OBJECTION TO BROADCAST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 257, 27 September 1935, Page 12

OBJECTION TO BROADCAST.

MAYOR’S CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 25. Strong objection to tlio broadcasting of remarks in which the Mayor (Mr t>. G. Sullivan, M.P.) criticised the Government at a Queen Carnival meeting was made by many listeners, who telephoned to station 3YA and by Mr H. G. Livingstone, a member of the Broadcasting Board, after the speech, Mr Livingstone considered that the Mayor had abused a privilege which was given him in his official position as Mayor. In his speech Mr Sullivan said that in raising funds for relief purposes through the Queen Carnival the citizens of Christchurch had been doing what he felt should have been done by the Government. It was through the inadequacy of the Government that the appeal had to be made. For this lie condemned the Government. The city should not be called on to make such an effort again. The Government and the Parliament of the nation should take their responsibilities and do their job. “The Mayors of cities and boroughs were given the right, in tlieir official capacities as Mayors, to have speeches broadcast, 1 ' said Mr Livingstone. “ft was never intended by the Broadcasting Board that any Major should be given the right to speak as Mr Sullivan is reported to have spoken. It is taking a liberty with a privilege extended to hnn in bis oificiai capacity.'' Mr Livingstone explained that the board, in giving the Mayor this right, had glade no stipulations and set no limits on the sort of speech that could be broadcast. In view of the recent, controversy about political broadcasting, and as the Mayors were the only ones possessing this privilege, it had been expected, however, that the Mayors would be discreet in what they said in speeches that were broadcast. The operator whose duty it was to decide whether a speech was likely to offend listeners, or whether the speaker was going outside his ordinary functions, evidently did not feel that it was his duty to cut the Mayor off, said Mr Livingstone. A number of complaints had already been received from people , who strenuously objected to the broadcasting of what had been said. If the board received similar complaints it would have to consider, Mr Livingstone thought, whether it would continue to extend to Maj r ors a privilege that was denied to others, of whether .conditions should be lnid down to regulate such addresses.