NO "MUZZLING OF THE PRESS"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 83, 24 April 1937, Page 5

NO "MUZZLING OF THE PRESS"

Telesraph— Presi Association.}

Minister ial Reply To Mr. Bodkin ATTITUDE TO 1ZB

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WELLINGTON, Last Night. Comment was made to-day by the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, on the remarks made by Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P. for Central Otago, at Waipukurau on Tuesday, in which he eaid that it lo.oked as if the stage wj#s to be set for the control of the Press, and that the outburst of the Rev. C. G. Scnimgeour at Auckland was not the outpouring of a disgruntled publie servant, but was made by him as thc official head of a State department, for the State radio station, and that Mi Scrimgeour was no doubt instructed to prepare public opinion for the settingup of a censorshiip. Mr Fraser eaid there was absolutely not one iota of fact to justify the baseless conclusions advanced with all the assuranee of truth and calculated intentionally or uninteiitionally, to mislead his hearers, contained in that statement. "The Government," he said, "haB never at any tame considered for one moment anything eo stupid as (to use Mr Bodkin 5s own words) the muzzling of the Press, by which I suppose he means a peace-time censorship. The very idea is ridiculons." Regarding the reference by Mr Bodkin to the control o£ radio, Mr Fraser sadd that the Government had used the broadcasting service for Parliamentary debates with scrupulous fairness, and would continue to do so. He added that the statement made by Mr Scrimgeour in regard to a section of the Press was made without the consent, knowledge, or approval of the Government. "The propriety Of a State radio broadcasting station bedng used by a public servant for controversial purposes has reeeived the attention of the Government,5' said Mr Fraser. "The Labour Party has always fought for freedom of speeeh and freedom of expression, and these precious privileges of democraey are safer in the Government 5s hands than in those of our politieal opponents."