JOURNALISTS' CRITICISM

Chronicle (Levin), 10 February 1949, Page 5

JOURNALISTS' CRITICISM

Press Association)

Findings of Commission on Obstruction Charges

(Per

WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. "The only p'oint to come out of the Commission that novi Interests the working journalists is that notice has been served that theycan regard the hangover ot warGime censoTship as expired, even if some .Governm'ent departments do not." This is the wording of a statement issued today by the New , Zealand Journalists1 Association following the release of the findings of the Commission appointed to inquire into the alleg'ed' obstruction of re.pofters and photographers after the crash of the airiiner Kaxa on Mount Ruapehu in October.

Vital Pomf Ignored. "The vital point in the case of the Journalists' Association — one strangely ignored by the Commis-' si'on — was that Press representatives insisted 011 their rights ascitizens to converse freely with other citizens without in'terierence, obstruction or threat by any department group," continues the statement. , "We have neVer made claims for special privileges. " This answers the suggestion that repofters wanted their news 'hand'ed to them in -well furnished locations.' That was the very circumstance the reporters wisbed to avoid. Indeed it is the burden of the journalists' complaint that the only spurces of news- at the s-cene were deliberately closed, as the Commission itself admitted and endeavoured to justify, in its findings." The sta.tement said that journalists would continue to insist on their right, as representing the public, to consult sources of news and refuse to rely on interpretations put on' this news by officials of any class. Journalists flatly repudiated the suggestion of. the Commission that there was any attempt by them in presenting their case to justify editorial comment. "Such comment is beyond our province as working, journalists, and is as much beyond our control as the occasion when the Journalists' Association was embarrassed by the introduction of the topic in the House of Representatives. ^

Opinion Challenged. "The commission s iinding reads in part, 'as if the reporters were championing the course of freedom of the Press and freedom of the individual,' "the statement continued. "Perhaps tne journalist ^ackfcd puissance in their efforts to impress on tne commission that if they, as the people _ immediately concerned in giving the public the facts, di'd not champion such a cause then there would be a sorry futur'e for freedom of thought. Nor can we f-ail to challenge the commission's opinion that -ofiicials of the interested departments can better exercise discretion as to what shou d be published than can journalists. "At tne inquiry, every Crown witness who had had any extensive dealings with the Press was asked whether he couM recall any occasion when the Press had failed in discretion or good taste. The answers were unanimous that they could not. The very fact that the commission commented 'no evidence was given- of any general public complaint that sufficient information was not forthcoming' is a tribute to the steps taken by reporters to circumvent the obstruction which the commission admitted — had to admit on the Crown evidence alone.

Mr. Nash's Championship. ""It was easy— 'dangerously easy . from the point of the public welfare — to create a military -or service occasion out of what was frankly admitted to be a civil emergency. The public had the journalists to thank for their efforts in breaking the crust of officialdom created. Had it not been ,for the presentation of our 'trivialities' to the com- ' mission, the public would have remained unaware of the subtle way its right to learn news can be filched away. "It is our intention to acquamt the public in futurc with circumstances wherever interested parties abrogate to- themseives a censorshiu in the dissemination of news. "Mr. Nash, as Acting Prime Minister, was prompt to disown any part in the suppression of news or restrictions -on the access of pressmen to the sources of news when the difficulties on Mount Ruapehu were brought to his attention. We are happy to have .such a spontaneous championshop of our principles," the statement said.