SHIPPING NEWS CENSORSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1918, Page 4

SHIPPING NEWS CENSORSHIP.

yCESTIOX OH MAIL NOTIUtS. RELAXATION' URGED, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christehurch, Jan. 15. A groat deal of inconvenience is caused business po',.<h> and others in tho Dominion by i lie censorship regulation which forbids the publication of uny information regarding the arrival and departure of oversea mails. In Australia a less tight rein is put on tho censorship, and the newspapers there regularly announce arrivals or departures as long as three or four days ahead of au expected event. The matter was brought to the notice of Sir Joseph Ward here. Tn reply, he said he had been considering the matter during the last day or so. Personally, he could see no reason at all why in New Zealand the same procedure shduld not. be followed as in Australia, but he pointed out that the regulations controlling censorship here were in the hands of the Defence Department. He realised that longer notice of-arrival and departure of mails would be of benefit to the public generally,' and if Australia coiiM do it without danger he thought wc could do so here. He had already made up his mind to communicate with the Minister of Defence on the matter, and bring it before Cabinet, and he believed that a change that would he satisfactory to all concerned would be made. Wellington, Jan. W. With reference to the Christehurch. telegram re the prohibition of mail notices, it may be stated that the manager of the Press Association Ims twice 'brought the matter under the notice of the Minister of 'Defence, pointing out that neither Australia nor Canada is sub>cted to such restrictions. Sir James Allen replied that it was done at the instance of the Imperial Government, and could not 'be altered, but he did,not offer to explain why these restriction* are applicable only to a little distant conn* try like New Zealand and are not en« forced by the Imperial Governnnuii elm, where.