SOCIAL SECURITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 23

SOCIAL SECURITY

BOOKLETS THROUGH

POST

"POLITICAL PROPAGANDA"

A complaint that the recent issue of the Social Security booklet through the post amounted to "political propaganda" was made at a meeting of the Council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last evening, and a resolution of protest was carried unanimously.

Mr. P. E. Pattrick (the president) said that no doubt they had all seen the booklet which had been sent through the post, he understood throughout New Zealand. There was no doubt that the booklet was very explicit, and they were all very interested to read it, not that it contained much news. '"But it is obviously an ex pavte summary dealing with the benefit of the scheme, and if does not touch on the cost," he said. "The publication having taken place at the present juncture, it seems to me to adm.Lt of one construction—political propaganda. We will always maintain this as-a non-political organisation, but it seems to me to be most regrettable, that public money is used to bring out anything, that on a reasdhable, construction, can be regarded as prbpaganda." He said that 400,000 copies.; had been posted, and at 3d a copy the cost must Ijave been £5000, apart from postage. It would not be inappropriate to express regret that public money ' had been so spent. He moved that' the Chamber express regye£" that the authorities should have seen;, fit to have done what they did.

The motion was seconded by Mr. G, C. McCaul, who said that the. booklet was political propaganda mainly because of the time of issue. If no election had been in view, the issue would probably have been legitimate and considered as necessary.

The motion was carried.