UNDER A CLOUD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 14, 13 October 1942, Page 4

UNDER A CLOUD

MANY will be asking the question 'Why are our boys not afforded the same degree of publicity when on final leave.. Why do we not see the same public farewell ceremonies that were always given the men who left earlier in the Avar 7' These are questions which find an echo m all homes more particularly in those where have been recently drawn away for service, overseas. The answer is .simply that the closer approach of war and the growing need to cloak up all shipping movements to the utmost possible degree, the censorship has been tightened up to a point which a year ago would not have been thought possible. The Publicity Department to-day exercises a power which dwarfs in its intensity the most rigorous section of our war control. No mention may be made m this or any other paper regarding troops on final leave- nor must innocent functions usually held to rend.er these men the wellwishes of the community be recorded m a manner which can be read to mean /final leave taking. The position is most difficult for as with most newspapers the BEACON feels that it has a duty to perform towards these, men, who unless they are given reasonable publicity for the socials in their honour are more or less left to their own families to entertain, while the community apparently adopts an easy air of nonchalance and distererestedness Nothing however could, be further from the true state of affairs, which unfortunately is dictated by the most stringent rules of censorship. It is not possible for mst: tise a farewell social to men on final leave, to give interviews to men about to go overseas, to Polish reports of such farewell gatherings or to refer to detachments about to be drawn from one camp to another. No military camp can be specified, or aerodrome or ship of war, nor is it poss?b"e to give publicity to the death or wounding in action of any local man with the armed lorces,untd the official casualty list has been released, tives desire to put in notice of such a death. From the tore going it will be seen how almost impossible it is to call together through the press any public gatheringfor epo nose of fare welling the men on final leave. Unfortunately they must leave under a cloud,' arriving home unannounced and leaving under the cloak of official secrecy Under the circumstances therefore we can only hope to make, up tor our apparent shortcomings by our warmth of welcome when the boys return home and the mksome need, for censorship is'no more.