SCARCITY OF PAPER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1920, Page 5

SCARCITY OF PAPER.

LABOR LEADER'S PROPOSALS, I THE OTHER SIDE. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Mr. Holland, Leader o! the Labor Party, made a suggestion to the Government that supplies of paper held by daily newspapers should be commandeered for the use of the Government, and that newspapers should be compelled to reduce their advertising space. He made the suggestion in the middle" of a discussion, but to show that he waa quite serious about it he addressed a question to the Minister of Internal Affair* on it to-day, repeating his suggestion ia exactly the except that he Mid the newspapers were hoarding paper. Mr. McNicol, member for Pahiatut, and in private life editor of the Daanevirke News, put the other point of view to the Minister. He asked the Minister whether he would, before giving effect to the ruthless proposal of the Leader of the Labor Party, give consideration to the case of the number of honesi working people In newspapers who would be thrown out of employment if Mr. Holland's advice were taken. He pointed out that there Was already considerable anxiety 4n newspaper offices on account of the shortage of paper, and if this suggestion, of the Leader of the Labor Party were'carried out a great deal of hardship would be caused umong the employees, many of whom would inevitably be thrown out of employment. * Mr. McNicol, member for Pahiafu*, and land Wprker, saying that : W assumed that the same drastic action" would be taken as affecting that paper as all others in the country; in which'case the result to the employees of {her Maoriland Worker would be the same. Mr. Anderson asked that notice . be given of the question in order that he might give it consideration. "As a practical man," he said, "I know that the effect of taking supplies of paper from the newspapers would be that a large number of men would be thrown out of work. The question will have, to get very grave consideration before it can be answered."