PARLIAMENT ON THE AIR

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23315, 26 September 1945, Page 5

PARLIAMENT ON THE AIR

Listeners Have No Illusions <7.30 p.m.) CANBERRA. Sept. 25. Reports on the public reaction to the broadcasting of Parliamentary proceedings in New Zealand were heard by the Parliamentary Committee which yesterday continued its inquiry into the advisability of broadcasting Federal Parliamentary debates. The committee was told that when the New Zealand House of Representatives was on the air people were "‘under no illusions as to the shortcomings in speech or argument of their members.” The chairman ol the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Mr R. J. Boyer, declared that broadcasts in Nev.Zealand had brought adverse comment on Parliament itself. He said certain members were reported to have lost their seats because of the poor showing they made over the air. Six-hour daily broadcasts from the Federal House have been suggested by the Troadcasting Commission. The New Zealand High Com-

missioner, Mr J. G. Barclay, outlined the proceedings i ■ New Zealand. Mr Boyer read to the c ennnttee a report he had submitted to the Broadcasting ' ommission after his visi* to New Zealand He said that the total broadcasting of Parliament was made possible mainly because of the small degree of interference with normal programmes. No adequate survey had yet been made in New Zeeland on the degree of attraction of listening to parliamentary debates, but one could not fail to be impressed with the widespread acceptance of tire practice by every section of the community as evidenced in casual i uestioning. Mr Boyer suggested that a committee should be set up. including the Speaker of the House, president of the Senate and the Party Whips'to make a decision on which debates should be broadcast, from cither Chamber, how lon-’ the debates should last and when thedebates shou.d take place