ATTACK ON PRESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 185, 19 May 1938, Page 5

ATTACK ON PRESS.

MINISTER’S ALLEGATIONS. WORKING JOURNALISTS PROTEST (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 17. Strong exception to remarks by the Minister of Finance in his public address at Lower Hutt on Monday night was taken at a meeting of the literary staff of the “Dominion” to-night. The meeting decided unanimously to forward the following letter to the Minister of Finance “At a meeting of the literary staff of the ‘ Dominion ’ to-night, strong exception was taken to the folowing statement made by you in the course of your address at Lower Hutt, on Monday: "Hie staff of the “Dominion” are instructed to write letters to the editor condemning the Government.’ The allegation is absolutely untrue. No member of this staff has ever been instructed by the editor or management to write letters to the editor on any subject whatever, much less on politics. We take your remarks and their implications as a totally unwarranted reflection on the integrity of working journalists.’ The meeting unanimously recorded ah emphatic protest.

“As your remarks were made publicly, we were instructed by the meeting to hand a copy of this letter to the press. Since we can only assume you were misinformed on a question of fact, we hope you will take an early opportunity publicly to withdraw your statement.”

The letter was signed by three senior members of the meeting.

THE ASSURANCE ACCEPTED.

REPLY BY MR NASH

WELLINGTON, May 18

In a. statement this evening, the Hon,. W. Nash referred to the letter in which the literary staff of the “Dominion” took exception to the Minister’s remark at Lower Hutt on Monday that “ the staff of the ‘ Dominion ’ are instructed to write letters to the editor condemning the Government.” “I accept the assurance of the writers of the letter published in this morning’s paper,” said Mr Nash, “that no member of the staff has ever been instructed by the editor or management to write letters to the editor on any subject whatever, much less on politics.” The Minister added that it would be helpful to good journalism if a like assurance could be given that no letter published in the “Dominion” office, and that all anonymous letters published in the “Dominion” were bona fide readers writing to the editor entirely independent of the “Dominion’-' or the National Party. Commenting editorially, the “ Dominion” says: It is to the credit of Mr Nash that he now admits the paucity of the charge he made against this paper and its staff. | It would have been still more to his credit had he allowed the matter to rest there. Both the National Party and the Labour Party, also supporters of those parties, have at different times written letters to this paper and their letters have been published. No correspondence is inspired, as is suggested by the Minister, in this office. Correspondents who prefer to write anonymously and who deal with questions of public interest are, within reason, as much entitled to air their opinions in the public press as they are to exercise their votes under the secrecy of the ballot-box. It is necessary at times to safeguard against victimisation more necessary to-day, perhaps, than ever.