PRESS CONSISTENCY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22808, 18 February 1936, Page 10

PRESS CONSISTENCY

COMPLAINTS BY COUNCILLORS ALLEGATION OF DISRESPECT PROPOSED PUNITIVE MEASURES Cr D. G. M'Millan wants the free sale of newspapers in city streets restricted and the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) would have municipal advertising withdrawn from one journal and concentrated in " respectable" publications. In Cr M'Millan's case it is a dislike of privileged treatment of a wealthy company, while the Mayor cites " disrespect to the council" as the reason for his suggestion. It all arose out of a discussion at last night's meeting of the City Council on the privileges of news vendors in the streets and a proposal by the General Committee to control such privileges. Cr M'Millan complained that the proposals did not go far enough, and as a result he would move as an amendment that the clause dealing with the subject should bo referred back to the committee.

"There is a wealthy newspaper iu this city," ho said, " which has been consistently opposed to anything that has been for the good of the city, which is privileged to sell its papers in the streets without contributing anything to the income of this council. I would like to sec the newspapers forced, like any other business, to enter premises and pay rent. Of course, we will be told that this will cause hardship to the newsboys, but I would just suggest that we now have a Government that intends to look after the people. The fathers of these boys will be getting a fair living wage and their sons will not have to go out and work in this way." There was no response when the Mayor called for a seconder, whereupon he seconded the amendment himself, but only pro forma. Cr F. W. Mitchell said, he was not in any way connected with the newspapers, but he thought Cr M'Millan's remarks about consistent opposition to things for the good of the city was in bad form and not fair. He was sorry Cr M'Millan had said what he did. Cr J. W. Munro said he was opposed to the amendments. Apparently Cr M'Millan thought he could get some revenue from the papers. If that were possible he might support the amendment, but all they would do would be to cause inconvenience to the general public. He did not think the newspapers would be greatly put out if they were prohibited from selling papers on the street. Such action would only injure the public. "In any case," concluded Cr Munro, "it looks like ' getting one back' on the newspapers, and I would not bo a party to that." ,„■••■.,, The Mayor said that Cr M'Millan would be nearer the mark if he suggested that the Council withheld its advertising from one of the newspapers for its "consistent disrespect to this council, and give it to other respectable papers. Cr M'Millan was cried down when he claimed the right of reply, but he insisted on a point of misrepresentation by Cr Munro. He was not trying to "get one back" on the newspapers. He had nothing but the kindliest feelings for the newspapers, but he did not think they should be privileged. Cr A. H. Allen said that if they did what Cr M'Millan suggested they would be the laughing stock of the world. The amendment was defeated, and the committee's proposal for control was adopted. __________________