TAMPERING WITH MAILS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3392, 6 December 1911, Page 5

TAMPERING WITH MAILS.

“DOMINION” ALSO HELD UP.

BUT DEPARTMENT BACKS DOWN.

GLARINC EXAMPLE OF INTERFERENCE.

lqL'koial 'jo mins.j WELLINGTON. Dec. 5. The ■‘Dnnuevirke Evening News” states: “lfie iiigh-liandctl action of tlie Department is perhaps explained by tlio fact that tliio mail on Saturday contained a special election edition of the “Dominion,” tlie Wellington organ of the Reform party. Tlie issue was intended as a counter blast to tlie special election edition ot the “New Zealand Times.” The Dominion edition was intended to be distributed on Saturday, but the staff of the Daiinevirko Rost Office performed splendid work in getting it off their bands yesterday (Monday). There is nothing in the special issue of the “Dominion”, as far as we can see, that affords any valid reason for its being denied delivery by the Post Office, and wo fail to see that the Post Office in any case is justified in refusing to deliver mail matter. The order to block the delivery of newspapers was evidently given without any thought for the convenience of the public, and 1 the usual back down follows. The release of tlie newspapers did not come until many country mails had been missed. A more glaring example of the interfering methods of the State Departments under tlie "Ward Administration it would be hard to imagine. In this town the hoardings are being plastered “vote for Liberalism,” and the action of the Government in holding hack the “Dominion” newspapers will strike the public as being peculiarly unfair.”

THE DEPARTMENT’S ACTION

PIECE OF IMPERTINENT INTERFERENCE.”

[SPECIAL TO TIMES.] DUNEDIN, Dec. 5

Commenting on tho action of the authorities in holding up newspapers at Gisborne, the “Star” says: “Tins is a piece of impertinent interference on the part of the Postal authorities with the rights of the press. Sub-section B, of section 157. of tho Legislature Act, under which the Department professes to have acted, reads thus: ‘Every person is liable to a fine not exceeding £2O who at an election prints or distributes or delivers to. any person, on dav of poll, or at any time during tlnee days immediately preceding the poll, anything being, or purporting to be, an imitation of any ballot paper, to be used at t-lie poll, and having thereon names of candidates together with any direction or indication as to how any person should vote, or in any way containing any such direction, or indication, or having thereon any matter likely to influence any vote. \\ e sluiold very much like to know under what statute the Postal Department constitutes itself censor and exercises censorial powers in tune of profound peace. AYe were always under the impression that the law as laid down the above statute implies that legal proceedings might he duly instituted and that the burden of proving the offence there under lies on the Crown. 1 his iverv much like Jedburgh justice and the* sooner Sir Joseph Yard mtei ei ami prevents his , departmental office s from making such stupid blunders tlie bet tei. ”