QUESTION OF CENSORSHIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 6

QUESTION OF CENSORSHIP

RIGHTS OF SPEAKER AND DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY Reference to the respective rights of Mr Speaker and the Director of Publicity was made in the House of Representatives during a preliminary discussion on the question raised by Mr F. W. Doidge (National. Tauranga) on the standard of markmanship of the New Zealand Forces and the reply by the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) The attitude to be adopted by members over any matter which is the subject of censorship was also touched upon.

| The matter aro.-o when Mr Speaker I intimated that as he had stopped tlv I notice of questions being broadcast he intended to prohibit the broadcasting ; of the answer and in view of that am discussion would also be kept off the The Leader of the Opposition ‘Mr ! Holland) said that at the time notice was given Of the question, Mr Speaker had ruled that, although it was not 'suitable for broadcasting, il might be ! published. The question had not been broadcast. Now that the reply was available to the question he took it j that both the question and the reply j might be published in the newspaper', ! The Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Nash) ■ said he would respectfully submit that 1 Mr Speaker had no power to rule that j publication. That was not within 11m• j Speaker’s jurisdiction. What came within his jurisdiction was in accordance with the power given to him by ! the House*. Mr Speaker had the power j to say that he considered certain thing jor statements might be of advantage to the enemy and he had been given the right and the facilities to prevent such matters being broadcast. Mr Doidge asked whether it was intended to keep the question and answer out of the Press Mr Nash said he would refer to that point later It. was perfectly true that he had no jurisdiction as to what went into the Press, said Mr Speaker. As the Act-ing-Prime Minister had pointed out ho had the power to say what should or should not go over the air. HU duty began and ended there. He was bound to say that the Press had drawn the conclusion in respect to something shut off the air that ipso facto thev were not to publish it in the newspapers. That was a deduction which he had not drawn. It was for the Press to look into the matter if they had any doubts about it. Mr Nash dealt with the events leading to the prohibition of the publication of the question by the Director of Publicity until such time as the answer might be published with it He said that ho understood that a statement in regard to this action had since been made outside the House and that was becoming dangerous. He desired to emphasise to the House and to the country that no person could use a statement outside the House that would tend to be advantageous to the enemy or would tend to destroy the morale of the people They could not allow that to happen. To avoid that possibility the Government had appointed a special officer who had carried out a difficult job in an excellent manner ; Mr Doidge: I’m not only to be gagged ! outside and inside the House, but you (are to have full play. , Mr Nash said that all he wa ! emphasising was that if the Director j of Publicity who was in charge of censorship. said that certain things were j not to be published then no one had the right in any way whatever to sav ! that he was wrong in that particular j instance and try to break the morale |of the country. They could argue ccn- | sorship. | Mr Holland; How arc we to know it has been censored? Mr Nash: It has been known all over the place. Mr Holland : 1 didn’t know until last Friday that the question could be published when the answer was forthcoming Mr Nash said that he wanted to emphasise that none of them was allowed to publish articles that the j Censor and the Director of Publicity ; said were not to be published. Thev i cpuld criticise the Government for it's ! Director of Publicity and they could ! say that censorship was not worth i while and things like that. 1 Mr Doidge: Are you going to allow •the newspapers to publish the Minis- ! ter’s reply? j Mr Nash : Yes. ; Sir Apirana Ngata ‘National. Eastern , Maori) : How much information did it ! give to the enemy after all” i Mr Nash ‘■uggeslcd tlfnt Sir Apirana | should look at the question first of all He thought Sir Apirana would realise J that the Director of Publicity had taken j the correct step to prevent a wrong inI ference being formed. The House then passed on to discuss i the printed reply to this and other quesj tions. the discussion on Mr Doidge’s i question being cut off the air.