WATERSIDERS’ UNION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25080, 11 January 1947, Page 6

WATERSIDERS’ UNION

Broadcast Time In N.Z. Refused REQUEST MADE TO AUSTRALIA (P.A.) WELLINGTON. January 10. The Government’s action in using the national radio network to publish a statement by the New Zealand Federation of Labour in the wharf dispute on Monday has raised a question about freedom of the air. The Waterside Workers’ Union, on learning of the broadcast, immediately asked for similar facilities on the air to state its case, and this request has been refused. The Director of Broadcasting (Professor J. Shelley) has told the union he has no power to accede to the request and that the commercial stations are not permitted to. sell time for the broadcast of controversial issues. The union is now arranging for time on Australian stations to broadcast from there to the peopl'e of New Zealand. “We do not object to the Federation of Labour enjoying an opportunity to put a statement over the air because we have supported the claims which the trade union movement has been making for a long time now for space on the broadcasting networks,’ said Mr T. Hill, national secretary of the union to-night. “The union is naturally astonished, however, that it is not allowed the right of reply which is surely a privilege we can expect in a democratic country. This is an issue quite apart from our present dispute. and it is one which I know will vitally concern everyone. “If last Monday night’s broadcast has opened the door to controversial broadcasts I believe many people in this country will be very happy that it should do so. From many sections of the community, in particular, the trade union movement, there has been a long-standing demand for restoration of freedom of discussion on the air. It will be an intelligent step forward if we can let our broadcasting system be used for this democratic purpose. If, however, we are to be denied the right to as much time as the Federation of Labour was given then, however much some sections of the community may dislike and continually oppose the watersiders, they will appreciate at what disadvantage we are being placed. “Real Cause to Uphold” “We would not be fighting this very serious battle if we did not have a very real cause to uphold. We are forced, therefore, to seek an opportunity to broadcast our case from Australia to the people of New Zealand. We are still negotiating there for time, and if the opportunity presents itself and we are still faced with the necessity to do so we shall make a broadcast and invite New Zealanders to tune in. It would be a sad thought, however, that the voice of democracy should have to come to New Zealand from without. This a vital issue.” Mr Hill has been in constant touch with the Federal Council of the Australian Waterside Workers’ Union and was to-day again in conversation by radio-telephone with Australia making preparations for a broadcast from Sydney. t If negotiations are successful the union nlans to make recordings in New Zealand of statements by its leaders, send them by air mail to Australia. and have them broadcast at a time when they can be heard reasonably well by listeners in New Zealand. Mr H. Barnes, the national president of the union, said in Auckland that the national office of the union had applied to purchase time on the New Zealand commercial broadcast network to present its case to the public, and had desired time equal to that given the Minister of Labour (Mr A. MoLagan) on Monday night. Letters from Union

Mr Barnes released for publication copies of letters forwarded to the broadcasting authorities. Dated January 7, a letter by Mr Hill to the Director of Broadcasting reads: “I am directed by my executive to make application to you to purchase time on the commercial broadcasting stations to state our case to the public.” On the following day Mr Hill wrote to Professor Shelley as follows; “In view of the statements on the National ‘Broadcasting Service by the Minister of Labour and the secretary of the Federation of Labour, I am requesting on behalf of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union similar facilities to be made available to the union to present its case in the dispute.” Mr Hill said he had received the following reply from the New Zealand broadcasting authorities: “I have your letter of January 7 in which you desire to purchase time on the commercial stations to state the union’s case to the public. We regret that we cannot make time available under sponsorship for the broadcasting of controversial issues.”

Mr Hill said the letter was signed by -the Director of Broadcasting (Commercial Division).

There was a further letter from the director stating: “We have your letter of January 8 requesting that your, union be granted facilities on the air to reply to statements made on behalf of the Minister of Labour and the secretary of the Federation of Labour. I am afraid I have no power to accede to your request, and. as pointed out in another letter, the commercial stations are not permitted to sell time, even if it is available, for the broadcast of what could be termed controversial issues.” Mr Hill said he could not understand a report published in Auckland that the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) and the Minister of Broadcasting (Mr F. Jones) did not know that such a request had been received from the union.

FEDERATION OF LABOUR SPECIAL CONFERENCE CALLED DISCUSSION OF DISPUTE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 10. At a special meeting of the national executive of the Federation of Labour it was unanimously decided to call an extraordinary conference of all the federation’s affiliations for Tuesday, January 21, said the secretary of the federation (Mr K. Baxter). The executive, in reaching its decision, recognised the responsibility of the federation to the industrial workers of the Dominion and theh relation to the national economy, said Mr Baxter. The conference bad been specially convened to discuss the position that developed on the waterfront, which is considered by the executive to raise the most important issue in the history of the federation and of the whole trade union movement. The conference will again discuss the policy of the federation in relation to industrial disputes, in terms of a decision reached at the 1946 conference. The importance of the conference and the subject for discussion will bring the largest representation yet experienced in industrial history, and it is expected that every affiliation will be fully represented, said Mr Baxter. NO WEEK-END WORK AT LYTTELTON

, As Lyttelton branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union had formally intimated to the employers that a 40-hour week was being worked, no call was made for overtime yesterday and no orders to report this morning for work were issued. Work was “perfectly normal,” according to men on the waterfront at Lyttelton yesterday, and no signs of any tension over the dispute or likely developments was shown.