Replies Received from Ministers Regarding Resolutions Forwarded to them

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 11, 1 February 1951, Page 7

Replies Received from Ministers Regarding Resolutions Forwarded to them

From the Hon. W. H. Fortune, Minister in Charge of Police. ... I have to inform you that I am indeed sympathetic towards the work that your organisation is trying to do, and I can assure you that any recommendations made to the Government will receive close consideration. With regard to the resolutions in respect of six o’clock closing and after-hour drinking in hotels I am ad-

vised that these matters are receiving strict attention by the Police.

As tar as the endorsement of the license of a publican who is convicted of a breach of the licensing laws is concerned, there is adequate provision in the Licensing Act, 1908, for this to be done, and I should add that the Judiciary in this country is entirely free. In respect of drinking by young persons in hotel bars the Government has under consideration the introduction of legislation to cope further with this evil. From the Hon. F. W. Doidge, Minister in Charge of Broadcasting. M . . .So far as the broadcasting of race results is concerned we are endeavouring to effect an improvement by limiting the announcing of the results to one type of station in each main centre. Owing to difficulties of coverage it will not be possible to implement this arrangement fully for some time, but I can assure you that this procedure will be brought into operation as soon as possible at the four main -centres. The question of racing commentaries is a very difficult one indeed. Rightly or wrongly, ther" is a very large public following for the commentaries, not only by those interested in betting but by others. There is considerable pressure from large sections of the communis from time to time for increasing racing commentaries. While there is no intention, however, at present, to increase substantially the amount of such broadcasts, the Broadcasting Service would, I think, be exposed to considerable criticism if any great reduction was made at present. In regard to the broadcasting of betting results, I can only say that the publication of such results is now legal procedure and these results are prominently featured in the Press. The New Zealand Broadcasting Service, as a medium to which people look for information, has a responsibility to cater for listeners who desire information of this kind.” V. A. JAMIESON, Legal and Parliamentary Supt.