Censorship of Literature

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 40, 10 November 1937, Page 7

Censorship of Literature

~ PEEISCOPE.

gir,— -A question regarding the admission of subversive literature was aoked ;a the House tho other night, bringirig from our decp-browed Priipo Minister the answer: 4l,Who am I that J should daro to dictate to tho democracy of Now Zealand what they should roadl^ It sounds vory fiiic indeed superilcially, and was meant to convey the idea that sucfi a broadminded man as he would not tolerate any interference with the rights of the people in their choice of reading matter. At tbe eame time, however, a mcasure is under consideratiou by the Socialists to compel newspapers to disclose tbe identity of the authors of articles and le.tters on political matters appearing in their columns, Mr Savage quoted Groat Britain as allowing literature of nU sorts into thie couptry, but he could not continue the comparison and accuSQ the British Government of attemptiug to stifle political critieism. How much of the Communistio propaganda oirculating in the Dominion bears ,marka of its origin, let alone the authorghip of the articles? This pernicious rubbish is innocuous in the eyes of the Socialists, but a perfectly justified critieism of their own aptions is lese majestic. Possibly "a fellowfeeling makes them wondrous kind." Here is another example of the onesided viewpoint, Oue of the quidnuncs complaina bitterly tEat certain companies are contrjbuting. to.the National Pafty funds, and this in spitei of Socialtst aapporters being among the shareholdere. Does he forgot that under recpnt legislation. trades unions are permittcd to aliocatei 'union funds for political purposes? And all trades uionists are not,,. by a long way, Socialists; although it is only to the Socialist Party that uuion funds go. There is, mOreovor, a very inipoftant difi!ercnce botwoen a company shareholder and a trades unionl^t; no-one is compojled to remain a shareholdor in a compdny if he does not wili it, but a man must, by the new law of th? land, becoroe a unionist or starve.™ Yours, etc..

Central Hawke 'a Bay, Nov. 9., 1937.