ATTACK ON PRESS

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

ATTACK ON PRESS

Reference By Mr. Forbes FUNCTION OF NEWSPAPER Reference to an attack on “The Dominion” newspaper in tlie broadcast address by the Controller ot the National Commercial Broadcasting Service, Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour, on Sunday evening, was made by the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Opposition, Hurunui), during the discussion on commercial broadcasting in the House of .Representatives yesterday. Mr. Scrimgeour had referred to an article in “The Dominion” regarding the employment of 299 persons in the Commercial Broadcasting Service, said Mr. Forbes, aud to charges of extravagance and muddlement which the article contained. Mr. Scrimgeour’s reply had beeu: “Mind your owu confounded business and stop slinging mud at the Commercial Broadcasting Service.”

“If a newspaper cannot draw attention to what it considers to be extravagance and waste of public funds,” said Mr. Forbes, “there is no justification for its existence. In spite of a hostile Government, the newspapers have stood up for what they think it is necessary that the public should know. Past Governments have not escaped the lash of criticism from the Press, and whether we are in Government or in Opposition, we must remember that the functions which the newspapers perform in tins direction are very valuable and should be safeguarded in the public interests.” “‘The Dominion' has been brought into the argument,” said the Prime Minister, Rt. Hou. M. J. Savage, who followed Mr. Forbes in the discussion, “but if I were looking for something to prop up a case I would not talk about ‘The Dominion.’ The member for Hurunui also talked about the freedom of the Press, but what a lopsided thing that is. There is not a day when there is not a leading article against the Government.” Mr. W. J. Polson (Opposition, .Stratford) : There is one the other way in every issue of the “Standard.”

Mr. Savage: 'That does not make it right.