CALL TO ACTION
THE WAR EFFORT
TELLING THE PUBLIC
AN INFORMATION MINISTRY?
Reference to the need for a campaign to increase the Dominion's war effort was again made by delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association yesterday afternoon. Two remits were considered by the conference, one being adopted and the other rejected. The remit adopted was as follows:— That this Dominion council takes a serious view of the statement made by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash) at the opening of this annual general meeting, when he said: "Not 5 per cent, of the people of New Zealand realised what was at stake in the present war." and requests the Government to set up forthwith a Ministry of Information to inform the people of New Zealand on all matters pertaining to New Zealand's obligations in the struggle and also to help in creating that spirit which is essential to a wholehearted effort on the part of all to win the war. Th second remit read: "This Dominion council views with concern the practice of Ministers of the Crown making important defence policy statements over the radio, and considers it is not proper that such statements should be made in this manner." In moving it, Mr. D. W. Russell (Christchurch) said that on various occasions statements had been broadcast which contained information that could be of use to the enemy. He had been told that Dr. Goebbels had thanked New Zealand for giving him information he wanted. Mr. C. O. Bell (Wellington) said that the reason why Ministers gave national service talks was to implement what the conference was asking for in che previous remit. He considered that they could rely on their political leaders not to reveal what should not be known. i
Mr. N. Colquhoun (Oamaru) said that the people of New Zealand were entitled to have facts about the war effort. If they tried to stop that they would be adopting a "hush, hush" policy that would be harmful.
After other delegates had expressed similar views, the remit was rejected.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19410531.2.58
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 127, 31 May 1941, Page 8
Word Count
347CALL TO ACTION Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 127, 31 May 1941, Page 8
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