PUBLICATION IN NEWSPAPERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23401, 7 August 1941, Page 6

PUBLICATION IN NEWSPAPERS

1 SPEECHES WHICH ARE NOT BROADCAST

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE

(P.R.) WELLINGTON, August 6. The mere fact that he ruled that something said in the House should not be broadcast did not necessarily mean that it should not be published in the press, said the Speaker of the House of Representatives (the Hon. W. E. Barnard), when the question was raised in the House to-day. The discussion arose • when Mr Speaker said that as he had ruled that the question asked by Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga) should not be broadcast, he must also rule that the answer by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) should not be broadcast.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) asked whether that would mean that the newspapers would be prohibited from publishing the debate on the question, Mr Speaker said that he had no authority to decide that point. It was decided by another authority. Mr Holland said that at the time the question was asked, Mr Speaker had ruled that though it could, not be broadcast, it was suitable for publication in the newspapers within the country. The Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) said he submitted that Mr Speaker had no power to rule that a certain question was suitable for publication. His power was the power given to him by the House to rule that statements which might be of advantage to the enemy must not be broadcast.

Mr Speaker said that his duty began and ended with deciding what should or should not go on the air. The press had formed the conclusion that if something were shut off the air, ipso facto, they were not entitled to publish it. For that deduction he was not responsible. Mr Nash said that when Mr Speaker ruled that Mr Doidge’s question should be off the air, because it might give Information of advantage to the enemy, the Director of Publicity ruled that the question must not be published in the press until the answer was available. He told the evening papers that the Director of Publicity was an independent person appointed by the Government to say yes or no. He had done an excellent job from the Dominion's point of view. Mr Nash said that he understood that certain facts had been used outside the House, an.d that was becoming dangerous. He did not think members should go outside the House. Mr Doidge: I am to be gagged Inside and outside; but you are to say what you like. . -Mr Nash: If a director of censorship says that certain things should not be published, no one has the right to say that he is wrong, and to try to break the censorship in that particular case. Members- are free-to criticise the censorship itself. . Mr Doidge: Are you going to allow the newspapers to publish the reply to my question? Mr Nash; Yes. Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition, Eastern Maori): How much information could the question give to the enemy. Mr Nash: The honourable member will have to read the question and answer for himself, and I think he will see that the right thing was done. It is necessary that all members should be behind the Director of Publicity all the time.- ■ , The debate on the question and reply was not broadcast.