As we have previously pointed out, the duties of the censor's office are both onerous and highly responsible.
It is of the utmost importance that no news likely to be of any assistance to the enemy should be allowed to be divulged, but it is highly unreasonable and even cruel to withhold information which would be of no use to the enemy and for which, on the other hand, friends and relatives of those at the front are anxiously longing.
The operations at the Dardanelles seem to supply a case in point.
We are aware that Australian and New Zealand troops are associated with other British and with French forces in the land operations which are being carried out in co operation with the activities of the allied navies, but we have no information respecting the composition of the British colonial branch of the invading army.
The disclosure of particulars on this point would not be prejudicial in the military sense, but it would tend to allay in a considerable measure the uneasiness that is felt by a large section of the public.
Apparently the New Zealand Mounted Brigade has not been sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula, where, indeed, the configuration of the country might prevent its services from being very effectively utilised.
It is, however, only accidentally, as it were, and locally that it has come to be known that the mounted arm of the New Zealand main Expeditionary Force is still in Egypt.
It is probably even doubtful whether Sir Alexander Godley is with the troops in Turkey, and if he be still in Egypt the question arises, what arms of the Expeditionary Force are in Turkey, and do they include any part of the second reinforcements that left New Zealand?
There is a similar uncertainty respecting the Australian forces. It is now known, for instance, where the Second Australian Brigade is engaged.
Land parties at two points have made good their positions, and we know that at one of these points a composite brigade - comprising New Zealanders and Australians - has fought brilliantly and successfully.
Presumably the other brigade has landed at the other point; but of that the Australian people are not assured, though there seems to us to be no good reason why it should not be.
The delay in transmission of particulars of casualties in the rank and file is perhaps unavoidable, and is in any case, we suggest, not attributable to the censorship.
If the losses have been fairly heavy - as it is to be feared they have been - some time must elapse before the company officers can make up accurate returns.
• As evidence of the prolific way in which the imported mallard duck multiplies, the ranger to the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society (Mr J. Leckie) when on his rounds of the swamps and creeks, lately found three mallards sitting, this late in the season.
They had 18, 22 and 34 eggs in their respective nests. He has also under his eye at the present time a mallard with eight ducklings, and another with 11.
All the birds are in their wild state. There are a great many of these ducks about now as a result of the very complete way in which the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society established them.
- ODT, 4.5.1915
