EARLY STRINGENCY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21204, 29 August 1940, Page 11

EARLY STRINGENCY

CENSORSHIP OF LETTERS REPLY TO QUESTIONPOLITICAL MATTER ALLOWED (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Wednesday An urgent question regarding the censorship of letters was asked of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in the House of Representatives to-day by Mr W. A. Bodkin (Opposition—Otago). “Complaint is made that whole pages are cut out of letters that contain nothing subversive or hostile tc the Government,” said Mr Bodkin who asked whether the Prime Minister would inform the House on what principles the censor dealt with letters going overseas and whether reasonable comment and criticism of Government policy and public affairs was allowed. Mi* Fraser replied that comment or criticism of Government policy and public affairs was permitted by the censorship only, which was interested ir. removing from letters any references to defence matters and movements of British shipping.

“In the first stages of censorship,” said the Prime Minister, “some confusion in regard to its scope arose and letters were cut unnecessarily, but this was dealt with by me many months ago. Since that time I am informed that nothing has been cut out of letters except references dangerous to the wav effort.”