RADIO CONTROL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 18 November 1937, Page 5

RADIO CONTROL

"DESIRES SECURED” i communists ruoi'i;cTi;i)? OUTSPOKEN ADDRESS IN THE COUNCIL [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter J WELLINGTON, This Day. Claiming Hint broadcasting in j New Zealand bad passed from Stale control to Serinicgour control, and that the Communists ol the Dominion had secured protection of the Government against comment, the lion. C. .1. Carrington (Auckland), made a vigorous attack upon the policy that prevented churchmen from discussing Communism in broadcast sermons. His remarks were objected to by several other members of the Council on the grounds that the views of all classes should be respected. After stating that Scrimgeour was controlling broadcasting in New Zea- | ! land. Mr Carrington said that when the * 'Communists had secured their desires j ‘and the Dominion, had become Soviet-! Used the Controller of Commercial! ; Broadcasting would become Commissar J iof Broadcasting. The control of broad- j ! casting would undoubtedly be of great > ; advantage to the Government because j : it would enable them to carry out their | ! declared objective—the socialisation. lof production, distribution and ex- ; I change, and that was the first step foj wards Communism . "iteeenf events." said Mr Carrington J "and more particularly the recent pro- | nouncemenl of the Director of the I broadcasting service regarding the j criticism of Communism, point to the j fact that what was visible to a close [observer in this country— the spread of Communism—is being helped by broadcasting. Communism has been raised lo such a state that it can claim the protection of the Government.” i Despite the claim of Government | members that Communism was neglijgible in New Zealand, said Mr Carrington. and that there was no Communism in the Labour Party—and lie knew it was the desire of Hie all sane Labour members that there should be no Communism—he considered the Labour | movement could not keep the Communists out and he claimed that they were not being kept out. Under the law passed by the Labour Government. Mr Carrington added, it was compulsory for carpenters and others to join a union, and pay lees to the funds of that union. In Auckland there were members of the Carpenters’ Union who were utterly opposed to Communism, but who were compelled to contribute to the union’s funds and to a monthly bulletin not inaptly called “The Borer,” which was filled from cover to cover with Communistic aspirations, united trout advice and so on The secretary of the union was an ardent Communist, and was one of the : three men who had recently registered l the Progressive Book Company and had opened a shop for the sale of Comj monistic literature j Other Councillors protested at this stage, and the Speaker (the Hon. Sir Walter Carncross) asked Mr Carringj lon to come back to the Bill. I Mr Carrington said that his remarks were framed to show how broadcasting was being used to protect Communism instead of being used in the best interests of the Ddminion as a whole. Mr Carrington went on to say that two clergymen—one in Auckland and one in Wellington—had been debarred from making broadcast references to Communism. He had a copy of the Wellington sermon that had caused complaint. and it was merely a statement i of cold irrefutable facts, j If. said Mr Carrington in conclusion. ; New Zealanders wanted to preserve I their democratic state they should cnjdcavour to get those who controlled ! the destinies of the country to say straight out whether or not they were for Communism. The Hon. T. Blooclworlh (Auckland) said he was a member of the Auckland Carpenters’ Union and had a copy ol "The Borer' in his pocket. It was not nearly so objectionable as Mr Carringj lon would have them believe; in fact, i there wa-: nothing wrong with it so long | as the reader admitted that every see--1 tion of the community had a right to express its opinions. Mr Carrington had referred to two clergymen being prevented from broadcasting, but he j (Mr Bloodworlh) had also been refused ! the air when he was going to talk on j social justice. A week before the ! Moderator of the Presbyterian As- ! sembly had been prevented from broacl- | casting, Mr Bloodworth had been rung j up from Wellington and asked not to j make his address He was asked to i keep oil' the air because the Government considered that such talks would establish a precedent that might lead to far too many controversial subjects being broadcast, and the same applied to the Moderator. Me had not been prevented from broadcasting because he was the Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly. The Hon D. Wilson (Wellington' said he did not know whether Mr Carrington was attempting to "pull their legs, lor make their llcsh creep. His flesh had | not been made to creep, but he had on joyed the entertainment. He was op posed to Communism and when anyone said that the Bill was framed to foster Communism lie was saying something that was contrary to fact. "Although I am opposed to Communism.” said Mr Wilson "1 say that the Government is perfectly right in preventing attacks on Communism over the air' Replying to the debate, the Leader of the Council <the Hon. Mark Fagan' said that he regretted that a member of the Council had departed from traditional custom, which was to discuss a Bill upon its merits and within its lour corners. Mr Carrington had referred to Communism to which there was no reference in the Bill. All lie wouid say was that he did not propose !o attempt lo protect Communism.