FREE EXPRESSION OF OPINION URGED

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1947, Page 5

FREE EXPRESSION OF OPINION URGED

N.Z. DELEGATE’S ADDRESS TO UNITED NATIONS

(P.A.) Wellington, Oct. 2. Speaking at a meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation in New York, Mrs. I E. Roberts, one of the New Zealand delegates, discussed the necessity for free expression of opinion, and the necessity for both press and people to have a sense of responsibility. She said the services commenced bv U.N.R.R.A., and continued today, should not be summarily discontinned. The role of the United Nalions should be to stimulate research and co-ordinate the activities in this connection and to provide advice’ to member governments on the means of obtaining assistance. New Zealand felt the lime was opportune to commence a change in the function of the United Nations as regards these services. Such a change was not motivated by any question of worth of the services, but it would seem that that field was already covered to sane degree by inter-governmental and

national agencies, and tor this reason the role of the United Nations should he rather to increase the availability of these services. This could be done not so much by undertaking further activities but by making known the availability of the services and facilitating their use. Referring to the International Childrens Emergency Fund. Mrs. Roberts said it was the concern of her delegation to ensure that administrative expense should bear proper relationship to relief operations, and to total finance available. She concluded with a plea for the return to the wartime practice of husbanding scarce resources, and concentrating such resources in one field at a time. Only by the establishment of priorities ’ by' wise discrimination and careful selection could the council be sure of complete and honourable success, rathe)' than a disappointing partial success in several different spheres.