Press inquiry 'not needed’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 3

Press inquiry ' not needed’

(Nt'iv Zealand Press Associaiton* WELLINGTON, June 13.

rhe prospect of a commission of inquiry into the newspaper industry was ruled out today by the Minister of Justice i Dr Finlav).

v. cs i ujj qucauuitd eii a ■ National Press Club 'unch. Dr Finlay, who is also Minister in Charge of Publicity, i said that he had no intention of instigating such an inquiry. The establishment of a i commission to look into all I aspects of the press was | strongly recommended by I the Labour Party conference ■last month, but Dr Finlay said: “Some things which are said at conference are

said in the heat of the mo.intent ... in the spirit of I camaraderie and excitement Jof the occasion which prevails.” There was no need for any general investigation of the press, he said. SECRETS ACT Dr Finlay repeated his view that the Official : Secrets Act should be reviewed to revoke general secrecy provisions, and to retain the confidentiality of official papers which needed tn hp siprrpf

Asked if he agreed with the action of the Minister of Transport (Sir Basil Arthur) in invoking the act over the leaking last week of a confidential report on South Island container ports, Dr Finlay said he did not think that Sir Basil had used the term, "Official Secrets Act.” This term, he thought, had been added later. “NOT APPROPRIATE” "What I think he wanted to do was to inquire into the situation, not to invoke the somewhat elephantine procedures of the act, which are, not appropriate in this' case,” he said. Referring to an official Secrets Act investigation last year involving an Auck-' land scientist, Dr O. Sutherland, Dr Finlay said that he had not fully realised the implications of his actions: when he had said the investigation would be under the terms of the act. “I did not bargain for the; somewhat heavy-booted actions of the police. Frankly, I was appalled when I found out what had been done, but at that stage it was too late; to reverse it.” Dr Finlay said he did not regret that the Governmenthad not taken the initiative, in introducing legislation on I abortion and homosexuality,! to avoid the confused legislation resulting from private members’ bills. “It would have been wrong for either party to have taken the initiative,” he said.