AUSTRALIAN CENSORSHIP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2366, 23 January 1915, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN CENSORSHIP

Mother Country may be as full and free as possible. "The duty of the Press is clear. It does not stand for irresponsible newsmongering. Unfortunately, many persons insist that it does so stand, and when clothed in authority they act towards the newspapers as if the latter were mischiefmakers. The Press during the war has shown a deep and profoundly searching responsibility. It has cheerfully accepted most of the restrictions necessary for right-dealing with the position. "In Australia there is a disposition to treat the public as a child, and the Press as its plaything. We get cables censored at London, and again censored in Australia, as if the fountain of authority for the war were here and not there. New Zealand, an publishes matter without fear which is unavailable here. The censors in the Australian Continent have been busy, and the focus of our own news has groftn reciprocally narrow. War news is available in Melbourne, which the Sydney papers are not given the use."

The "Herald" demands consistency, and especially the public's right to judge between bad and good news, and concludes :"The public hais done its duty by going about its business, refraining from panic, and responding to the call for men to fight, but it must be treated as of adult stature and the Press as its watch-tower and bulwark, which cannot ho ignored or suppressed except at a risk which no Government in its senses will dare to take." '

SYDNEY. JOURNAL'S • COMPLAINT Sydney, January 22.The "Sydney Morning Herald," in a leading article on the censorship, after disclaiming any intention to attack Senator' Pcarco, Minister of Defence, any of his staff, or the details or his administration, points out that the need is to get the Government and nubile Into b!wi' <<?u«H tH«>««!» «<« Jiesa, » 'tot AustoiJTO aid t« m