PRESS CRITICISM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1939, Page 5

PRESS CRITICISM

VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT MEMBER. BRITISH PAPERS MUCH MORE FAIR. (By Telegraph—Press Association.; WELLINGTON, This Day. The newspapers of Britain were much more more fair to Mr Nash and to the New Zealand Government than were the papers of the Dominion, said Mr R. M. Macfarlane (Government, Christchurch South) in moving the Address in Reply in the House of Representatives last night. Mr Macfarlane launched a general criticism that the opponents of the Government were seeking to create a psychology of fear, not only to discredit the Government but to damage the country as well. “The Opposition left nothing undone in the election that might create a fear psychology in the minds of the people,” said Mr Macfarlane, “but despite those tactics’ the country’s experience of the Labour Government was such that the Government was returned with an overwhelming majority. The people thoroughly understood the issue before them, and gave a very clear answer. In spite of this, there are some people who are show-' ing still that they are unable to accept the people’s verdict.”

There had been no criticism in New. Zealand or overseas when Britain gave loans to Turkey and other foreign countries, said Mr Macfarlane,. but because of political reasons, when Mr Nash went to England to arrange for repayment of a loan for which his Government was not responsible, the critics showed that they did not believe that New Zealand should be given the same treatment. New Zealand deserved the same treatment as any other country, and he regretted very much that there had been so much criticism of the mission of Mr Nash.

British newspapers of all political colours had been far more fair to Mr Nash than had the newspapers of New Zealand, he said. British journals had all emphasised the loyalty of New Zealand and the Dominion's claim to sympathetic consideration, and were generally tolerant. Criticism in the NewZealand Press had been destructive where it ought to have been constructive.