RADIO SERVICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23117, 16 August 1938, Page 11

RADIO SERVICES

EACE FOE STJPEEMACY FREEDOM NOT A REALITY MR. S. G. SMITH'S COMMENTS [by TKLKGKAI'Ji OWN CORRESPONDENT] PALMERSTON NORTH, Monday A statement that fredom of the air was not a reality and that the National Party Was not getting a fair share of time from broadcasting stations, was made by Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P. for New Plymouth, when speaking in Paluierston North. Ho aroused a chorus of protests from a noisy section of the audience when he reiterated that the position at the present time was far from fair. "Apart from any controversy, any unbiassed person who looks into the position must agree that tho state of affairs is quite unsatisfactory," said Mr. Smith. "We have YA stations and 13 stations and their race for supremacy. The stations belong to the people, who pay their fees. Apart altogether from the broadcasting of Parliament —and as much as 1 think it is a tremendous struggle to listen to it, when we get back in November wo will not discontinue the broadcasting of Parliament —the National Party is not getting fair treatment as far as broadcasting is concerned. "Broadcasting," continued Mr. Smith, "is not fair, because all sections of the community do not get the same opportunity of putting their view. That is apart from Parliament. If the air is to be free to all sections of the community, why was the moderator of tho Presbyterian Church refused the right to broadcast a sermon ? Why was Father Dudley told that so long as ho referred to Communism'ho would not be allowed to talk over the air? Why was Mr. Robinson, the secretary of tho Farmers' Union in Auckland, put otf the air? Because he was telling tho farmers about the guaranteed price."