ELECTION BROADCASTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 70, 20 September 1943, Page 6

ELECTION BROADCASTS

INDEPENDENTS' CLAIM

A strong claim for a final broadcast on the night before the election has been made by Mr. A. P. Harper^ secretary of the Independent Group, in telegrams sent to the Prime. Minister and the Leader of the National Party.

"The Independent Group," states the telegram, "has received requests from Independent candidates outside of the group to represent the principle of political independence against party politics in a final broadcast. It is noted that the leaders of the Labour and National Parties are to be given a final broadcast on Friday night. Although they may differ in details of policy, the National and Labour Parties both1, stand for the party system in Parliament. The Independent candi-. dates represent an entirely new principle in politics and if they are denied the right to have this principle placed before the people in a final broadcast through a public utility we must hold it before the people as a final ( and most culpable example of using public services and the authority of position to stifle democratic freedom of speech. Both parties are equally guilty if they accept this state of. affairs. "It means that party politics and the big interests behind the parties are endeavouring to strangle political' independence and to gag those in opposition. In the name of political freedom and the rights of the people we claim a fifteen-minute broadcast on Friday night for Mr. Clive Drummond to speak for the principle of political independence against the tied party system." '