PARLIAMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23352, 18 November 1937, Page 12

PARLIAMENT

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Peb United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 17, The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. WANGANUI HARBOUR BILL The Wanganui Harbour District and Empowering Bill (Mr M. Connelly) was read a second time. BROADCASTING BILL

The second reading debate on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill was continued by Mr T. F. Doyle, who supported the principles of commercial broadcasting.

Mr C. J. Carrington referred to the divided control which would be brought about by the Bill, and said he believed the proposal for this division had been asked for by the Director of Commercial Broadcasting. After stating that Mr Scrimgeour was controlling broadcasting in the Dominion, he stated that when the Communists had secured their desires and the Dominion had become Sovietised the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting would become Commissar of Broadcasting. The spread of Communism was being helped by broadcasting and it had been raised to such a state that it could claim the protection of the Government. Mr Carrington went on to state that carpenters in Auckland who were utterly opposed to Communism were compelled to contribute to their union which published a bulletin filled from cover to cover with Communistic aspirations. He was checked by the Speaker and was asked to return to the Bill. Mr T. Bloodworth said the bulletin referred to was not objectionable and every section of the community was entitled to express its opinions. Mr W. W. Snodgrass said that as money was being made out of commercial broadcasting the licence fees should be reduced by half.

Mr W. Hayward said the Bill was necessary and he would support it. Mr D. Wilson, while expressing opposition to Communism, argued that the Government was right in preventing attacks on Communists over the air.

The Leader of the Council (Mr M. Fagan) deprecated Mr Carrington’s attitude, which he said was a violation of the traditional attitude of the Council to' legislation. Discussing the claim that dual control would be harmful he said there was no dual control because the national and commercial broadcasting were distinct departments. , Replying to Mr Waite’s contention that the Farmers’ Union should be allowed to stale its case, he said the union had a number of advocates in the Lower House where the discussions were broadcast. The Bill was put through its remaining stages and passed, the Council rising at 4.5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (From Oun Parliamentary Reporter' WELLINGTON, Nov. 17. The proceedings in the House of Representatives to-day were not of a sensational nature. The afternoon was spent in discussing replies to questions asked by members, and to-night the House concluded without any great enthusiasm the second reading debate on the Physical Welfare and Recreation Bill. The House rose at 10 p.m.