“CONTINUING A VENDETTA”

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22241, 4 November 1937, Page 12

“CONTINUING A VENDETTA”

ALLEGATION MADE BY MR LEE JAMMING OF IZI3 DISCUSSED “SMOKESCREEN TO PROTECT MINISTER” [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 3. An allegation that in its “innuendoes” against the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting (Mr C. G. Scn ™‘ gcour) the Opposition was continuing a vendetta that had been begun with the jamming of IZB before the lasi election was made by the Parhamen - ary Under-Secretary in charge o Housing (Mr J. A. Lee), when speakin? ?n the second reading of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill m the House of Representatives to-mght. “I cannot understand the desire of the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A Hamilton) again to jam the Con tr'ollcr of Commercial Broadcasting unless it is that he has not yet seen the error of his ways,’ Mr Lee said. “We are told that Mr Scnmgcour is a political opportunist, but there was more than a suggestion of political interest in the appointments to the Broadcasting Board established by the last Government.” , , t . 4 , „ Mr Lee reviewed the history of the jamming in detail, and alleged siderable discrepancies in official statements about the affair. ... . “In due time Mr Hamilton admitted, following denial after denial, that mb was jammed on the instructions of the Government,” Mr Lee added. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (National, Kaipara): Did he say that? Mr Lee: Definitely. . Mr Coates; That js incorrect. Mr Lee; We have an admission. Why did you say the set was to be used to step up football results? Mr Coates: I did not say that. Mr Lee: You are guilty all the way. Mr Coates: Try and be fair. “To-day we have a microphone in this House,” Mr Lee said, “and the Opposition has the right to express its point of view without being jammed; but because it was once caught in an iniquity for which there is no apology, it continues this vendetta against the Controller of the Commercial Broadcasting Service, which I believe would be continued by a large majority if we took a referendum of the people. Describing Mr Lee’s speech as a smokescreen designed merely to protect the Minister, Mr W. J. Broadfoot (National, Waitomo) raised a barrage of interjection when he suggested that from the intimate details Mr Lee had di-cosed it appeared that possibly he knew a great deai more of the jamming than he had told the House. Mr Speaker had to cal] the House to order to stem the tide of interjection from the Government benches.

Licence Exceeded

“Mr Scrimgeour hao broken the rights allowed him under his licence, Mr Broadfoot said, “and no doubt instructions had been given that he was to be stopped. The departmental heads had made a mistake in not putting him of the air altogether and cancelling his licence. “I suppose the country realises all the jamming that goes on in this House when Opposition members speak,” Mr Broadfoot added. This happens although Opposition members give Government speakers a courteous described the nightly bi oadcast news talks from the Prime Minister’s office as an abuse of power and unfair. The entire thing was political and there was no doubt that it was arranged for political purposes. Mr C. Carr (Government, Timaru): Dear, dear! Mr Broadfoot: The honourable member is improving. He calls me "Dear, dear.” It is just as well television is not here. That would settle the honourable memt t for Timaru. Mr Broadfoot declared that the news reports from Parliament were not raising the prestige of the House and were biased propaganda.