Kaka Crash Finding Criticised by Spokesman of Newspaper Owners

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1949, Page 3

Kaka Crash Finding Criticised by Spokesman of Newspaper Owners

P.A. NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 17. Mr R. D. Horton (Auckland), pr sident of the Newspaper Proprietor Association, when addressing the A, sociation’s annual meeting to-night r New Flymouth, said: “The finding i the Press Inquiry into the Kaka a crash makes us think seriously abo relations of the press with the Go ernment and the public. I don’t thir that freedom of the press is menace at the present time, but I see gro\ ing up a restriction on freedom giving information to the press”, fl Horton said that members of t Government and Governmental c ficers were representatives of the pu lie. The public had a right to kne facts from them. By custom, he sai that right had been delegated to the press. He continued: “We have got to keep before us the fact that freedom of access to information is the bedrock of our democracy”. The principal officers elected at the annual meeting of the Newspapei Proprietors’ Association at New Ply mouth to-night were: President, M R. D. Horton; 'general committee Messrs C. W. Earle, H. P. F. Blundell W. R. Sinclair, E. V. Dumbleton, E F. C. Saxton, E. G. Kerr, W. J. Wood: (associated member Mr J. H. Rhodes) advisory committee for general mal ters, Messrs C. W. Earle, H. P. I 1 Blundell, E. A. Blundell, H. N. Blun dell, P. R-. Scoble, D. F. C. Saxton committee for advertising matters, th< above, with the addition of Messrs J D. Howitt, C. J. Ryan, and C. M Cox; chairman of section one (metro politan papers), Mi’ R. D. Horton chairman of section two (larger pro vincial papers), Mr D. F. C. Saxton chairman of sections three and fou (other provincial papers), Mr W. J Woods.

NEWSPAPER VIEW OF PRESS FREEDOM NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 16. “Events anywhere threatening the I freedom of the press from arbitrary] control are the concern of the press] everywhere. In many countries, the old liberties have been stamped out completely. Although the principle of' the free press is not openly challenged in this country, the need for vigiance against the tendency of Governments to restrain newspaper freeloms is very real.” This was stated in the annual retort of the chairman, Mr W. A. .Vhitlock, tabled at the annual meetng of the New Zealand section of he Empire Press Union in New Plynouth to-day. The report added that the union lerformed a most valuable function n this respect. It was an agency by vhich its members were kept informd of developments that directly or nsidiously threatened the freedom of ! he newspapers. “The opinions expressed regarding he controls imposed on the newspaprs in some colonial territories reveal n alertness to the danger of acquesing in arbitrary interference with he press,” Mr Whitlock added. “Cerain events in New Zealand emphaise the need for alertness of this ind if newspaper freedoms are not a be undermined.” The report added that the council f the union, meeting in London, had iterested itself during the year in io restrictive ordinances imposed on ie press in Uganda and in the operaon of others in Malta, Cyprus and Bermuda. Officers elected were: Chairman, Ir W. A. Whitlock; committee, Sir ecil Leys, Messrs R. H. Billens, R. '. Horton, R. P. Furness, T. M. Gedis, L. C. Young, C. W. Earle, John hodes, E. A. Blundell, W. R. Sinair and J. M. Hardcastle; secretary, [r G. B. Brunton.