LABOUR COMPLAINT

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 192, 14 August 1931, Page 13

LABOUR COMPLAINT

Broadcast of Dunedin Speech. “BREACH OF THE LAW.” Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 13. In the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr Holland, leader of the Labour Party, asked whether the Government had taken any action with regard to a “ flagrant breach of the law ” made by the Radio Broadcasting Company in sending over the air from 4YA on August 10 a speech by Mr A. C. Cameron, president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, “ a bitterly partisan pronouncement in which the British Government and the Australian and New Zealand Labour Parties were attacked in unfortunately abusive language.” Mr Holland also asked whether the Government would issue instructions that under no circumstances must radio broadcasting privileges be used to send over the air any political or other speech couched in language of the nature employed by Mr Cameron, and whether the Government would take steps to ensure that broadcasting privileges would not be confined to one political section. He stated he was receiving letters from Southland and Otago and other parts of New Zealand protesting against the' broadcasting of Mr Cameron’s speech. The Hon J- B. Donald, PostmasterGeneral, replied that inquiry was being made into the circumstances surrounding the broadcasting of this speech which, he understood, had been made at the annual meeting of the. Chamber of Commerce. It was not known at present whether the company had taken usual and proper precautions with the object of ensuring that the regulations concerning the broadcasting of political matter were not contravened. If it was found that such precautions had been neglected, suitable action would be taken. Mr Donald stated that the present regulations prohibited the broadcasting of political and controversial matter. The Government had no intention of conferring privileges on any political or other section.