GOVT. AND PRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1938, Page 2

GOVT. AND PRESS

SIB. NASH'S WITHDRAWAL. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. May IS. In a. statement, this evening the Minister for Finance (Hon. W. Nash) referred to n letter published to-day, in which the literary staff of the “Dominion" took exception to the Minister’s remark at Lower Hutt, on Monday, that "the staff of the ‘Dominion’ are instructed to write* letters to the editor, condemning' the Government." Mr. Nash said: "1 accept, the assurance of Lite writers, of the letter published in this mornnig’s paper that, no member of the staff has ever been instructed by the editor or the management to write letters to the editor on any subject whatever, much less on oolit ics."

The .Minister added: "It would be helpful to good journalism if .a like assurance could bo given that no letter published in the ’Dominion’ originated in the ’Dominion’ office, and that all anonymous letters published in the ‘Dominion’ were bona fide readers, writing to the editor entirely independent of the. ’Dominion' or the National Party." Commenting editorially, the '’Dominion” says: "It is to the credit, ol Mr. Nash that he now admits the paucity of the- charge he made against this paper and its staff. Il would have been still more to his credit bad he allowed the matter to rest there. Both the National Party an*.’ (he Labour Party, also supporters of those parties have, at. different times, written letters to this paper, and their letters have been published. No correspondence is inspired, as is suggested by the Minister, in this office. Correspondents who prefer to write anonymously, and who deal with questions of public interest are, within reason, as much entitled to air their opinions in the public press as they, are to exercise their votes under the| secrecy of the ballot-box. It is necessary, at times, as a safeguard against victimisation —more necessary to-day perhaps, than ever."