LIBERTY OF THE PRESS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 406, 13 April 1937, Page 7

LIBERTY OF THE PRESS

RECENT AUTHORS. National Party Member’s ' Warning. Press Association —Copyright. ■ ■Auckland, April 12. Describing recent attacks on news- | papers by Ministers as “squealing,” | Mr. J. Hargest, M.P. for Awarua, in ■ an address to supporters of the National Party at Rernuera to-night, warned his hearers to be on their guard against curtailment of the liberty of the Press which, he said, seemed to be in preparation. Responsible visitors to New Zealand, said Mr. Hargest, had often said that the newspapers of the Dominion stood comparison in fair-mindedness and moral tone with any in the world. In all his life before he had never thought that there was any danger of their being muzzled. HoWever, if statements by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and the Minister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, and a veiled threat by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, just before leaving New Zealand, meant anything, they did suggest that the Government proposed to put some restriction upon the Press. “These people now in power love publicity in the Press,” continued the speaker, “and they squeal if they do not get it. Not Idng ago Mr. iSullivan visited Southland and was hospitably treated by a community which took pride in its hospitality. A full and fair statement of his activities was published by the newspapers, but just before his departure, in an address to the Railwaymen’s Union, he made an attack on the Press, which he accused of being unhelpful to the Government and merely indulging in criticism. Minister Who Supplied “Copy.” “One of the local papers next day | pointed out that in the course of three days it had printed 11 columns of matter about Mr. Sullivan’s doings, and a considerable part of the had been supplied by the Minister himself. (Laughter.) “This squealing, to use a vulgar terms, is not applicable to all the Ministers,” added Mr., Hargest. “Hon. P. Fraser visited this district and opened a hospital. He went away with enhanced prjestige.” The speaker went on to quote a re; ported utterance by Hon. R. Semple: “I have no wish to be a dictator, but it I were my heavy hand would reach out first to the Press.” This, Mr. Hargest commented, was from a Minister who had had more publicity than anyone. (Laughter.) “Then a week ago at Auckland we have an attack by a public servant, a gentleman who runs the commercial broadcasting station 1ZB,” Mr. Hargest continued. “He has had more publicity than any other private person in New Zealand. He is a master l of publicity. He has had every opportunity to use it, and he claims to have done so effectively in the last election. In this particular talk, he dealt with his subject with an utter and entire absence of restraint and good taste. It loks as if we are being prepared for an attack upon the Press.” Premier’s Good Publicity. | Mr. Hargest then quoted the Prime Minister’s complaint that he was getting worse treatment from the Auckland newspapers than from anywhere else in New Zealand. “I have never heard of any Prime Minister who had so much publicity as Mr. Savage on his recent tour,” he said. “I am not complaining, but there were columns full of his doings before his departure.” Mr. Savage had uttered a veiled threat against the Press and it was hoped that the public was aware of the danger. The policy of the newspapers had been to give the Government fair play and the publicity to which it was entitled. They had not pledged themselves to agree with everything the Government did. “Why should they?” added Mr. Hargest. The four persons he had mentioned had all suggested that if the papers did not behave themselves something was going to happen in some other place. “We are tolerant ipeople,’’ said Mr. Hargest in conclusion, “but there is a limit to our patience. If after IS months this Government cannot get what they want by their present methods and have to go in for such utterances, it is time for us to wake up and be watching our liberties.”