PAPERS DESTROYED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1054, 19 August 1930, Page 1

PAPERS DESTROYED

“N.Z. SAMOA GUARDIANS” CONFISCATED SEIZED BY POST OFFICE Presumably on the ground that some of the statements In its columns were held to be of a libellous nature, a number of copies of the "New Zealand Samoa Guardian,” posted here, were consigned recently to the purging flames of the Post and Telegraph Department’s official incinerator. Advice of this departmental action is contained in the following letter, under date of August 18, addressed to Mr. Percy Andrew, publisher of the “New Zealand Samoa Guardian.” Auckland: Dear Sir. — By direction, I have to Inform you that, all copies of the “New Zealand Samoa Guardian” dated August 7, which were posted at this office for transmission, have been intercepted and disposed of under section 34 of the “Post and Telegraph Act, 1928.” Yours faithfully. PI. P. DONALD. Chief Postmaster. The particular aspect of the paper which the postmaster found to be offensive is not specified, but clause 34 of the Act which permits confiscation and destruction of mail matter reads as under: “(1) Where the Postmaster-General or any postmaster has reason to suspect that any postal packet (other than a letter or a letter-card) addressed to any person (either by his own or any fictitious name or assumed name), or to any address without a name, posted in New Zealand or elsewhere, contains or is supposed to contain any printed' or written matter of any kind, or any enclosure of any kind — (a) which is of a libellous, blasphemous, indecent, or immoral nature, or likely to have an indecent or immoral effect; or (b) an advertisement of any lottery or scheme of chance. he may cause such postal packet to be detained and opened, and if it is found to contain any such matter or enclosure he shall cause the postal packet and the contents thereof to be destroyed. “(2) If any postmaster has any doubt as to whether the provisions of this section should be enforced in any particular case, he shall refer the matter to the Postmaster-General, whose decision shall be final.”