BROADCASTING BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 18 November 1937, Page 8

BROADCASTING BILL

PASSED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DAN ON FARMER’S UNION MINISTER’S REPLY TO CRITICISM [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, This Day. A reply to criticism of the Hon. F. Waite (Otago) of the Government’s action in declining the New Zealand Farmers’ Union the right to reply to the broadcast address of the Minister of Marketing, Hon. W. Nash, announcing the new guaranteed prices was made by the Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Mark Fagan, replying to the second reading debate on the Broadcast Amendment Bill in the Council yesterday. The reason for the Minister broadcasting his statement at that time was that Parliament was in reci».s, Mr Fagan said. The prices were being altered and the procedure had to be explained. The Minister thought it was such an important question that he should go over the air and explain it to the farmers. “If we granted that concession to the Farmers’ Union we would have to grant it to the Waterside Workers’ Union, the Seamen’s Union, anti other organisations in the country,” Mr Fagan said. Referring to a question by the Hon. V. A. Ward (Wellington) as to who controlled the director and controller of broadcasting, Mr Fagan said there was no dual control. The director and controller were each responsible to the Minister. The Hon. T. F. Doyle (Southland) took up a statement by Mr Waite that members of the Government were too sensitive to criticism. “I want to tell Mr Waite that wc can stand up to the fullest criticism,” he said. “The only thing we do object to sometimes is that we think some criticism is hitting below the belt. The members of the Government are not afraid of criticism and I do not thmK any member of this Council who has been nominated by the Government is afraid of criticism either.” The Hon. W. W. Snodgrass (Nelson) compared the salary of the DirectorGeneral of the Post and Teiegraph Department with that of the two broadcasting heads. “I think that rather too much importance has been attached to the new and the old has been somewhat neglected,” he said. Mr Snodgrass also suggested that the radio licence fee should be reduced by half. The Bill was read a second time, put through the committee stages, read a third time, and passed without ment.