Civil Liberties Council Questions Candidates

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 16

Civil Liberties Council Questions Candidates

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 14. Some legislation in force in New Zealand “unwarrantably restricts the liberty of the British subject and should be repealed at the earliest possible moment.” says a questionnaire which the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties has sent to all candidates at the General Election. Seven questions arc asked, the first dealing with the Public Safety Conservation Act, 1932. The council says that the New Zealand act is based upon the British Emergency Powers Act, 1920, but that the British law contains two safeguards not in the New Zealand legislation. These arc that no regulation shall alter existing criminal procedure, and that Parliament, if not in session, must be called within five days and any regulations made under the act must be approved by Parliament within seven days. "The New Zealand Parliament was not called together during the 1951 emergency, thereby making effective discussion and critcism difficult because of the action of the emergency regulations brought down under the act,” says the questionnaire. It asks whether candidates favour the New Zealand act’s being amended to bring it into line with the British legislation. Definition of the term ’seditious intention” is raised in relation to the Police Offences Amendment Act, 1951, and the council says there is no right to trial by jury on this offence, as there is under the Crimes Act. Powers for the police to close any printing press or seize other property and hold it for two months without any redress for the owner arc also- referred to and candidates are asked whether they favour the right to trial by jury of those charged with seditious intention and repeal of the powers of closing printing presses and seizure given to the police. The questionnaire says that provisions in the present immigration and naturalisation laws “mean that New Zealand naturalised citizens do not even in this country ever enjoy full, unequahfied citizenship.” It asks whether candidates favour a general review of the legislation on immigration and naturalisation. Radio broadcasting time at elections is the final subject raised, the questionnaire saying that “The

council has been disturbed at the undemocratic attitude adopted by the Government and majority parties over the question of campaign broadcasts. Radio should be for the use of the people as a whole.” Candidates are asked whether they would favour the establishment of an independent committee for the allocation of political broadcasts at election time.