OVER THE AIR.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 161, 26 July 1937, Page 6

OVER THE AIR.

Tlie Government is considering thc question of allowing controversial debates over the air, and the deeision wilJ'be awaited with interest, says the Waikato Times. When the wireless serviee was in private hands controversial matters were excluded, but uow that the State has assumed ownership the range of discussion may be extended. It will be necessary, in view of the election campaign next year, to have the matter definitely settled. The responsibility will rest on the Government to see to it that all sections of political belief have the same privileges, and to ensure that there should be a eommittee, representative of those interests, entrusted with the arrangements. It is not likely that men with such long experience of public life as Mr Savage and some of his colleagues can claim will run any risk of being aceused of unfair treatmont of their opppnents in this respect, but in order to remove the whole thing from party atmosphere the task of allocating time and opportunity for broadcasting a public address should be delegated to a eommittee. rf. " It is an axiom that State serviees must not be used for partv political purposes. That is an American praetice which has never appealed to British people, The provision of a State-controlled wireless serviee will, however, present problems, and there will be need for a clear understanding to what extent it is to be used in a political eonflict — if at all — and an assuranee tliat all sections of the community will have equal opportunity. The Minister evideutly realises llie need for caution. Any deeision must be made with the comiug cloction prominently in mind for it is then, when feelings sometimes becoine a little ruffled, that t.he value of a definite agreement, strictly adhered to, will be generally recognised.