undertaking certain inquiries for the Government of
the Commonwealth in the Mediterranean Theatre of War. And for any
facilities which may be rendered him to enable him the better to carry
out these duties I shall be personally obliged.

(_Sd._) "ANDREW FISHER,
"_Prime Minister._"

"DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE,
"MELBOURNE,
"_July 2nd, 1915._

"Mr. Keith A. Murdoch,

"Alfred Place, Melbourne.

"The Minister desires that you furnish a report upon the following
matters together with any suggestions for improvements.

"1. Arrangements for the receipt and delivery of letters, papers and
parcels to and from members of the Australian Imperial Force.

"2. Arrangements for the receipt and delivery of cablegrams to and from
members of the Australian Imperial Force.

"3. Arrangements for notifications to the Department in Australia of the
disposition of Australian Wounded in Hospitals.

"4. Suggested despatch of special expert corps to Hospitals.

"5. Frauds by impersonation at cable offices.

(_Sd._) "T. TRUMBLE,
"_Acting Secretary for Defence._"

When I got this, I hesitated. Evidently the writer was not accredited as
a war correspondent and his remark about having written me up in the
_Sun_ and in _Punch_ did not count for much. But I was anxious then, as
ever, that as many journalists as possible should be put into a position
for seeing the fine things the troops had done and were doing; I noted
the emphasis laid by the writer upon his acceptance of the censorship,
and so I took upon myself to exceed my powers and asked Braithwaite to
cable to Mr. Murdoch:--

* * * * *

"This cable is your authority to come to G.H.Q. at once whence you will
be sent to Anzac.

C.G.S., Medforce."

Mr. Murdoch landed on the 2nd instant and on that date signed the
following declaration:--

* * * * *

DECLARATION TO BE USED BY WAR CORRESPONDENTS.

I, the undersigned, do hereby solemnly undertake to follow in every
particular the rules issued by the Commander-in-Chief through the Chief
Field Censor, relative to correspondence concerning the forces in the
Field, and bind myself not to attempt to correspond by any other route
or by any other means than that offic