§ MR. J. F. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he is aware that a memorial from the British residents of Constantinople was sent to the Foreign Office some months ago complaining of the inconvenience to which they were subjected by reason of the British Postmaster declining to deliver any newspapers to which the Turkish Government objected; whether ther any action has been taken in connection with this memorial; whether he is aware that the French and other foreign Governments have refused to recognise any such right of censorship over their newspapers by the Turkish authorities; and whether the exceptional disability imposed on the British residents of Constantinople can be removed by prompt representations to the Turkish Government?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. GEORGE CORZON,) Lancashire, SouthportA memorial, as described in the Question, has been received from the British residents at Constantinople. The principle of restricting the circulation of newspapers is admitted at the French and other foreign post offices, as well as at the British Post Office. At the same time, Her Majesty's Government, in common with other Governments, reserve to themselves the right of exercising their discretion in cases where the prohibition appears to them to be plainly unreasonable, and I am in communication with Her Majesty's Ambassador on the subject.