FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 77, 1 April 1938, Page 6

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

qhlE Standard, the Labour Party’s pronounced partisan paper, complains because a commercial broadcasting station sought to exploit the departure from New Zealand of one of its staff by holding a meeting, the proceeds from which were in aid of the Crippled Children’s Society. This is held up as a restraint of Ihe freedom of the Press. The complaint is specious because the whole affair was an advertising stunt, designed for the purpose of exploiting a business undertaking, the benefit to the Crippled Children’s Fund being but the almond icing on the commercial cake. Nobody is deceived by such efforts to exploit charitable aims for commercial purposes, but that docs not turn a commercial stunt into a public function, and the Standard knows it. What is of importance is that the Standard itself never gives to those to whom it is opposed, any semblance of fair treatment. For instance, it is self-evident that Mr. S. G. Holland is a first-class debater, and one who is causing members of the Labour Party furiously to think, as the French say. Instead of tackling his arguments, the Standard, in its Current Commentary,” says of him: “Mr. Holland emits a great deal 01. noise and very little argument.” If that is the fare with which supporters of the Labour Party are to be satisfied, then they arc demanding very little. The Standard is, of course, entitled to provide this thin fare, if that is all that is asked for, but it need not misrepresent its opponents if it desires to stand for decent public life, and it need not deliberately misrepresent the Press in respect to commercial stunts.