POST OFFICE AND POLITSCS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 4

POST OFFICE AND POLITSCS.

HOLDING UP "THE DOMINION '« CANDIDATES QUESTIONED. "THE GOVFRNOR-IN-COUNCIL AGAIN."

Mr. Herdinan, speaking at Kirkcaldy's Tea Rooms last night, said that the public was now realising the autocracy of Wardism. He referred to tho holding up of Tins Dominion election issue. This number contained information which was a strong criticism of the Government. The Government knew that the issue was to be circulated throughout the Dominion. It realised that this: strong condemnation of tho Ministry was likely to tell seriously against the parly in power. The Government. took a step which he believed they had never taken before, end, through the medium of the Postal Department, interfered with the circulation of the iwper. Crie-) of ".Shame! Shame!"

Mr. Grtville feditor of "The New Zealand Dairyman"): "It has been done twice lx'foro to "i'lie Dairyman.'"

Continuing, Mr. Hcrdman said that the Postal Department was vested with certain powers respecting matter relating lo racing and gaming, and, also, relating to matter he could not there refer 10, but which was of a political character. The only other power, as far as he could discover, was this section in the Post Ofiico Act:— "The Governor, by warrant under his hand, may direct the PostmasterGeneral, or any post officer, to open, detain, or delay any postal packct for anv purpose in such warrant mentioned,' and cvorv such direction shall be duly obeyed."

This was Ihe "Governor-iu-Couneit" again, Mr. llerdman said. The warrant, would be i-NUO<l on the advice nf the Minister. If a paper committed any broach of the Act, a prosecution in Court was i ■!!'. correct, thing. The reason for this despotic, action was perfectly simple; the Ministry, finding its ease desperate, had determined at all costs and all hazards that the truth should not be known. This was a British country and freedom of speech mid freedom _ol' writing wero British traditions. Nevertheless, our liberties wero gradually being taken from lis, through subterfuge, by the Government with its subservient following. Now was the people's chance. Let thwn go to the polls and stamp this kind of thins out. He believed that, not only ill Wellington, but throughout the country, the people would show that tho time for a change had arrived. Liter ou Mr. Herdman said that tho Ministry had used certain means to keep itself in power, but wn.s now discovering that

A voice: "Honesty is tho best, policy!" Ho went on to describe the methods of Ministers. "And," he icmarked, "tho people of Now Zealand havo tolerated it " "Till to-morrow," camo a voice. Mr. Herduiaii: "Till to-morrow! Hurrav! I hope so!" Loud applause. MR. FISHER'S VIEWS. WHAT TITK OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE DO.NK. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher was asked last evening what lie thought of Tm: Dominion issuo being "held up" by the Post Ofiice. In replying, he said that he believed (lie Postal Department officials, in holding up Tin: Dominion issue, had endeavoured to carry out the law. A voice: "What about (ho 'Times'?"

Mr. Fisher said the "Times" went through because it was issued throe or four days before 'I'm: Dominion. Of Thk Dominion issue, two-thirds was circulated, and the remaining third was held up. The. Department had acted upon a section in the Electoral Act which forbad© the circulation of literature intemf«l to influence.the votes of electors, within llireo days oi' an election. The point was, ho thought, (hat the Department should riot have taken it upon itself t.o'determine what constituted literature of this class. The officials of tho Department should have circulated the papers, and loft it to those whoso busintey it was to lake proceedings against Thk Dominion afterwards,, if necessary. While upon this subject, Mr. Fisher remarked that he could not find words to express his contempt for a Ministry which could find plenty of money to- spend in advertisements in the. "Post" and in the Times. ■ —a paper in which every member of the Ministry, except the Prime Minister, was a shareholder, and the Attorney-General ws tho largest shareholder of all—but boycotted Thk Dominion, the Government could also nfford to subsidise what he might call the "journalistic pups, said Mr. Fisher, but could not find a single copper to pay for advertisements in Tim Dominion.

DR, IZARD'S OPINION. "EVERY NEWSPAPER SHOULD BE CIRCULATED FAIRLY." At the clofe of Dr. Izard's meeting in the Masonic Hall last" evening an elector asked how it was that last Saturdaj s j«ue of The Dominion was stopped from Roiii* into the back-blocks, and Vould the candidate, if elected, vote to have tho matter inquired into. (Applause and some groans.) A voice: They must have missed tno

lla ("'nthor voice: No, no! It was the Post Office! Dr. Izard said that every newspaper should be circulated fairly by the Post Office, quite. irrespective of its political opinions, (t.oud and general applause.) The'questioner: That's not the question. Why was it stopped? A voice: How does ho know? Another \oice: They should catch tho next train! The question whether the candidate, if elected, would vote for an iu<jniry into the matter, was repeated aiuid a Rood deal of noise, but no rejily was heard.

PREMIER'S DECLARATION. SAYS HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT. fßy Tclcnranh.- Press Association.! Invercargill, December 6. Regarding tho alleged holding up of mails by thfl Postal Department in tho north, the Prime Minister says , the statement published by the Opjiositiou Sapers that "an extraordinary order by 10 Government has just bcou revealed which illustrates the extreme lengths to which the Ministry has decided to go in its anxiety to stem the tide of Reform feeling" is absolutely untrue. "TIIO Government has given no order of any sort in connection with the holding up of tho mails in any part of the Dominion. On reading tho statement this morning, I telegraphed to the head of 'tho Postal Department, and asked him what it meant.

"He replied that one of tie Opposition papers had posted some newspapers containing a mock ballot paper, which was illegal, and too lato for delivery in tho country before Monday. Tho SolicitorG«ncral prior to the last general election had advised that it was illegal to deliver anything in tho shape of mock ballot papers during the three days before the elections. Tho head 01" the Department advises that ho consulted with (ho Crown Law Officers again ill connection with tho present matter, and had been advised that the Department had acted properly, and tint where mock ballot papers were posted prior to the elections within tho prohibited time they were cither returning them to the senders or delivering on the day after tho elections. 'llie statement that the Government had interfered in any way wa.s absolutely uiitriie. "I hoard nothing of it," said the Prime Minister, "till I saw it published this morning. The Postal Department Itns treated everybody alike, and no distinction is ever made. No«llpss .to sav, had any action on the part of the Government been necessary in t.lio present (»!■» a certain question would havo been referred to me a* Postmaster-General for decision, whereas tho first 1 knew about: the matter was when 1 saw it published this morning."

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. (By Telcsrapli.—Press Association.) Invercargill, December G. Sjpcakintj at to-night, the Prima Minister referred to n mcssnpo from Wellington published in certain

papers this, morning in regard to the holding-tip of mails. Sir Joseph Ward characterised it mh a deliberate and infamous lie, and tho work of olio lli.ltt who wasn't acting in the interest of his journal or of the people. [Wo publish the message as received but. wo are in doubt as to what Sir Joseph Ward means by his extraordinary denial.]

Here arc copies of pome of the telegrams we have received nil the subjeel of the non-delivery of tho paper:— Da nnovirke.—Dominion election issue temporarily held up. ( Hastings.—Delivery hero spasmodic. Cannot ascertain how country.

Otaki.—Delivered this (Wednesday) , morning. (Three davs late and iivo days l' oS, ' n K >» Wellington.) i.t — Postmaster says Friday's issue held up on account mock ballot paper, [.Moreover, a>t we slated yesterday, the postal authorities admitted when questioned that the distribution of Friday's seel ion of the election issue had been held up.]