PRESS CONTROL ALLEGED

Southland Times, Issue 23182, 24 April 1937, Page 8

PRESS CONTROL ALLEGED

DENIAL BY MR FRASER “THE VERY IDEA IS RIDICULOUS” (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 23. Commenting on the remarks made by Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P. for Central Otago, at Waipukurau on Tuesday, in which he said it looked as if the stage was to be set up for the control of the Press and that the outburst of Mr C. G. Scrimgeour at Auckland was not the outpouring of a disgruntled public servant, but was made by him as the official head of a State department from the State radio station, and that Mr Scrimgeour was no doubt instructed to prepare public opinion for the setting up of a censorship, the acting Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) said there was absolutely not one iota of fact to justify the baseless conclusions, advanced with all the assurance of truth and calculated, intentionally or unintentionally, to mislead his hearers, contained in that statement. “The Government has never at any time considered for one moment anything so stupid as, to use Mr Bodkin’s own words, ‘the muzzling of the Press,’ by which, I suppose, he means a peacetime censorship. The very idea is ridiculous.” Regarding the reference by Mr Bodkin to the control of radio Mr Fraser said the Government has used the broadcasting service for parliamentary debates with scrupulous fairness, and would continue to do so. Mr Fraser added that the statement made by Mr Scrimgeour in regard to a section of the Press was made without the consent, knowledge or approval of the Government. The propriety of the State radio broadcasting station being used by a public servant for controversial purposes had received the attention of the Government. The Labour Party had always fought for freedom of speech and freedom of expression and these precious privileges of democracy were safer in the Government’s hands than in those of their political opponents. “NO FAULT TO FIND” GISBORNE, April 23. “I’m a loyal member of the Labour Party,” said Mr A. G. Hultquist, M.P. for the Bay of Plenty, in an address at Patutahi last evening, “and while I’ve been a member we have never yet carried any resolution about the Press of the Dominion. We have no right to criticize the Press and what it publishes. If it does not say about me the things I want said the best thing I can do is to get a Press of my own. Personally I have no fault to find with the treatment given me by the Press and in spite of criticism at election time I can honestly say I've had a fair run. Referring to the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour’s criticism Mr Hultquist said Mr Scrimgeour was not his mouthpiece. Defending Mr Scrimgeour’s appointment he said it would not have been honest to have advertised the position “because we had already decided that Mr Scrimgeour was the man for the job.” ________