Freedom Of Information

Northern Advocate, 18 February 1949, Page 3

Freedom Of Information

NEW PLYMOUTH, Fri. (P.A.) “The finding of the press inquiry into the Kaka air crash makes us think seriously about the relations of the press with the Government and the public. “I don't think that the freedom of the press is menaced at the present time, but I see growing up restrictions on the freedom of giving information to the press,” said the president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association (Mr R. D. Horton) last night, when addressing the association’s annual meeting at New Plymouth. Mr Horton said that members of the Government and governmental officers were representatives of the public and the public had a right to know facts from them. By custom that right had been delegated to the press. “We have got to keep before us the fact that freedom of access to information is the bedrocx o' our democracy,” he added. OFFICERS ELECTED Officers were elected as follows: President, Mr R. D. Horton; general committee, Messrs C. W. Earle, H. P. F. Blundell, W. R. Sinclair, E. V. Dumbleton, F. D. C. Saxton, E. G. Kerr, W. J. Woods; associated member, Mr J. H. Rhodes; advisory committee for general matters, Messrs C. W. Earle, H. P. F. Blundell, E. A. Blundell, H. N. Blundell, P. R. Scoble, D. F. C. Saxton; for advertising matters, the above with the addition of Messrs J. D. Howitt, C. J. Ryan, C. M. Cox; chairman of section one (metropolitan papers), Mr R. D. Horton; chairman of section two (larger provincial papers), Mr D. F. C. Saxton; chairman of sections three and four (other provincial papers), Mr W. J. Woods.