ADVANTAGE OF PARLIAMENTARY RADIO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 203, 28 August 1943, Page 4

ADVANTAGE OF PARLIAMENTARY RADIO

*pHE advantage which Parliamentarians, as such, enjoy over

private citizens, is the ability of the former to attack the latter under the cover of the privilege of the Parliament and to have that attack broadcast over the Dominion network has again been exemplified by Mr. Fraser’s attack on Mr. Will Appleton. An advertisement inserted in a Wellington newspaper was di am n in good faith and based on data, drawn from official sources. There appears to be the possibility that one slight, slip was made m the advertisement in question, but it does not appear* to have been inaccurate in its general character, although it might be capable of explanation. Mr. Fraser made an attack upon his elec-’ tioneering opponent from the floor of the House, with the radio privileges attached, from which privileges Mr. Appleton is effectively barred. Jlr. Fraser would have suffered no hardship had he eschewed using the House in which to conduct his electioneering campaign and had confined himself to the Wellington newspapers in the same way as did Mr. Appleton. Mr. Fraser has now attacked both his opponents in the election campaign by means of the radio, and unless he makes it possible for Messrs. Appleton and Scrimgeour to make their replies to the Prime Minister’s attacks it will be difficult for him to escape the charge of taking unfair advantage of his official and privileged position.

The subject* is, however, wider than the mere contest in Wellington Central. It means that any Parliamentarian may discredit bis opponent and I lie latter can have, no equal opportunities for stating his views compared with the Parliamentarian speaking in Parliament. Such incidents have occurred before and they will no doubt continue while the present regime continues.

The whole of the radio arrangements of the, Dominion need to be placed upon a better and a cleaner footing than they are now. The sooner a change of Government occurs the sooner will it be possible for this to be done. But there is no prospect of the present regime altering its tactics in respect to the misuse of the radio.