The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “LUCEO NON URO.” MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1937. The Government And The Press

Southland Times, Issue 23142, 8 March 1937, Page 6

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “LUCEO NON URO.” MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1937. The Government And The Press

Following the fashion of some of his colleagues in the Labour Government the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) after making the maximum use of the newspapers during his stay in Southland, aimed a few kicks at them before he left. Speaking of the New Zealand Press at a social evening on Friday, he said it was playing “a very sorry part indeed.” It offered no constructive suggestions but just “continued criticism —criticism which in no way adhered to the canons of fair play.” When he spoke in these terms Mr Sullivan had just finished a three-day tour of the province which was reported as fully as any reasonable man could desire. In this paper the reports over the three days filled 11 columns—and a considerable part of the copy was supplied for publication by the Minister himself. Other Ministers who have visited Southland in the last few weeks— Mr Savage, Mr Semple, Mr Webb, Mr Armstrong and Mr Fraser — have been just as liberally treated; and their treatment by the' Southland newspapers is typical of their treatment by the New Zealand Press generally. The Press has given members of the Government what must be regarded, by any reasonable standard, as an extremely fair and honest hearing. They have had generous space not only for their speeches and statements but for any replies they have cared to make to newspaper criticism. Their movements everywhere have been reported as fully as the movements of any of their predecessors in office; and many newspapers, during the last session, published more Parliamentary news than ever before. Editorially, the Press has been critical of the Government; but by no means all the criticism has been adverse—the Government’s education policy, its part in foreign affairs, its road safety campaign, its recently-announced broadcasting plans, and its public works policy are measures which come to mind as having been approved, wholly or in part, by the newspapers. On other matters the Government and the Press have not seen eye to eye; but if some of the Press criticism has been outspoken, it has not been unfair. And much of it has been no more severe than was made of certain measures of the last Government and of earlier Governments of this country. Mr Sullivan said he had read dozens of editorials and “on not one occasion” had he found a concrete suggestion to help him. It is quite obvious that in cases where Mr Sullivan decides on one course and the Press opposes that course, Mr Sullivan will see no good in the Press; but his charge that Press criticism has been purely destructive can easily be disproved by reference to the newspaper files. The fact of the matter is that members of the Government are too apt to credit themselves with more than a human share of wisdom and sincerity; and some of them have become so conscious of these supernormal powers that they deeply resent the merest touch of criticism. They can do no wrong; and if the Press thinks they are doing wrong then the Press is dishonest and corrupt. Apart from that, Labour politicians have found no doubt that if they blackguard the Press loud enough and long enough they actually do convince some people that they are labouring under a Great Injustice; and winning sympathy of that kind may mean votes. But it is a singular thing that visitors to this country who are qualified to judge should, one after another, commend the honesty, cleanness and general quality of its newspaper Press and that it should be left to men like Mr Savage, Mr Sullivan and Mr Semple to uncover all these very damaging faults. Mr Semple said at Wellington the other day that if ever he had the power of a dictator the first thing he would “wield his weapons on” would be the Press. Mr Semple was careful to qualify this remark by saying that he had no desire to be a dictator; but it seems clear that if he had his way the Press-—in keeping with most other services in this country—would be subject to State control. The newspapers which Mr Semple and Mr Sullivan would enjoy reading would be the newspapers of Germany and Russia; for since the papers in these countries are told precisely what they may print and where and how they may print it—and are forced out of existence if they disobey the Ministry of State Propaganda—they are invariably “fair” to the totalitarian governments which have enslaved them. Is the time coming when the people of New Zealand will have to .fight to retain even the basic right of free speech?