LABOUR PAMPHLETS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 52, 30 August 1945, Page 7

LABOUR PAMPHLETS

MEMBER'S CRITICISM

"These pamphlets show a gross violation of the law of this country," said Mr. H. T. Morton (National, Waitemata) in the House of Representatives last night after referring to two Labour pamphlets. He said that a paper control notice had been issued in 1942 making it essential for the Factory Controller to give consent before a person commenced the printing of any catalogue or pamphlet containing publicity or propaganda, and for the consent number to be shown. That consent number, he claimed, was not /hown on the two pamphlets, and as iar as he knew the notice had not been revoked.

Heavy fines had been imposed on printers for breaches of the notice, said Mr. Morton. Why should exceptions be made of the two pamphlets to which, he referred—one entitled "Is New Zealand Wrecked? A Message to S. G. Holland, Leader of the Opposition," by M. Moohan, national secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party, and the other called the "Birkenhead Bulletin," •published by the Labour Party in his own electorates and put into people's letter-boxes. Mr. Morton said he had always regarded Tammany - Government as something discreditable and something which should be avoided at all costs.' He described the first pamphlet as one of the most vicious examples of Tammany Government that had happened for a good many years. It was a most abusive, pernici* ous, and inflammatory pamphlet about a public man, who, when it was published was not in the country,, and could not reply in person. He wanted to know why the New Zealand "Standard" was not prosecuted, because the pamphlet did not contain any consent number.

Mr. A., G. Osborne (Government, Onehunga): It is not a propaganda pamphlet. It is all fact. , Mr. Morton: The honourable member should be in a kindergarten. lam not here to teach the honourable gentleman, the rudiments of the English language.

Continuing, Mr. Morton said there was also no permit to print the "Birkenhead Bulletin," which contained Labour Government propaganda from beginning to end. If the two' pamphlets did not represent instances of Tanv many Government he did not understand the meaning of the word. If there were not going to be prosecutions, he would like to know why those responsible for the pamohlett should be above the law of the country and be sacrosanct