N.Z. INFORMATION SECTION

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24743, 7 December 1945, Page 4

N.Z. INFORMATION SECTION

MR FRASER'S COMMENTS ON NEW SERVICE (From Cur Parliamentary' Reporter.) . WELLINGTON, December. 6. Brief comments on the information section of the Prime Minister's Department were made by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) during discussion of the Supplementary Estimates in the House of Representatives to-day. He said that part of the cost this year was coming out of the vote for the department and part out of the War Expenses Account because of its war activities. Next year the section would have a" separate vote. The subject was raised by Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition, Riccarton), who reminded Mr Fraser of a promise he had made on tha main Estimates that he would give information about the section on the Supplementary Estimates. The Chairman of Committees (Mr R. McKeen) said the subject could not be discussed because there was no item on the Supplementary Estimates for this section.

Mr Fraser said he did not know why there was not an item on the Estimates. If Mr Watts would put a question on the order paper he would give an answer. .

' It is just trifling with .the member for Riccarton when the Prime Minister says put the question on the order paper on the last day of the session," said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S G. Holland). "Will the Prime Minister say when the information will be available? I know the Prime Minister would like to honour the undertaking he gave on the: main Estimates." Mi- Fraser said he would provide the ((information later. Part'of the cost had been met from the War Expenses Account and part from the vote for his department. The information section was not new,/ but had developed considerably during the war as the Office of War Information. It was still doing, war work, such as supplying news for service newspapers. There might be a service newspaper hi Japan when the New Zealand force arrived there. Next year there would be a separate vote for the section, which would be too extensive to be merged in another vote. Mr Fraser said the section would produce a short publication on New Zealand's part in the war. The Government Film Unit would come under the section, which would handle publicity for a number of Government departments, dealing with such activities as land settlement, rehabilitation, and tourist and publicity work. Mr Watts: it looks Hke anothei propaganda department. Mr Fraser: Only as far as propaganda is truth.