OPPOSITION VIEW

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 269, 10 August 1938, Page 12

OPPOSITION VIEW

“Misuse And Abuse Of Service” SUNDAY BROADCAST Attack Launched By Mr. Forbes 'rile view that the broadcast on Sunday evening from the commercial radio stations had proved that the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting, Mr. 0. G. Scrimgeour, was not fit to hold his position, was expressed by the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Opposition, Hurunui) in the House of Representatives yesterday when he moved the adjournment of the House to enable members to discuss the question. The reasons given in the motion were that the House should have an opportunity for discussing the misuse and abuse of the broadcasting service, and Mr. Scrimgeour’s broadcast in particular. Mr. Forbes said he was moving the motion for the adjournment in the absence of the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. A. Hamilton, and personally he regretted the necessity of taking such a step in regard to the actions of a public servant. The Opposition had no personal feeling against Mr. Scrimgeour, but it was strongly held that the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting had been guilty of a distinct breach of the privileges and duties of a public servant.

“There have been instances in the past where public servants have been severely criticised 1 in regard to the administration of their departments,” said Mr. Forbes. “However, it has always been tlie custom both here and in Great Britain that the Minister in charge of the department should accept the responsibility of seeing that his officers are protected from unfair attacks aud unfounded criticism. A member of the Public Service certainly has no right to make public statements with regard to his own actions unless lie has tlie approval of his Minister. Public Servant’s Duty.

“The public servant is there to carry out his duties faithfully and impartially, and it. is not for him to show auy particular favour for or against any section of the community. It is our duty as members of Parliament to see that this standard is maintained. If public servants get into the position where they feel that they are entitled to take sides, there can only be serious deterioration.” Mr. Forbes said the broadcast to which members of the Opposition took exception was given from the commercial stations on Sunday night, and since then he had received many complaints from people who were not associated with politics, but who were astonished that such a speech could be put over the air. Exception was taken not only to the matter of the speech, but also to the language used, which was most unseemly for an officer in a responsible position. Anyone in charge of a. broadcasting service had to be doubly careful to discharge his duties with the utmost impartiality, but when one found that a public servant was making use of a State service to call someone outside “an unmitigated and malicious liar,” the position demanded instant action. “Set Himself Up As Judge.” “I do not care who this outside person may be or what he might have said,” Mr. Forbes continued, “but I am concerned that a responsible officer should set himself up as a judge, and use a public broadcasting service to state his own opinions.”

Mr. Scrimgeour’s reference had been to a man named Mr. Justin Power. Mr. Forbes said. Mr. Power had apparently advocated the setting up of a Royal Commission to investigate commercial broadcasting, which he had described as the greatest “racket” in the .world, with political propaganda disguised as a religious service. When Mr. Power’s charge was made it was no defence for Mr. Scrimgeour to say. “You and the gang who employ you are unmitigated and malicious liars.” “That reference was to the party of which the Hon. Mr.' Hamilton is leaden” continued Mr, Forbes. “I am not here to defend Mr. Justin Power or anyone else, but I say that the remarks were a reflection on men who

have not used any language of that description. They refer to men who are on the executive of the National Party and that represents a Quite unwarranted attack on decent people. Coming from a public servant, such statements do not show that impartiality or conception of duty which we are entitled to expect.” Mismanagement Allegation. A newspaper had made the suggestion that there had been mismanagement, and then was told by a public servant over the air that it should mind its own confounded business. Other newspapers also mentioned it, and mentioned not that one department only. It was a grave injustice that one man could make a statement of thus sort over the air and that others, because of a Government monopoly, had to put. up with it silently. “The suggestion that there has been muddlement in the department is not new,” said Mr. Forbes. “We asked for a Royal Commission last session to investigate the Broadcasting Service. We knew, we couldn’t help it, of the rumours and statements that were being made about the commercial stations. I do not say whether or not if there was a commission any truth would be found in the suggestions, but in the interests of the service, any doubt that there is in the mind of the public should be cleared away.

“We cannot have the matter brought before the public in the way it has been. I say the Government will have to go further. The statement in the broadcast that someone is an unmitigated liar does not clear the matter up because the people will begin to ask whether there is any foundation at all for the statement. An inquiry into the whole service is infinitely more justified to-day than it was before. I suggest to the Prime Minister that he should' give it very serious consideration indeed.” Responsibilities of Position. Mr. Forbes said that there could be no question that a man who bad any conception of the responsibilities of his position would not use language like that. The Prime Minister must admit that. If the person concerned did not realise his responsibilities, he was not fit to hold the position he did. “I can’t help feeling,” said Mr. Forbes, “that as we are coming on to the election, and as feelings are getting aroused, the service may be used in a very unfair and one-sided way.” The warning bell went at this stage, and Mr. Savage rose to move an extension of Mr. Forbes’s time. Mr. Forbes thanked the Prime Minister, but said that he did not propose to use more than his half-hour. He asked, though, that the debate might be allowed to go on in the evening if necessary. Mr. Savage: You can debate it further on the discussion of the Estimates. I don’t think we need a never-ending wrangle. Mr. Fraser: It has never been done before.

Mr. Forbes: I remember one debate being interrupted well into the evening when there was a question of unemployment. - Mr. Fraser: It was well justified then. Mr. Forbes: The Prime Minister may consider an extension later; on. “Raises Many Problems.” “The question of broadcasting is one that raises many problems,” said Mr. Forbes, “and that question will have to be faced. Over the air it is possible to do grave hurt to a person without bringing the statement under the law of libel. It is of the very greatest importance that the man who is placed in charge of the department should be fully responsible. Whether this gentleman is allowed to continue in charge or not, the Prime Minister must admit that some change in control is needed. This broadcasting will be used to a greater degree as we come nearer to the election. There are a great, many people who feel that the air is not. the place for parly politics, and I agree.

“I hope the Prime Minister will realise as head of the Broadcasting Service that wo are quite justified in bringing this matter up, as it is a matter of first public importance. The spirit and traditions of our Parliamentary system should be maintained. This broadcast was a gross breach of that tradition.”

'The Surveyors Bill, the New Zealand Council of Law Reporting Bill, and the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first time in the Legislative Council yesterday.