PAPER SUPPRESSED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 125, 29 May 1942, Page 6

PAPER SUPPRESSED

PRINCIPLE INVOLVED

FARMERS' UNION PROTEST

The recent suppression by the Government of a small fortnightly paper without reasons being given, was brought under notice at the Auckland Farmers' I'nion conference at present sitting in Auckland.

It was stated by one delegate that the paper in question had been vigorously erit ici.-ing the Government's financial war policy. While delegates might not. necessarily associate themselves with all or any of the views expressed by this paper concerning the subject of debt finance for war. the point was that the Government's action left the editor of the paper without the right of reply. The Government should prove its case, if it had one. before a judge and jury. For the public to condone the present Government, action would be accepting a dangerous precedent. Otherwise the way was being opened for a Government to suppress any paper that displeased them. Their job was to criticise the Government whenever they believed it necessarv.

It was considered that, in this case, the Government had offended against the spirit of British law by taking action secretly, and it was decided to forward a letter to the Prime Minister urging that any restraint of individuals under the Emergency Regulations should be done through the proper forms provided by the law, and be open to public scrutiny.