad been established in the interests of the Roman Catholic Church. He gave that suggestion an emphatic denial. He thought the circulation of the pamphlet Would have considerable effect on the recruiting of Roman Catholics. He had no reason to modify his views since then, except that lie was inclined to regret he had not made the censorship strongei.

Cross-examined, witness said he was not a Catholic, and had no reason to believe Col. Gibbon was. He had not advised further restriction. In saying he regretted the censorship had not been st-onger, he was making no threat. He waa inclined to think the Rev. Elliott could have been prosecuted under the War Regulations of Decembor 4th, 1916.

Mr Ostler: Is it not a fact that the censor is under the control of the New Zealand Government? —How do you mean ?

Mr Ostler : Could the Government nob say to. the censor, we do not want your services any more? —Yes, there is no express power appointing the censor. He is appointed under Section 27 of the Post Office Act.

,Mr Osfcler: Why have you allowed Catholics to publish week by week a publication?— Witness: I have not allowed it.

Mr Ostler: Have you advised censorship over Catholic iiterature?—l have advised it in regard to countless publications, some of them Catholic.

Mr Osrtler: Do .you mean you may have advised censorship over Roman Catholic literature and forgotten it? — I have no recollection. I suggest you pursue the investigation on different lines. lam not going to disclose what I have advised the censor to do.

Mr Ostlsr: Very well. We will draw our own conclusions. Can you tell whether the Government intends to continue the censorship over the Association ? —I cannot.