HAVE WE A FREE PRESS?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 674, 28 October 1933, Page 4

HAVE WE A FREE PRESS?

In matters that affect their own sense of the fitness of thing/1 at least, politicians in any country are apparently consistent. It is reported from Canberra that a question of breach of privilege has been raised against the Sydney Sunday Sun which, in common with the remainder of the Australian press, has strongly denounced the action of the ' members of the Federal Legislature in increasing their annual remuneration by £75 a year. It is not long since New Zealanders were reminded in a similar manner of the sensitiveness of members of the House when charges of breach of privilege were made against two New Zealand newspapers which criticis-

ed the Government m. connection with its exchange policy. It is one of the boasts of British peoples that they enjoy the advantages of free speech and an unfettered press. It is recognised that there are, at times, j abuses of both privileges, but a very important principle is involved when a newspaper ^ is checked in criticism of political action which gives grounds for unfavourable comment. The Federal House of Representatives would be imbued with even more than the traditional Australian sunny optimism if it anticipated that its action would find favour with the electors. It was contended, in the course of the debate on the matter, that the- Federal members were merely restoring to themselves "a portion" of the salary cut which they imposed upon themi selves in common with all other I sections of the community._ AdI mittedly commercial conditions j have recently shown considerable j improvement in the Commonwealth, but although there has been some relief afforded in taxation, We have yet to learn that the scaling down of wages which was undertaken has been restored so far as.the great body of the people are concerned. There is also such a thing as equality of saorifice and with a vast army of unemployed still burdening the Commonwealth, its legislators hardly show an appreciation of the fitness of things by increasing their very generous allowances at the first hint of ari improvement.

The Feaerai rrime iviiiusLt:i, Mr. J. A. Lyons, complained that the attitude of newspapers on this question was destroying the confidence of the people in their elected representatives and j bringing them into disrepute. Without in any way impugning the reputation of hiembers, it might gently be suggested that so long as politicians fail to appreciate that they are in Parliament to serve the interests of the electors and not their own interests, they are contributing to a large extent in bringing themselves into disrepute. It is within the privilege of a reputedly free press to comment; the politicians can safeguard themselves from embarassing comment by removing the necessity for making it.