NEWSPAPERS FOR ABROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1916, Page 2

NEWSPAPERS FOR ABROAD.

A RIDICULOUS CENSORSHIP. By Telegraph.—-Press Association. Wellington, -Tune fl. In the House this afternoon, Mr. Young (Waikato), asked the Post-mastcr-Oenoral a question without pre vious notice, concerning the censorship of newspapers posted by people in the Dominion to places outside New Zealand, especially to America. He understood that the position was that for a month or two past censorship has been imposed on all newspapers posted to neural count lie*. Jf a newspaper, when p.vted, here (he original wrappov of the newspaper rliice which . printed (lie p-iptv he understood that the paper would be allowed to gc to its destination, l;nt if any private person posted a papei- in an ordinary wrapper it would not be permitted to go out of the Dominion He asked whether the Government would make arrangements whereby persons desiring to post a newspaper to a, roative or a friend in a foreign countvy might take his paper to the pc.sli.vjsler, and satisfy him that the paper contained nothing likely to prejudice or endanger our military position by transmitting an illicit message, key, or code. Mr. Young said that he asked the question because he understood that a large quantity of -newspaper matter lias been destroyed by the authorities in this country, and people who posted these papers had not been advised of the fact. Some had received letters from friends stating that papers .vere not being received. Sir Joseph Ward said that the censorship of newspapers was under the control of the Imperial authorities, whose desire was to prevent the publication of information that might be useful to the enemy. Newspapers were not sent to neutral countries from private people, but only from publishers or their agents. He was under the impression that due publicity bad been given to this effect.