GOVERNMENT PRINTING IN OUTSIDE OFFICES

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 September 1928, Page 8

GOVERNMENT PRINTING IN OUTSIDE OFFICES

WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the House this afternoon, Ron. SA. Wright laid on the table the annual report of the Government printing office. Mr, M. j. Savage asked why so much oi the Government printing was doneoutside the Government printing office , and why the Government magazines, were being used for Government propaganda. ML D. G. Sullivan said there was evidently,a ‘‘ring” in the printing trade, as no independent tenders could' be obtained by local bodies. In tho circumstances, the Government printing office should be allowed to do local body printing, iHe objected to State? magazines being used to “boost” theGovernment. , TOO MANY PRINTING PLANTS. The Prime Minister said they had information that they had in New Zealand sufficient printing plant arid equipment to do all the printing for' double our population. If the Government increased the present capacity of , its printing office and brought all its work under one roof then it meant'.that a great deaf of private machinery and plant must be lying idle. He thefeforetook a broader viewthan that economically it whs not sound that the Governmerit- should mop up all the printing, business, but that it Should make-it goround as widely as possible and as fairly as possible, keeping the Government, office to do essential work for Parliament and the Government departmentsHe failed to see how objection could reasonably be made to the matter put, into such publications as “News and Views. ’' So far as bo know, they werefair and informative. The RailwayMagazine was doing most useful service by giving .officers of the department a lead on questions of policy and raihvay practice. The Leader of the Opposition said the Opposition had rio fault to find with the work, done iri priva-te printing offices; it was as good as in any,part of the world, but a groat deal of printing was being . done outside . which.should be done inside the Government printing office. He reiterated his objection to partisan articles appearing in Government magazines. Hon. R. A. Wright, in reply, said the printing of the Railway Magazine wastendered for amongst a number of offices, including tlie Government offieeand the job was given to the lowest tenderer. That was a perfectly-iegiti-,mate answer to criticism. If a “ring” existed iri Wellington printing circles,, ho knew nothing of it. If everything: of a contentious nature was to be shut out of Government publications, they would hardly be able to publish anything. at all. . . ■ The report was laid on the table and the House adjourned at 5.30 till 7.30.