COMMENTING ON BROADCASTS

Southland Times, Issue 23840, 10 June 1939, Page 6

COMMENTING ON BROADCASTS

ALLEGED RESTRICTION ON NEWSPAPERS “RECENT REGULATIONS” DISCUSSED “Recent broadcasting regulations governing newspaper comment on broadcast statements” were briefly discussed by the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on Thursday evening. Though no member had direct information about the matter, these regulations, it was decided that a thorough investigation should be made, and this duty was delegated to the Parliamentary Bills Committee of the chamber, says The Press. The existence of such regulations was assumed in a memorandum from the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, which stated that “publicity is to be given to the loss of liberty to the subject involved in certain regulations governing newspaper comment on broadcast statements.” . ~ “Do we know anything about this? asked a member when the memorandum was read. The president (Mr W S. Mac Gibbon) said that Mr V. E. Hamilton could explain, and called on Mr Hamilton to make a report. Mr Hamilton said it had been reported to a meeting of the executive of the Associated Chambers that regulations had been gazetted making it illegal for a newspaper or any person to comment on any broadcast statement. “A Minister or anyone may put over the most violent political stuff, and you dare not reply to it,” he said. He added that he had personally no direct information about the matter, as it was just what he had been told. Hpwever, an investigation seemed to be called for. There was no further discussion, and the Parliamentary Bills Committee was asked to undertake inquiries.