RADIO TALK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21110, 9 August 1938, Page 6

RADIO TALK

Nationalists Assailed PRIME MINISTER DECLINES TO COMMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 8. Almost the sole topic of conversation in Parliament Buildings to-day is the broadcast given over station 2ZB last evening by the controller of commercial broadcasting service, Mr C. G. Scrinigeour. Tire address contained numerous references to politicians as well as to members of the National Party outside the House of Representatives, and it can be stated with reasonable certainty that the Opposition will endeavour to nave the matter fully ventilated when the House meets tomorrow. The exact form in which members of the Opposition will make their protest against Mr Scrimgeour’s broadcast is rot yet known, but it will probably be determined at a caucus of the parly to be held to-morrow morning. There were only four members of the Opposition in Wellington to-day—the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Mr W. J. Broadfoot, Mr W. A. Bodkin and the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata—but the majority of the remaining members are returning to-morrow morning. The Leader of the Opposition, tile Hon. Adam Hamilton, who lias been spending the week-end at Invercargill, is not expected to return to Wellington until Wednesday. Although at least two members of Parliament were mentioned by name in the broadcast, it is not thought that, the Opposition will raise the question of privilege. The more likely course is a motion for the adjournment of the House at the start of to-morrow’s sitting. This course can be taken for the discussion of a definite matter of urgent public importance, and it rests with the Speaker to determine whether the question comes within this category. In normal circumstances the matter could be fully ventilated by members in the financial Debate which is at present in progress, but 15 Opposition members have already taken part in this discussion and are not entitled to speak again. This position could be overcome by the moving of an amendment to the motion which gives rise to the Flnanc'al Debate. There has been no indication of the attitude of the Government toward Mr Scrimgeour’s broadcast. At the conclusion of a long meeting of the Cabinet this evening, the Prime Minister declined to make any comment on the matter. In response to an inquiry he stated that it had not teen discussed by the Cabinet.