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F.—B.

60

|W. R. MORRIS.

10. Do you know anything, except lb rough personal knowledge, of the religious beliefs of any of your officers ? —No. 11. Have you ever endeavoured, either by request of your chief or otherwise, to ascertain the beliefs of the men under you?—No, I never have. It is a matter of entire indifference to me what, a man's religious beliefs are. All I require is the efficient performance of his duty. 12. You never fake the trouble lo inquire what a man's beliefs are? —No. 13. Do you know how many Roman Catholics there are in the Postal service or in the various departments?—l have not the slightest idea. 14. Have you any desire to know ?—Not the least. 15. Among the documents put in is a prospectus from the Protestant Political Association, in which a, statement is made that the Civil Service is being stuffed with members of the Roman Catholic persuasion. So far as you are aware, is there any truth in the allegation so far as it affects the Post Office?—No, not the slightest. 16. It has been alleged by the Protestant Political Association that members of the Roman Catholic, Church are filling' many of the positions in the Civil Service, and that as a result there is widespread dissatisfaction. Is there any truth in that, so far as the Postal service is concerned? —I speak, of the Post Office, and so far as I know there has been no dissatisfaction. I have not heard of any dissatisfaction in any other branch of the Service from this cause. 17. Do you believe it exists? —I do not. The only condition we require is that applicants shall comply with the conditions in regard to educational qualifications, and to age and fitness. 18. And it does not matter what the man's religion is?—As long as he is able to comply with Hie other qualifications 1 am quite indifferent as to what religious views lie holds. 19. 1 want you to state what you know of the censorship established over box 912, Auckland ? On the 16th December, I believe, Colonel Gibbon, Chief Military Censor, wrote to the Post Office directing that a censorship should be exercised over correspondence addressed to that particular box. [Communication put. in.] 20. That is the first you had to do with it?— Yes, that memorandum from the Chief Censor. 21. Did the Department act upon that instruction ?—Yes. On the 18th December a telegraphic communication was sent to the Chief Postmaster at Auckland directing him to impose a censorship upon literature distributed by the Committee of Vigilance in Auckland. [Letter put in.] 22. That, letter which is signed " F. V. Waters" states that the literature is identifiable by a request to return to box 912 if unclaimed?— Yes. 23. What are your duties once you have received a direction from the Censor ? —To carry it out, implicitly. 24. " Yours not to reason Why," eh? —That is so. 25. Do you ever question the instructions of the Censor?— Never. 26. In practice do you know what is done? —The instruction is recorded in a, general orderbook, which every officer is required to initial as an indication that the instruction has been brought under his notice, and so that the instruction may be complied with. 27. Any matter that comes under the ban is handed to the Postal Censor in that office, and he deals with it in his own particular way? —Y 7 es. 28. Has the Post Office any duty in the matter after the correspondence hUs been handed to the Censor ?—No. 29. The Post Office has performed its duty in handing the correspondence to (he Censor, and takes no further action ?—Yes. 30. I suppose if the Censor does not suppress the document he passes it?— Yes. 31. Does he always put a stamp on it?— Not always. 32. Have you any reason to suppose there was any departure from the ordinary procedure in this case? —No. I would like to state that the Post Office did not carry out its full duty in reference to the circulars posted early in July. 33. That is a matter in regard to which I propose to ask Mr. Williamson later. Have you ever thought it necessary to inquire into any request for censorship?— No. 34. Is if any concern of yours or your office to know the reason why any particular censorship is exercised?—We never endeavour to ascertain any reason. 35. The direction in reference to the censorship came through you, ami you signed the minute? —Yes. , 36. Subsequently the Assistant Secretary addressed you, and pointed out the necessity for the repetition.of this instruction in consequence of a communication he had received from the SolicitorGeneral (--Acting upon thai 1 issued another direction. 37. Your minute is dated the 3rd April, and you gave an instruction which was carried out, as shown by the memorandum? —Yes. 38. Was this instruction issued in consequence of some communication from the SolicitorGeneral ?—Yes. 39. You have been connected a long time with the Postal Department, and are familiar with its working and results. I am not going to ask for specific figures, but I understand your Department deals in figures which run into millions?—lf you will allow me to refer to my report, the figures for 1915—the figures for 1916 are not yet available—show that in that year the total mail-matter dealt with, exclusive of parcels, amounted to 173,149,509. The parcels dealt with amounted to 2,886,039, making a total of over 176,000,000 postal packets dealt with in the course of the year. • 40. Is it the experience of the Post Office that there are many complaints of non-delivery?— No; the number of complaints of non-delivery are very low indeed compared with the amount of traffic. We do not, of course, expect to find complete immunity from error, but the efforts

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