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[h. h. seabrook.

44. Are you content to accept the Hon. Mr. Rhodes's assurance that neither of the two officers concerned in delaying the letter was a Roman Catholic?— Well, that needs a little 45. Surely you can say?—No; pardon me, 1 am not going to say His Worship: Mr. Gray has a perfect right to ask for a definite answer to his question. 46. Do not take this opportunity of making speeches, but answer my questions? —I am out of my element, here. 47. Are you content to accept Mr. Rhodes's explanation that the two officers concerned with the holding-up of the letter were not Roman Catholics?—l think I must admit that. I want to know this: who was at the back of those officers? That is the point, Rome will never use a Catholic if it, can get a Protestant to do its work. They get somebody else to do the work for them. 48. You take a great interest in the work of the Protestant Political Association, 1 understand?—l am in it. 49. Are you one of the Committee of Vigilance?—l will tell you. Yes, I am. 50. And you are interested, of course, in the propaganda of Mr. Elliot! and his association? —I have been for forty years at it. 51. You are a party, I suppose, to the allegations made in the Press, and persisted in up to the present time, that the censorship over the correspondence of box 912 was instituted in the interests of the Roman Catholic Church ?—I believe so; I quite believe that. 52. Do you believe that your letter was marked, " Passed by the Military Censor "?—I quite believe that. 53. And you do not suggest that it, was held up by the Censor? —I do not know who held it up. I do not know wdio was at the back. 54. It says so. It has been marked, " Passed by the Military Censor." Mr. Ostler: It has been marked over. 55. Mr. Gray.] Do you propose to say it was stopped when it was marked "Passed"?— Ido not know who put it on; 1 only know that, was how 1 received that envelope. I can imagine a good many things it. would not be right to bring out here. 56. 1 ask again, do you suggest that it was held up by the Censor?—l do not suggest anything. That was how my correspondent received it after it was stopped. I want to get to the bottom of it. 57. I have said it half a dozen times—l will say it again : do you suggest that the Post Office in the exercise of its discretion having put. The Menace on the list of prohibited newspapers for the reason given by the Bon. Mr.' Rhodes —will you conceive the possibility of some Postal officer in 1917 not being aware of the restriction being removed?—l do not know why it is; it may be so and it may not be so. 58. I .ask, Will you admit the possibility of some officer in the Post Office not knowing, or not recollecting, of the prohibition being removed?—l do not know, and 1 am not going to admit that, Mr. Gray. We may have our ideas whether this was the cause. I have not got any further. The Postmaster-General does not give me the reasons. 59. The Postmaster-General says that was the reason —a mistake—a misapprehension?—l do not know. lam satisfied if I know who is at the back. 60. You are not content to accept the Postmaster-General's suggestion, if not statement, that the prohibition was not done by a Roman Catholic, or in the interests of Roman Catholics, or in any way except by a mistake or misapprehension?—lf you ask me 1 think he was trying to let down his Department lightly. 61. Will you answer my question? You are not prepared to accept the statement of the Postmaster-General? —I am quite prepared to accept the statement of the Postmaster-General that the individuals were Protestants; but who is at the back of it? 62. You have asked that more than once; I cannot tell you. I suggest to you that this correspondence disclosed that the prohibition was due to a mistake —that it was not done by any Roman Catholic? —I do not know that. 63. 1 am quoting the Postmaster-General that neither of the officers is a Roman Catholic : are you not willing to accept that assurance?—l am quite willing to accept his assurance that the officers there were Protestants. T do not say they are not; but I want to know who is at the back of it. This is a serious matter. I believe in the freedom of the Press every time. 64. You believe in the freedom of the Press, you say?— And freedom of thought. 65. Even though The Menace contains violent attacks upon other persons' religion and the alleged abuses of that faith?—lf it is true, why not blab it out? 66. That is your view; and I suppose you entirely sympathize with all Mr. Elliott has said in his public utterances on this question?—l quite support Mr. Elliott and any person who will get up and expose any attempt to interfere with our liberties in this Dominion. 67. Do you support Mr. Elliott and sympathize with him in all his public utterances on this question ? —Generally, I think it is right. Ido not know all that he says. 68. Were you present at. the Town Hall on the 11th July, and do you endorse what he said there? —Some of his statements, I do. 69. Do you encourage him in his attack on the Post Office service?—l believe there is some irregularity in the Post Office —for instance, the censorship of our box. 70. Have you ever taken the trouble to inquire from the Minister of Defence why the censorship was applied?—No ; I believe Mr. Elliott has seen the authorities on that. 71. You believe he has? —I think he stated so the other day. 72. 1 am not aware of that, No application you know of was ever made to the Minister of Defence to know why the correspondence was being interfered with?—l cannot say I know of any correspondence. i