FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 99, 17 August 1943, Page 4

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

the. Democratic Labour Party, at which an agreement had been reached to submit copies of publications when they came off the press. To my way of thinking this, is the' trinity of party politics, to the contrary if not withstanding. I would ask, If the excuses of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Supply is correct, "why" were the Independent Political Associations left out of that conference ? Yours etc., W. BRADSHAW.

Sir, —We the people of this country are a free-born nation. But for a Government to exercise a totals arian dictatorship over its people; to make a general election a farce, —"is this freedom" —by restricting the means of electors to put their views before the public, thus stiltifying the freedom of speech ami estricting the means of propaganda which may be subversive to themselves. This is the latest form of regimentation up to date! , I am referring to the suppression of the radio (and the paper controller having deemed all associations political or otherwise) the right of. paper for printing purposes, 'without the submission of a draft of the material to be published. On Tuesday 20th July this matter -ame up before the House when the Hon. Peter Fraser denied all know-, ledge- of these facts, which have been common knowledge for some time past. What are Ave to believe? [s it that the Ministers of the Grown have no jurisdiction over their servants; or is it that the servants of the Grown have usurped the jurisdiction of their masters. However the blame was put on the Printers Federation, whilst the Ministers explanation that the Paper Controller liad called a conference of the Labour Party, the National Party antS