WHAT PAPERS PRINT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 40, 15 August 1925, Page 13

WHAT PAPERS PRINT

COMPLAINT BY MR. HOLLAND

PRIME MINISTER SAYS NO NEED

TO MOVE.

The Press and the way it conducts its business is receiving a good deal of attention from tlie Leader of the Labour Party (Mr. H. E. Holland) these days.

J.n the House of Representatives last night, Mr. Holland said he. understood tnat remonstrances were made by the l JobUuastei-Geueial, or tlie Department, to- tile newspapers a . little while ago regarding the publication of cabled uetuus ot divorce casus, such as iillod tlie ■newspapers during .March last. At that time tae speaker himself had drawn attention to the matter, and protested thai tiie concessions given by the IJ.1 J. and T., DupaiUljent should not be permitted to be used for the dissemination of liith. Since that tune, certainly, such cables had not been appearing in the daily papers —Uieie was one stxliuii of tile weekly Press where that kind ot matter appeared regularly. ■ Mr, Holland said ho did not think any section of the House stood for the telegraph service being used for the broadcasting of the kiud of matter of which he complained. One did not have to be a social purist to hud one's mind revolting against that sort of matter when it appeared in the daily papers. He did not think any legislation was needed, but he suggested that the Department would be quite justified where newspapers printed cabled matter that practically amounted to obscenity in charging them full telegraphic rates.- If the matter was received .through the post, then lull postal rates should be charged It was not too much to ask for cleanliness on the part of the papers which took advantage of telegraphic concessions. He understood remonstrances were made by the Department, over what was published in March, and it would have been deplorable had they not been made. "I think it would be interesting if the Prime Minister would tell us the nature of^ the communications that passed between the Department and the newspapers," said Mr. Holland, "and what arrangement was eventually made. I take it that because no further matter, of that kind was published, it was due to the action takon by the Department.

The Prime Minister said there was no censorship exercised by the Department over the distribution of news. That was left to, the Press agencies, but if the language used was, likely to affect the public morals, then the Government would be justified in taking action. Up to the present it. had not been thought necessary to move. Mr. Holland's representations would be noted,, and the position carefully watched.