§ MR. CHANNINGTo ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, in spite of the assurance given in the House on 24th November, 1902,† that there was no restriction upon or supervision of mails or cables to and from any portion of South Africa, by the Peace Preservation Ordinance subsequently passed in the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies postmasters are empowered to open any letter or telegram supposed to contain seditious matter; and, if so, will he state what are the circumstances since November which have led to this legislation.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain.) It is not the case that postmasters are empowered to open any letter or telegram supposed to contain seditious matter. They may intercept any letter, document, or parcel sent through the post which they have reasonable grounds to suspect of containing treasonable or seditious matter; and in such case they must send the document forthwith to the resident magistrate with a written statement of the grounds of suspicion. If the resident magistrate is satisfied that reasonable grounds of suspicion do exist he may then open the document. I understand that in practice the authority of the Lieutenant-Governor would be required before a document was so opened, and it is proposed to make provision for this by an amending ordinance.