STATION 2KY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1938, Page 6

STATION 2KY

LABOUR ORGANISATIONS IN A FRENZY FEDERAL MINISTER WIDELY CRITICISED. ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH CONDEMNED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 23. Labour organisations in Australia are in a frenzy over the peremptory closing of their radio station 2KY by order of the Postmaster-General, Mr Cameron, and are preparing a public meeting of protest by business men. advertisers, and sympathisers generally. They are also preparing petitions for signature throughout the State. Certain key unions are threatening direction action. The metal trades contemplate irritation strikes on defence contracts and munitions and powerhouse employees are considering a partial blackout of the city. Officials of 2KY declare that they are receiving sympathetic messages from listeners in all parts of the State.' A report from Adelaide tonight states that Mr Cameron refuses to be stampeded by Labour threats and resents accusations that he is attempting a dictatorship, and he is getting quite used to the designation of Fascist when something is done by a Cabinet Minister which is disapproved of by the person who is affected. The “Sydney Morning Herald,” commenting editorially on the banning of 2KY, says: “The Postmaster-General appears to think he owes nobody an explanation of his unprecedented action. Since the principle of free speech would seem to be involved, the fullest justification will be required by the public of a procedure which, if it is not explained, savours too much of dictatorial censorship to be palatable to a freedom-lov-ing community. “This autocratic method of administering a department may be suited to Mr Cameron’s temperament, but it is contrary to the ordinary amenities of intercourse between the Post Office and its clients. “It is angering ’to the public, and, pending a satisfactory explanation, must be damaging to the Government, which has already been shaken by Mr Thorby’s recent intolerant outburst. “The Lyons administration was earlier embarrassed by Mr Paterson’s blundering in the handling of the case of Mrs Freer.' Mr Thorby’s errors and indiscretions did it further injury. Now a third Country Party Minister’s maladroit handling of a matter touching freedom of speech has aroused a fresh storm. “The tendency to clothe heads of departments with arbitrary powers to legislate, adjudicate, and pass sentence without resort to the courts is one of the most vicious features of presentday political life. If it is not checked democracy will narrow down from precedent to precedent till bureaucracy is ultimately enthroned in its place.” TERMS OF RESTORATION. A REPORTED AGREEMENT. SYDNEY, December 23. It was reported here this evening that the Postmaster-General had agreed to the terms of an agreement for the restoration of station 2KY’s licence. ON THE AIR AGAIN TERMS OF SETTLEMENT ENDORSED. , . APOLOGY MADE FOR UNTRUE BROADCAST. (Received This. Day, 11.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The 2KY dispute has been settled and the station will be on the air today. The Board of Management of the station endorses the terms of the agreement reached when Mr King interviewed the Postmaster-General (Mr Camcron). An apology is published this morning in the Labour paper, the “Daily News,” in which an admission is made that statements which had been broadcast from 2KY were untrue, and which the person making them should have known were untrue.