AUSTRALIAN CODE OF CENSORSHIP

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24279, 9 June 1944, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN CODE OF CENSORSHIP

INTRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND SUGGESTED

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 8. A member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr N. S. Hunt) at this week’s meeting, urged that the Government should bring into effect in New Zealand a censorship code similar to that recently introduced in Australia.

The new code in Australia, he said, stipulated that censorship should be non-political and that defence security should be the governing principle. - it was not claimed that the censor in New Zealand had exceeded his authority. for it was now the custom of our legislators to confer upon themselves and their departmental officers powers of the widest extent. The subject of censorship had been under discussion and investigation by the chamber for some time now. “We are prepared,” said Mr Hunt, “to publish, if permitted, details of Instances where, in our opinion, censorship has been of a political mature in regard to matters which had little or no connexion with defence security.” Censorship for political reasons did not prevent people from learning about matters intended to be suppressed, but unfortunately all too often tbe facts were garbled or misinterpreted. The duty of the Government to move in the matter of a new arid liberal censprship was clear, and early action was hoped for.