REVOCATION OF REGULATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26484, 27 July 1951, Page 3

REVOCATION OF REGULATIONS

“NO ONE WILL BE DECEIVED ” MR NASH’S COMMENT (New Zealand Press Association) „„ WELLINGTON, July 26. No one will be deceived by the Government's sudden decision to withdraw the remaining emergency regulations.’’ said the Leader of tne Opposition (Mr Nash) in a press statement to-night. The revocation of the proclamation of a state of emergency and the Waterfront Strike Emergency Regulations was gazetted to-night. “There is an election looming, and no doubt the Government desires the public to forget its un-British actions in the prevention of assembly and the .denial of free speech,” Mr Nash said. He added: “The Labour Party, which has exposed the iniquities of tne regulations in Parliament, has been able to tell the people of New Zealand the truth about many aspects of the recent industrial dispute. Whatever promises of freedom of expression during the coming election campaign Mr Holland himself may have given, the fact remains that under the remaining regulations which were promulgated last week the press could not within the law make any comment on the industrial situation. “Thousands of liberal-minded electors resented both the actions of the [Government and the repressions associated. with the regulations. The decision last week to maintain during the coming election campaign the regulations in relation to publications created such a reaction that the Government again changed its policy, but the action of the Government is one that reveals a mind with a dictator background, which if it has the opportunity will continue to menace the British freedoms which have been won through the centuries by hard fighting.”