EMERGENCY POWERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 275, 2 September 1939, Page 2

EMERGENCY POWERS

PROCLAIMED IN NEW ZEALAND. CENSORSHIP AND PRICE CONTROL A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 1. The Ac ting-Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) said in the House of Representatives to-night: “I wish to state that his Excellency lias to-day, on the advice of his Ministers proclaimed a state of emergency under the Public Safety Conservation Act, 1932. The proclamation is entirely a matter of machinery and amounts to nothing more than an obviously precautionary measure. “The position is that, unlike many other Dominions, the New Zealand Defence Act contains no adequate provision authorising the making of those Orders-in-Council which obviously become necessary in time of crisis. All such draft Orders-in-Council, therefore, have accordingly been drafted under the Public Safety Conservation Act, and this Act, which authorises such measures, does not come into operation until a proclamation of emergency has been issued. “A proclamation is accordingly now made, for the sole reason that it is desired to obtain authority to make any necessary Orders-in-Council. I wish to stress the fact that the proclamation of emergency does not indicate any special developments in the international situation, and, indeed, that proclamation would not have been made had it not been required for the. purpose of the statutory authority referred to above. “The Government is keeping closely in touch with the situation, and all necessary Orders-in-Council will be made if and when circumstances are such as to render this desirable. In the meantime, as a precautionary measure, Orders-in-Council have been passed making regulations which vill he duly Gazetted as follows: Censorship and Publicity. “(I) Censorship and Publicity Regulations, which will enable the Government to exercise adequate censorship over the means of communication, both telegraph and postal, as well as enabling control to be established over any matter which may he published in the press .or by the broadcasting services, by the films, and generally by any media which can be used for con- 1 veying information to the public. The regulations are to be administered by a Controller of Censorship and Director of Publicity, the former of whom will bo responsible for telegraph and postal censorship, and the latter for publicity and control of the press generally so far as publicity is concerned. “The Government desires to state that although full power is taken to exercise control, this will be secured as far as possible by the active cooperation of the press and other agencies concerned, who have already cooperated in a manner which has earned the gratitude of the Government. Naval Mobilisation. “(2) Naval Mobilisation Emergency Regulations and Naval Mobilisation Emergency Regulations Amendment No. 1, which enable the Naval Board to call up for service any member of the Naval Reserve. “(3) Shipping Control Emergency Regulations, which give power to the Naval Board of New'Zealand to issue instructions to ships for the purpose of ensuring the safety* of vessels. The Territorials and Air Force. “(4) Defence Emergency Regulations, which enable the Army to call out either whole or portion of the Territorial Eorces or Class 2 of the Military Reserve, if and when the position should require this step. iPower is also given in these regulations to enable the Army authorities to enter upon any land, to erect any necessary defences, or to make use of any land which may be needed for military purposes. “(5) Transfer of the Air Force Reserve to the regular Aiy Force. Proclamations have also been signed transferring the Air Force Reserve to the regular Air Force and declaring the regular Territorial Air Force to he liable for continuous service, in New Zealand. The purpose of those proclamations is to give power to call up members who may be required for immediate' seryiee should the occasion necessitate it. “(6) Price Stabilisation Emergency Regulations, stabilising prices as from to-day.” A Dramatic Accompaniment. The Minister added: “I want to reiterate what I said at the beginning of this statement, that these measures are taken as precautionary measures. There has been no exceptional development of the international situation, and powers embodied in these regulations will be. exercised with care and caution and with the maximum consideration of the liberties of the people of the Dominion.” On the conclusion of his statement, which was made during a thunderstorm —the rolling of thunder being clearly audible in the chamber of the House, amid the roar of hail on the roof, and flashes of lightning occasionally augmenting the system of lighting of the House—Mr Fraser moved the adjournment at 0.20 p.m., and the House rose until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.