The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. FRIDAY, .JULY 17, 1942. "CRITICISM IS NOW SUPPRESSED"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 167, 17 July 1942, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. FRIDAY, .JULY 17, 1942. "CRITICISM IS NOW SUPPRESSED"

KhSOI.I HON unanimouslv adopted by the Dominion conference of fhe Parmors' L'ninn begins with the words, "In view of the fact that criticism of mistakes made in connection with the Dominion's war effort is now suppressed by Press and radio. . . Newspaper readers are entitled to know exactly what this implies, and whether the obvious implication is justified. They are aware that there are censorship regulations, and that a censor exists to enforce them. They may think (and some undoubtedly do) that if reports intended for publication contain critii ism <"■ f the war effort the censor, as a matter of course, prohibits their pul.lit ntion. Such an impression would be incorrect, and unfair to iiic censor. Parliament has laid it down that "reasonable and temperate discussion in good faith of any existing laws or measures" shall De allowable, and although inevitably there have been differences of opinion over interpretation the censor has not disregarded this instruction But there cannot be helpful discussion, including criticism, of any JUfth T u , nlcs ® lhe writer or speaker is able to support his statements win (acts. Anyone may make sweeping generalisations, but these will not receive or deserve attention unless the writer or speaker "comes oown to cases. If he cannot do so, because the facts are withheld from though he has the facts he cannot publish them, then '*• ln a censorship of opinion, a prohibition of criticism. This is the situation steadily developing in New Zealand. Facts are In m-'?i Sm M (llfTl( 'M) l , t p c r ome by. for the reasons that persons in a position f-nrwi rr - ' llern av a dnble frequently refuse to do so. Sometimes they have rf? rn-,''Tn n r Se ' reas .° u ns of security, but increasingly often their mpni Thn conven lence—-their own, or their superiors', or the Governor, f i ,i' ~ t , r ! f the Government to criticism is such that any 1 1 ' h, ' uy JV V ". " r ;inv non-official person who has anything to I l '' 1 " the Government, can feel certain that he is more likely w'hu'lV ohVm' m t ''m k >V than by giving information upon which criticism may be based. [his feeling, of course needs no urmc '> in which there is a'disposition " ~w'' ni h t i "i" evident to think that the war is their own show, and that the only part of the public is to supply the men and the money, and the only part of th< Press to cultivate a beliP th everything is always well. When this tendency is not resisted the result Sated I "with °the V Bnr 'hfin'r° f thC . * ind ncw un, '°rtunately 'often associauci with the 8.8.C. bulletin and commentaries. Then when there ferine ac-i'ms r t C The S !nf a^ , d ' therp . is a dangerous revulsion of public in h information services, and a weakening of confidence in the Governments responsible for them. commence

it ™ h . ere the fault lie, and where the remedy? It is to be found «L , p v'. n . ? attitude of the Covernment and of Parliament The £' a " ! [° w hlc h the public is entitled to look, but no longer looks with any fci eat confidence, for "the exposure, where necessary of -ill mm Fs t'he'Vhn h Uine f '" eff jciency, bungling, waste or culpable negligence'' is the ( hamber of the House of Representatives. The words emoted are that tiTf^ are precedents for it in the committee appointed by President Tloosovpit Which l l M, e Churrhn, P p ar ' t Harbour disaster, and the sfmilaf committee would ' inevllably °ead it °ntopi °L*ST of com P ft' Poln n rwV„ O evTbutTt h^Tf 3 ' u "'r ™ sol V»°"that