§ MR. WHITLEY (Halifax)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state on whose authority the Press censors in South Africa prevented references being made in the local newspapers to the alleged scandals in connection with the military contracts for sales and supplies.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been 74 directed to the fact that the Press correspondents in Pretoria would have warned the public of the questionable transactions with reference to the sales and refunds to contractors by the military authorities in South Africa, but were prevented from so doing by the Press censors in South Africa; and will he say who was the chief military Press censor at the time of these transactions during the dual system of sales and contracts from June, 1902, and onwards; whether he has made any inquiries into this matter; and, if so, whit are the results of those inquiries; and whether he has any, and, if so, what, explanation to make with reference to the action of the Press censors in this matter.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIn reference to these Questions, a telegram was despatched to the General Officer Commandng in South Africa, who reports that he questioned the editor of the Pretoria News, the paper which was responsible for the statement which has appeared in the English Press. The editor stated that he referred to censorship in 1931 concerning statements criticising meat and transport contracts, and not to the sales contracts which had not then commenced.
§ MR. WHITLEYMay we take it that the Pretoria News was prevented in 1901 from making references to these matters?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAH the papers were under a censorship at that time.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWho was the chief military censor?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI do not know.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLDo you not We do. Stanley!