RESEARCH AND PUBLICITY DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1948, Page 5

RESEARCH AND PUBLICITY DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT

MR SWEAT’S OPINION P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept. 17 Discussion on the estimates was continued in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Mr W. A. Sheat (Nat. Patea) said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, had virtually admitted that certain officials of his Department were doing work that was not properly work tor a Government official at all, but work that should be done by a political party official. He considered that it was a gross misuse of public funds. A big principle was involved, and it was time the whole of the facts were brought into the light of day. Officials of the Information Sections spent their time raking through musty old newspaper files in an attempt to obtain references that would bolster up the weaknesses in the Government’s case. It was a flagrant misuse of the taxpayers’ money. The Prime Minister had admitted the substance of the charge, and it was up to him to say what he was going to do. AFRAID OF PAST! Mr R. M. McFarlane (Govt., Christchurch Central) said the member for ratea apparently had an uneasy conscience that someone might find reports of -the sneeches he made when ne was a wild and woolly Socialist. Were members of the Opposition afraid of some of the things that they had said in the past ? Over a long period of years, other Governments had not only issued publications dealing with trade and tourist and other matters, but also publications which openly criticised those opposed to them. The opposition had advanced no proof to show that anything the present Government had done in regard to publications had not been done by past Governments. PAMPHLETS PRODUCED Mr Fraser produced pamphlets issued by previous Governments in defence of their policy. He said that these Governments had used public money to put their policy before the people, and rightly so, and the present Government claimed the right to do the same. The Labour Government was being denounced for doing what other Governments had done.

MAORI BROADCASTS

The Hon. E. T. Tirikatene said that Maori broadcasts were to acquaint those Maori people, who did not know the European language with current events.

Mr G. H. O. Wilson (Govt. Palmerston North) advocated the use of the telediphone for recording members’ speeches in the House. He said it would give a valuable check on Hansard reports, particularly as the later did not report interjections, unless the Speaker replied to them. Mr Fraser: “Does the machine correct grammatical errors?” Mr Wilson said the machine had to be played back to record a member’s speech. Mr Fraser: “Wouldn’t it be a torture for Hansard reporters naving to go through our speeches twice?” Mr Wilson: “A lot of people go through torture for our sake.” •RESEARCH COSTS Mr M. H. Oram (Nat. Manawatu) referring to various votes xor research, said the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research had tended to expand to the disadvantage of the universities. The research vote xor the latter this year was only £lO,OOO which was not adequate. There had been instances, too, of the department of agriculture duplicating the research facilities already established by the agricultural colleges. The Minister of Education, Hon. T. H. McCombs said that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, which advised the Government on research matters, included representatives of all research activities, including the universities. FILM SUBJECTS? Mr J. J. Maher (Nat. Otaki) suggested some subjects for the National Film Unit: Wheat sprouting in the holds of the Mountpark, while it was held up in Auckland; starlings and sparrows nesting in the frames of unfinished State houses; the Mangakino hold-up— Mr F. Langstone (Govt. Roskill): “And farmers at the races ” Mr Maher said that a film should also be made showing the poor quality of wheat imported as fowl feed. A Government voice: “That’s just chicken feed to the Opposition.” Mr Fraser replying to inquiries as to the commercial disposal of the Weekly Review produced by the National Film Unit said that tenders were recently called for New Zealand distribution and the Kerridge Theatre Group was the successful tenderer. The 8.8. C. was interested in certain films for television. A film company was distributing the Review in Australia and South Africa and a deal was now being negotiated for the American rights for sixteen and 35 (millimetre films and for the television rights of the National Film Unit’s productions. After some further discussion, the vote for the Legislative Departcents amounting to £163,989 (£152,506 was expended last year) was passed. 1