THE GOVERNMENT AND MR SCRIMGEOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23162, 12 April 1937, Page 8

THE GOVERNMENT AND MR SCRIMGEOUR

A noticeable circumstance in connection with the recent outburst by the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour from the national commercial broadcasting station at Auckland against the press of the Dominion has been the studied reticence of the Labour Party on the subject. No member of the Government or of its Parliamentary following seems to have had a word to utter on the matter. There is an old saying that silence gives consent, yet palpably the onus was cast upon the Government to show where it stood. Here was the case of a public servant using State equipment for the purpose of broadcasting a rash and offensive tirade, full of political gall, in which he deliberately singled out the press as an enemy. Is the Government pleased with its servant? Does it consider that he acted within the scope of his rights and duties as such? By way of

commentary such questions were put plainly enough for it to answer. But it has evidently been intensely preoccupied with other weighty matters. Pressed for an indication of its attitude—for it is important to know whether or not it approves of Mr Scrimgeour's extraordinary behaviour—the Postmaster-General, who is acting Minister in Charge of Broadcasting, has offered the diplomatic statement that he has not yet had the opportunity of making a thorough examination of the regulations governing commercial broadcasting. The matter, he says,' has not yet been considered by the Government, but a full inquiry will be made. It will be very interesting to see what that may bring forth. But if an inquiry is needed to enable the Minister and the Government to decide what they think about Mr Scrimgeour and his doings, then a curious declension is surely revealed from the usual forthrightness and vision of our Labour Administration.