The Waipawa Mail WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1938. LABOR AND THE PRESS

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 95, 18 May 1938, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1938. LABOR AND THE PRESS

THE public have become accustomed to the practice of the Labor Government of endeavoring to belittle criticism by allegations that it proceeds from Press bias and unfairness. But it will be surprising to many that the Minister of Finance should join in this chorus. No Government has received from the Press of New Zealand greater, more generous, facilities for placing its case before the public. The Government policy and defence have been presented fully and fairly. The repayment for this has been unwarranted attacks and hints (though these were not repeated by Mr Nash) of an intention to restrict the freedom of the Press. The lack of justification for Mr Nash’s charges of “with some rare exceptions” unfairness, bias, partisanship, and sometimes viciousness, must be apparent to a fairminded reader. The attack was general; the proof comprised a few isolated instances based on one-sided evidence. The statemerit, or insinuation, that letters to the Editor are manufactured in the newspaper offices is most unjustifiable of all. The correspondence columns of a newspaper are open to all, irrespective of political creed or color, the only conditions being that letters are not too personal, are free from libel and slanderous statements. So far as reporting is concerned it has always been a tradition of the New Zealand Press that reporters must not allow their private opinions or views to color their “copy.” Criticism is left for the editorial writer. The explanation of these attacks against the Press is, however, quite simple. A party which, in Opposition, subjected its opponents to the most severe and strongly-worded denunciation, is unable to take criticism itself. Its policy and adminstration are being criticised —and quite rightly so—and it is trying to divert attention by blaming the Press. Probably the municipal elections and the failure of the Labor Party to monopolise local government for Socialism were a shock to the Government. But if it is deluding itself, or trying to make the public believe, that the growing opposition to Socialism has no real bias, it will have a much greater shock.