§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Home Secretary whether the Censor of the Press Bureau, or any other official of that Department, has refused to permit reports of a lecture by Mr. Mahoney, an escaped prisoner from Germany, or whether there 547W has been any general prohibition from the Press Censor of references in newspapers to the treatment of prisoners of war which tend to draw un-favour-able comparisons between the treatment of German prisoners here and of English prisoners in Germany?
§ Sir G. CAVENothing is known of any report of a lecture having been stopped, but if my hon. Friend will give me the date when the report is said to have been stopped, further inquiry will be made. The draft of an advertisement that lectures, illustrated by photographs, would be delivered was submitted to the Press Bureau on the 10th October, 1916, and was stopped after reference to the War Office. There is no general prohibition of the nature referred to in the latter part of the question, but the Press have been asked to exercise care in publishing statements from returned prisoners which might react unfavourably on the treatment of those who remain in captivity or stand in the way of their repatriation.