DEBATES IN THE HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26159, 8 July 1950, Page 6

DEBATES IN THE HOUSE

NEWSPAPER REPORTS CRITICISED

MR MCALPINE’S VIEWS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, July 7. The suggestion that newspapers had a responsibility in the improvement of the standard of debate in the House of Representatives, and should give a lead if it thought the standard should be improved, was made by Mr J. K. McAlpine (Government, Selwyn) speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate to-day.

Mr McAlpine said that almost all the leading newspapers in the last few months had printed ~ leading articles suggesting that the standard of debate in the House should be improved. He believed the notable exceptions were the “Standard” and the ‘Southern Cross.” “I would agree with the newspapers entirely,” said Mr McAlpine. “But what do they do towards achieving that object? If there is, an incident in the House, which may last only a minute or so, that is featured in the press of New Zealand, while a carefully thought-out speech is relegated to a back page with two or three lines, or it is stated ‘the member for so and so also spoke.’ “I feel the press has a responsibility in this matter, too, and that it should give a lead if it thinks the standard in this House should be improved—and I agree that it should be. I suggest that the press minimise as much as possible the incidents which flare up from time to time, and concentrate to a greater extent upon the sound, carefully thought-out speeches which are so frequently delivered here, but which receive such scant attention in the press.”