WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22227, 30 September 1935, Page 11

WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

FINANCE AND RADIO POLITICAL BROADCASTING PROBLEM STILL UNSOLVED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Sunday The financial debate in the House of Representatives maintained a fairly general level of dullness during the past week and practically the only incident of importance was the speech by the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes. He contented himself largely with a review of the difficulties which the Government has been called on to face during the past four years and pointed out that although the Government had been criticised in certain quarters for taking drastic aetipn everything it had done had been dictated by circumstances over which it had no control.

The controversy over the raising of the exchange rate was resurrected by the Prime Minister's reply to statements made at Dunedin last Monday by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart. Actually not much has been heard about exchange this session, although Labour still regards it as an additional tax on people who can ill afford to pay, while there is evidence that with some city members the memory of the increase still rankles, An Amusing Interlude However, the general practice has been to regard it with philosophic resignation, and the fact that the difference of views between Mr. Forbes and Mr. Stewart was treated almost as a private argument is indicative of the attitude of the House. The discussion on the Imprest Supply Bill last Wednesday night provided an amusing interlude. Any stranger in the galleries might well have been forgiven for thinking that a Broadcasting Bill was under discussion by the House. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, led off wit! ~ : s annual attack on the press of the Dominion. He developed his theme by demanding a full extension of broadcasting facilities, his contention being apparently that the Labour Party should be permitted to fill the air with its own brand of propaganda. Board's Difficult Task Broadcasting is generally regarded in the main as a form of entertainment, but according to Mr. Savage and his party people can be expected to sit round their firesides and listen just as attentively to political speeches as they do to operatic selections or the commentary 011 a wrestling match.

In the discussion which followed Mr. Savage's speech two potential broadcasting artists, Mr. F. Langstone (Labour —Waimarino) and Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour —Christchurch East) gave some political patter which might possibly have proved amusing over the air.

Incidentally, the subject of political broadcasting is still under review by the New Zealand Broadcasting Board, with special reference to the possible use of wireless during the election campaign. It is understood that some difficulty is being experienced in finding a satisfactory formula for party representation over the air, but it is possible that either party leaders will be allowed to broadcast or else that limited periods will be allotted to all candidates at selected stations. The whole question is one that bristles with difficulties.