NATIONALISTS’ ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT FILM EXPENDITURE

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1948, Page 7

NATIONALISTS’ ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT FILM EXPENDITURE

WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. The National Film Unit was attacked by Nationalist members when the House of Representative resumed discussion on the Estimates for the Prime Minister’s Department to-day. Mr F W Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) said the Opposition wanted the Prime Minister to justify the increase of persons employed m the Prime Mmister’s Department from three when the Government took office to the present total of 345. He said that broadcasts in the Maori language pi epared in the Prime Ministei s . Department were “blatant propaganda.” Mr T P. Paikea (Govt., Northern Maori):’ That’ll be the day! Mr Doidge said the Opposition wanted to 'know what would taxpayers get for their money. Mr O. Wilson (Govt., Palmerston North) said the item of £119,392 for the National Film Unit was no nearly enough and he hoped the amount would be increased. The work of the unit should be supported and increased In the newsreel and documentary field. An important thing was that the Film Unit should be used for propaganda about New Zealand to make us proud of our country. (Opposition laughter). Mr Wilson said the Film Unit would tell the best possible story about New Zealand and it was important that the world should know what went on here and what had been achieved. We should also do something to counteract the overwhelming impression felt on theatregoers that the United States was the centre of the universe and counteract the distortion of Hollywood films. LOSS DENIED

Mr C. M. Bowden (Nat., Karori), said that the Film Unit was not betack on department management of ing attacked, but there was an atthe unit so far as its business affairs were concerned. If a balance sheet was produced the public would know what an absolute sink for money the unit was.

Mr Fraser: Sheer nonsense. Mr Bowden challenged the Prime Minister to say what loss the unit showed on last year’s operations. Mr Fraser: There was no loss. Mr Bowden said he estimated the loss at £40,000. Mr Bowden, referring to the Information Section of the Prime Minister’s Department, said that more staff had been sought by advertisement "to turn out stuff for the next election.” The use of the section for that purpose was a complete subversi on of public funds for political party purposes under the direct instructions of the Prime Minister. Mr R. McDonald (Govt., Ponsonby): Absolute nonsenese. Mr Bowden: Unfortunately, it is not. MR FRASER’S REPLY

Mr Fraser, replying, said he could hold out no hope that the National Film Unit and the National Publicity Studios would not be expanded. The Labour Government had never used those organisations to such an extent for propaganda purposes as previous government had. Some material published by the late Mr Coates and others was far and away ahead of what the Labour Government had.

Mr Fraser denied that there were 345 persons employed in his department. “As usual the member for Tauranga has doubled us, and the total number of persons is 221.” The National Publicity Studios had done a good job and, if New Zealand was to be oublicised aboard, it was essential'that money be spent on it and its activities expanded. So far as he was concerned, he could not say how many persons were required to do the job he wanted done. That was a matter for the Public Service Commission to decide. Above all the Publicity Studios would tell the people of the British Commonwealth and of Western Europe what sort of a country New Zealand really was. There was certainly, a costing system in the Film Unit—he would point out to the Opposition that when he Government came into power there was no costing system for nublic works.' The policy was to expand the Film Unit and it essential that New Zealand should figure adequately in the world. do that we had to have our own film unit and to make it efficient would require the expenditure of a vast amount of money. EMBARRASSED OPPOSITION

So far as the Information Section was concerned, Mr Fraser said, it had obviously proved a terrible embarrassment to the Opposition to find the Government well informed.

If the Leader of the Opposiposition wanted information, all he had to do was to ask for it. There was a total of 14 persons employed in that section and one journalist only assisted him.

The section distributed information to Government members and, it the Opposition would use that information intelligently, he would see that it was supplied.

LESSONS FOR NATIONALISTS Mr R. M. Algie (Nat., Remuera) said if expenditure on publicity _was neither to be excused or explained by the Prime Minister, it was easy for a Fabian Socialist to become a full-blown dictator. It o P® n to the Opposition to say the Government was teaching it valuable lessons on the uses to made of the Broadcasting Service of the Film Unit ana of the Information Section, lhe National Film Unit should be . under departmental control and required to produce an annual report and bal-ance-sheet. . .. Mr T. E. Skinner (Govt., Taimai) said he was disappointed that there was not more money for publicity. He would like the National Film Unit to make a recording of the . National Orchestra playing the National Anthem, and the film could then be used at the beginning of all cinema programmes. Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago) said it was a tradition of all British countries that the revenues should be used only for the people, as a whole, but certain information gathered by the staff of the Information Section was available only to Government members, making those engaged on this work servants of the Labour Party. The Prime Minister should define the standard of honour of the Government dealing with public funds as it progressed to its goal of full Socialism.

Mr M. Moohan (Govt., Petone) said Mr Bodkin now posed as the guardian angel of public funds, but was he not a member of a previous Government which filched funds right, left and centre from the people, cutting down their incomes in all directions. The present Information Section was not big enough for the work it should be doing. The discussion was interrupted by the luncheon adjournment at 1 o’clock.,