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Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1938, Page 5

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LABOUR BROADCASTING STATION , FEDERAL MINISTER DEFENDS HIS ACTION. OBSERVANCE OF STANDARDS DEMANDED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 22. In an interview in Melbourne last night on his way to Adelaide, the Post-master-General (Mr Cameron) said that he accepted full responsibility for the withdrawal of the licence of the Labour broadcasting station, 2KY. At 4 p.m. yesterday he had given a personal warning that action would be taken if the station failed to conform with the requirements of his department. He added: “We expect from the commercial broadcasting stations the same standards of ethics as is demanded from the newspapers." It is understood that correspondence between the Postmaster-General’s Department and 2KY has been going on for two years concerning the transmission of statements which were regarded as objectionable by the Federal Government, particularly upon international affairs. Officials of 2KY expressed amazement at the suddenness of the Post-master-General’s action, which is attributed to views and statements eman 7 ating from their news commentator upon the pig-iron dispute at Port Kembla and the controversy between Mr Thorby and Mr Curtin, one remark picturing Mr Thorby as trying to run Australia with a spittoon in one hand and a smoking gun in the other. The Prime Minister, Mr J. A. Lyons, stated that he did not propose to take any further action at present in regard to the dispute between Mr Thorby and Mr Curtin in view of Mr Curtin’s acceptance of Mr Thorby’s explanation. HEATED REMARKS. MR THORBY APOLOGISES TO MR CURTIN. SYDNEY, December 22. Mr Thorby today telephoned an apology to Mr Curtin at Perth for the statements to which Mr Curtin took exception. “I regret any heated remarks regarding you and offer you my apology and seasonal greetings,'” said Mr Thorby. Mr Curtin told Press interviewers in Perth that he freely accepted the apology. He regarded the matter closed and had reciprocated with seasonal greetings. MUCH DISAPPROVAL MINISTER’S ACTION THOUGHT HIGH-HANDED. POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 22. The action of the Postmaster-Gener-al, Mr Cameron, in withdrawing the licence of the Labour radio station, 2KY, is causing wide comment and substantial disapproval in political and other quarters. Judging from statements pun ched in today’s “Sun,” some of the Government’s own supporters regard Mr Cameron’s action as high-handed and likely to have serious political repercussions, particularly in view of Mr Thvby’s recent clash with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Curtin. A prominent member of the United Australian Party, Mr W. McCall, declared: “It is not easy to imagine ar.y statement made from 2KY more dangerous than that for which one of Mr Lyons’s own Cabinet colleages has just apologised.” The main development today was the decision of Mr R. King, president of the Sydney Trades, and Labour Council which controls 2KY, to fly to South Australia to contact Mr Cameron with a view to inducing him to reconsider the ban. Mr Cameron announced from Adelaide today that he was prepared to negotiate with representatives of 2KY, but declined to disclose his reason for putting the station off the air. A large number of Labour enthusiasts today demonstrated in the Sydney streets against Mr Cameron, registering through loudspeakers a lusty protest over the stifling of free speech.