"SUBVERSIVE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 180, 31 July 1940, Page 6

"SUBVERSIVE."

Acting through the Customs Depart- ! ment, the Government is tightening the restrictions on the importation of subversive literature. "And not before time," many people will say. That there is a field for such activity no one will deny, but attention must be drawn to the fact that the definition of "subversive" is very wide. Surprising as it may seem, the Government could have taken action in consequence of the publication of the news of the surrender of King Leopold, the capture by the Germans of the Channel ports or the capitulation of France. Those items of news, it will be agreed, were very alarming—and a subversive statement under our New Zealand regulations is, inter alia, one "likely to cause undue alarm to the public or to any person or persons in relation to the public safety or to the war." The Government, of course, did not think of so misusing its powers; nevertheless, it is necessary that the public should be aware that Parliament has entrusted such powers to the Government and its officials, powers which would enable it, if it so desired, to withhold not only statements which most people would recognise and condemn as subversive, but also true statements of universal interest. That such powers are sometimes misused is well known. The most recent instance concerns the sinking of the liner Lancastria, news of which was withheld for five weeks, and released only after it had been published in New York. As to the regulations prohibiting the importation of subversive literature, the Government would be wise to submit to Parliament monthly statements specifying

the publications which have been prevented from entering the country. Parliament would thus have some opportunity of assuring itself and the people that the regulations were not being interpreted unreasonably, and of reversing errors of judgment.