THE WAIPUKURAU PRESS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1935. RIGHT OF SELF EXPRESSION.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 240, 17 October 1935, Page 4

THE WAIPUKURAU PRESS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1935. RIGHT OF SELF EXPRESSION.

In an interesting leading article, under the above caption, the “Melbourne Argus” recently made some interesting observations as to freedom of speech : “The battle for the right of self-expression was fought in England in the eighteenth century. The nineteenth century saw the consolidation of that which had been gained in the preceding years. It developed side by side with the evolution of the democratic ideal in politics. On the Continent of Europe, however, the liberal ideal did not assume political form until the twentieth century, and even then only tentatively and partially. How lightly these ideals were implanted in Germany and Italy may be appreciated in the light of recent events. Before the Hitler coup the German press enjoyed a legal measure of liberty. But Germany was not so accustomed to freedom as to be willing to fight for it when the legions of the Nazis turned back a great nation to conditions of medieval barbarism. The German press to-day is completely in the hands of the leadership of the Third Reich. There are no newspapers of which the Reich does not approve, no editors of whom it does not approve, and no articles but official articles. The entire press is organised in the Reich Press Association, which is part of the Reich Chamber of Culture. One cannot be a journalist without the sanction of the state. A government which rests upon force instead of justice cannot tolerate criticism. British newspapers have been banned in Gerr|any because they have exercised the privilege .to set forth facts. Conditions are identical in Soviet Russia, where the press is strictly under government supervision.”

AUSTRALIA’S PRIMAGE LEAD.

The New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation recently received information that on September 26 the Australian Government abolished primage duty on a long list of imports from the United Kingdom on which primage duty of from 5 to 10 per cent, had previously been charged. Commenting on this information, the secretary of the manufacturers’ federation, Mr. A. E. Mander, stated that in New Zealand primage is charged only on imports Which arc duty free under the tariff. “The New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation has repeatedly urged the Government to abolish primage, at least on commodities imported from Great Britain,” he said. “Indeed, it is explicitly provided in the Ottawa Agreement that this shall be done as soon as practicable. Article 11 of the agreement reads: His Majesty’s Government in New Zealand undertake that the existing primage duty of 3 per cent, now levied on United Kingdom goods which are otherwise duty free . . . shall be abolished as soon as financial conditions permit.” A similar undertaking was given at Ottawa by Australia, and it was pleasing to note that the Common-wealth had now found her financial conditions so far improved that the step of abolishing primage could be taken. Evidently, from the Budget statement, the New Zealand Government did not feel that financial conditions in this Dominion were yet such as would permit this article of the Ottawa Agreement to be carried out, said Mr. Mander, and no provision had been made for it in the Budget. Neverthe' less, the Government of New Zealand was explicitly committed to this step at the earliest possible moment and it was most unlikely that with improving finance it could be delayed much longer. The “Press” has from time to time pointed to the anomalous position created by the nondiscriminatory nature of the primage duty as between British and foreign goods. If it is retained then the impost on British goods should be fixed at a half-rate basis.