PUT OFF THE AIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 9

PUT OFF THE AIR

SYDNEY’S LABOUR STATION STATEMENTS OBJECTED TO SUDDENNESS OF ACTION (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) SYDNEY, Dec. 21. Interviewed in Melbourne to-night on his way to Adelaide, the Post-master-general, Mr A. G. Cameron, said that he accepted full responsibility for the withdrawal of 2KY’s licence at 4 p.m. to-day. He had given a personal warning that action would be taken if the station failed to conform to the requirements of his department, and added: “We expect from the commercial broadcasting stations the same standard of ethics as is demanded from the newspapers.” “ It is understood that correspondence between the Postmastergeneral’s department and 2KY has been going on for two years concerning the transmission of statements regarded as objectionable by the Federal Government, particularly upon international affairs. Officials of 2KY expressed amazement at the suddenness of the Post-master-general’s action, which is attributed to the views and statements emanating from their news commentator upon the pig iron dispute at Port Kembla and the controversy between Mr Thorby and Mr Curtin. One of his remarks was that Mr Thorby “ was trying to run Australia with a spitoon in one hand and a smoking gun in the other.” The Prime Minister stated that he did not propose to take any further action at present in regard to the dispute between Mr Thorby and Mr Curtin in view of Mr Curtin’s acceptance of Mr Thorby’s explanation.

ONE MINUTE’S NOTICE LABOUR MOTIONS OF PROTEST SYDNEY, Dec. 22. One minute’s notice was given to the station that it was to be cut off the air, and 2KY had no opportunity to inform the listeners. Mr R. King. M.L.C. (secretary of the 2KY Committee) said Mr Cameron had complained that the 2KY news commentator (Mr J. Morley), had attacked individuals. Mr King added that Mr Cameron was trying to stifle free speech over the air. About 20 minutes after the station was cut out the chief radio inspector (Mr W. T. Crawford) arrived at the transmitting station at French’s Forest on the northern side of the harbour, accompanied by a policeman armed with a warrant to enter the station, and the transmitter was closed. The Australian Labour Party decided last night to call upon all branches and workers, generally to carry motions of protest. Mr Lyons, who was in Devonport last night, made telephone contact with Mr Cameron at Ararat and arranged for Mr Cameron to get in touch with the controllers of the station to-day. WIDE COMMENT CAUSED REPERCUSSIONS LIKELY SYDNEY, Dec. 22. (Received Dec. 23, at 1.15 a.m.)_ The Postmaster-general’s action in withdrawing 2KY’s licence is causing wide comment and substantial disapproval in political and other quarters, judging from statements published in to-day’s Sun. Some of the Government’s own supporters regal’d Mr Cameron’s action as highhanded and likely to have serious political repercussions, coupled with Mr Thorby’s recent clash with the Leader of the Opposition. One prominent member of the United Australia Party, Mr W. McCall, declared it was not easy to imagine any statement made from 2KY more dangerous than that for which one of Mr Lyons’s own Ministers had just apologised. The main development to-day was the decision of Mr R. King, president of the Sydney Trades and Labour Council, which controls 2KY, to fly to South Australia to make a contact with Mr Cameron, with a view to inducing him to reconsider the ban. , , . , Mr Cameron announced from Adelaide to-day that he was prepared to negotiate with representatives of 2KY, but declined to disclose the reason for putting the station off the air. A large number of Labour enthusiasts to-day demonstrated in Sydney streets against Mr Cameron registering through loudspeakers a lusty protest against .the stifling of free speech.