"RUSH DECISION."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 9

"RUSH DECISION."

BROADCASTING BOARD DISMISSAL OF YOUTH. QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT. I (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON,-Wednesday. The dismissal of a youth named Russell Kibble from his employment with the Broadcasting Board in Christclmrch following a-protest made against the broadcasting of a portion of a speech by Mr. D. G. Sullivan, MP., in his capacity of Mayor of Christchurcli, was raised in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Sullivan gave notice to ask the Postmast.er-General, Mr. Hamilton, whether ho would arrange with the Broadcasting Board to reinstate the youth in his employment as a relay operator, stating that he was dismissed "following an important and bitter political comment in a Christchurcli newspaper by Mr. 11. C. Livingstone, Reform organiser in Christchurcli, who some time ago was appointed a member of the Broadcasting Board." "As the youth never received any instructions to cut anyone off the air for political broadcasting, real or alleged, and as Kibble is only a junior, will the Minister rectify this apparent serious injustice?" Mr. Sullivan asked. "In view of this incident," he continued, "will the Minister refrain from making political appointments to the Broadcasting Board in future? Kibble is a junior who had never been given any instructions of any kind in regard to political broadcasting or to cut anyone off the air for political reference, much less the Mayor, to whom the broadcasting ban has not applied. The speech by myself which was the subject of Mr. Livingstone's comment was delivered at the Civic Theatre in thanking the people of Christchurcli for having this winter subscribed £10,000 to the relief funds. In that speech I incidentally expressed the opinion that if the Government, Parliament and the Unemployment Board had done what I regarded as their duty, it would not have been necessary to make the queen carnival effort."

"Kibble lias never in the past been reprimanded for inefficiency so tliat cannot be the cause of his dismissal, which there is evidence to show is a rush decision," Mr. Sullivan added.

Mr. Sullivan raised the question again when the first item in the Estimates was under consideration. He emphasised that the youth was in no sense a senior anil had never been given any instructions that lie was to cut off any speakers. "Following tny speech," said Mr. Sullivan, "I was amazed to read in one of the newspapers the next day an outburst by Mr. Livingstone, a leading figure in the organisation of the Reform Party in Christchurch for many years."

Mr. Livingstone, he said, was appointed to the Broadcasting Board not because he knew anything about broadcasting or had any qualifications for that position, but merely because he had identified himself with a political organisation, and ho had abused his position in making threatening and unjustifiable remarks. "Surely," ho added, "if anyone should bo punished, it should not be this young man who had never been given any instructions to cut anyone off the broadcast. Quite apart from any question of politics, 1 appeal to the Prime Minister as a man nii<l to the Postmaster-General as a man that they will not allow this unoffending youth to be punished in this way by being deprived of his employment."