Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1945. HOUSE DEBATES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 September 1945, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. F R IDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1945. HOUSE DEBATES.

’T’TIE long debate on the Budget proposals has ended, with the honours mostly with the Opposition. The practical result from al] the talk was nil, seeing that no concession was made by the ol Finance (Mr. Nash) but this was not unexpected. It must be matter for individual opinion whether Parliament advanced its own prestige by the standard of the debate. but most of the Members seem to think that listeners-in can hardly wait until broadcasting from the House has commenced. A set-back to this pathetic belief was the statement bv Mr. Serimgeour, in

Australia, when giving evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Broadcasting which is examining a proposal to broadcast Parliamentary debates j from Canberra, that wrestling matches competed with the House in securing the largest radio-audiences. How “Scrim.” could form an estimate worth while on such a subject is best known to himself. There is no way discovered by most station-directors or others, how to tell—not guess—which programme is being listened to. To place wrestling on the same premier footing as Parliament, so far as national interest is

concerned, would not say much for New Zealanders’ taste and standards of culture. Or would it? During the wrestling boom, public excitement was worked up, until confounding their knavish tricks, attendants at the matches as well as listen-ers-in turned elsewhere for interest. As for Parliament, how many people compete with the Speaker in endurance tests, and listen in throughout a'sitting? Peace has her heroes, of course, but there must be limits to the demands of patriotism. Switehiug-in to the debate in the House occasionally proves as a lucky dip, but the general experience is disappointing. Westminster. Ottawa and Canberra are considering following Wellington’s lead; these Parliaments may have better material. Parliamentarians eager to secure first

place m the affections of listeiiers-in might recall the ideals of a radio service, as outlined, for instance, in the inscription carved in the entrance hall of Broadcasting House, the headquarters of the 8.8. C. which states: “This Temple of the Arts and Muses is dedicated to Almighty God by the first Governors of Broadcasting in the year 1931, Sir John Reith being Direc-tor-General. It is their prayer that good seed sown may bring forth a good harvest, that all things hostile to peace or purity may bo banished from this house, and that the people, inclining their ears to whatsoever things are beautiful and honest and of good report, may tread the paths of wisdom and uprightness.” Can any Member of the Dominion Parliament honestly claim that, most of the speeches in the House arc “honest and beautiful,” or that attempt is invariably made to “tread the paths of wisdom and. uprightness”?.