LABOUR’S PROMISE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 151, 11 June 1936, Page 8

LABOUR’S PROMISE

Assistance to B Stations By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 10. In the course of the second-reading debate on the Broadcasting Bill in the House of Representatives to.day, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates criticised the Minister for stating that the Labour Party promised to give B stations assistance and help if they were returned to power. Mr Savage: 1 said on every public platform that I was talking ‘to the people of the country, not to B station::. Mr Coates said that the promise that was made to assist B stations had pul the Government in an awkward situation. The Labour Party could tact conscientiously or logically support private stations. A promise or undertaking definitely must have been made between B stations and the Government prior to their office. Government voices; No agreement was made. Mr Coates said that if it had nUt been for that promise they would not have the Government introducing a measure of that kind, which not only perpetuated but increased the status of B stations. The Labour Party bad been caught out by the ill-cunsrlereu promise that was made, and the Got. ernment had to live up to that promise. Mr Coates thought that the Government was going far beyond the require ments and unwritten law of democracy in taking control of broadcasting. 1J the Bill became law it was sate to prophesy that it would far from satrscy the feelings and requirements ot the country. Referring to newspaper publicit/, Mr Coates said he had never known a Government that had been g". en su< I. fulsome reports as the present. Govern, ment, and no sooner had any Govern: ment come into office than it nad Deen criticised from one end of the counti: to the other. Even now the Press t’ouno fault with the Opposition because it was not able to stop the battalions of the Labour Government from passing their legislation. He opposed advertising over the. at.’. He said that the newspapers would nut object to it because, in countries where advertising was allowed over the air, newspaper advertisements were biggei than ever.