RADIO TALKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 12

RADIO TALKS.

FARMERS COMPLAIN.

RECENT RESTRICTIONS.

PROTEST XM COUNCIL.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

"I wish to voice the protest of the organised farmer* of New Zealand against the broadcasting policy," said the Hon. F- Waite when speaking to the second reading of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. Mr. Waite ■aid that as one of the two Dominion vice-president* of the New Zealand Farmer*' Union he knew that protests about the Government's broadcasting policy had been made at many meetings of the Farmers' Union. For some years the farmers had received reasonable facilities for presenting their case on agricultural and economic problems, but during the last 12 months they had been subjected to many restriction*. "Present Policy Is Unfair* "The Government to-day is In complete control of broadcasting and Ido not complain about that," said Mr. Waite. "The Government policy fa Government ownership and tharo is nothing wrong with that, but wo do insist that the present policy Is unfair to the moat important organisation of farmers."

If the Government broadcasted facta, and facts only, Mr. Waite continued, there would be no cause for complaint but most Ministerial statements had indulged in advocacy. Mr. Waite aaid he had waited on the Minister of Marketing with a deputation, and had told the Minister that if the Government was to use the radio aa a means of endeavouring to confound the dairyfarmer in what be believed to be his legitimate demands, then the union, aa the farmers' organisations, asked for the same privilege of speaking to the people over the air, *

When replying to the deputation Mr. Nash had said that the Government would be glad to arrange for any statement from the Farmers' Union to be broadcast, but statements appeared to be rather unnecessary as the guaranteed Srice would be debated in the House and oth sides would have an opportunity to place their cases before the people over the air. However, aaid Mr. Waite, the farmers were still convinced that the Government took opportunities for themselves to advocate certain measures, and the recognised farming organisation was denied that. Northern Thames Request. on Mr - Nash's statement tnat the Government would be glad to arrange for statements to be put over the air, said Mr. Waite, the Northern 1 names sub-branch had asked for permission to broadcast a statement on the guaranteed price and had been refused. To the farmers it appeared that Ministers could discuss controversial subjects, but the right to reply was denied to the Farmers' Union. Not only had the Farmers' Union »?en denied the right to deal with what the Minister considered to be controversial subjects, said Mr. Waite, but they were also denied the right to broadcast facts. One branch had tried to broadcast a statement about the increases in the minimum allowed for compensation payments and had been refused. A Minister could have broadcast that I information but because the Farmers'! Union wanted to do so someone seemed to think that it was not favourable to the Government. ,