EXCLUSION OF PRESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 27 November 1942, Page 4

EXCLUSION OF PRESS

PRODUCTION COUNCIL MEETINGS OPINION OF FARMERS’ UNION Alarm at the exclusion of the press from any meetings of farmers’ organisations was expressed in a resolution passed by the North Canterbury dis trict executive of the Farmers’ Union at its meeting on Wednesday (reports “The Press”). The resolution was passed after the executive had discussed the exclusion of the press from meetings of primary production councils at the request of the Minister of- Primary Production for War Purposes (Mr J. G. Barclay). Mr A. M. Carpenter said the Fern side branch felt really concerned about the exclusion of the press. While it was quite in accord with going into committee when private matters were discussed, it took grave exception to any taking away of the liberties of the press. The idea that the press were to be excluded seemed to the branch to savour of taking away rights that were essential and important. “I think we should not have repression of the press in die general deliberations of primary production councils as far as the farming community is concerned.” said Mr J. W. Earl. “If we are going to carry on without knowing what is being done, the work may not be done as well as when public opinion is attached to it.”

The president (Mr R. G. Bishop) said the difficulty was that the primary production council was quite willing for the press to be there, but the Minister was against it. Mr G. C. Warren: The Minister wants to get the credit for what you do. Unless the primary production council lets information regarding its problems get ou J to the people we are goin.. to be in the dark. I fail to see why the utmost publicity should not be given to the work the council is doii.g. It is of vital importance to it. Mr D. Goode said it seemed as if the e- elusion or' the press was the commencement of a policy to keep a lot of knowledge from the general public. The pi ess should be at the primary production council meetings. Mr Bishop said the whole trouble was that two gentlemen—one of them was Mr J. R. D. Johns, who did not mind admitting it—had made statements about the Army. Since Mr Johns had made his statement about water being carted from Belfast to a military camp no more water had been carted. Mr A. H. Spratt had made a statement about the milk supply at a camp, and the n ilitary had recognise,, that they were in the wrong. The Minister had the two reports at the council’s meeting as an exan.ple of what the press was putting in. The press was justified in publishing them, for filings had been put right.

The executive rejected a motion by Mr Carpenter that the press should be p esent a all primary production council meetings, and adopted an amendment by Mr W. H. Overton that the meeting viewed with alarm the exclusion of the press from meetings of a- farmers’ organisations. "We should feel justifiably hurt at ihe exclusion of the press from any organisation of benefit to the farming community." o3 id Mr Overton.