SYNDICATED NEWSPAPERS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1928, Page 9

SYNDICATED NEWSPAPERS

PROTEST RAISED IN ENGLAND. By Telegraph—Press Awn.— Copyright. A. and N.Z. London, April 4. In the Home of Commons, Mr. Tinker moved, a motion expressing the opinion that the maintenance of independent newspapers was vital to the preservation of the standard of public life. The consolidation of the Press in the hands of powerful syndicates and their circulation devices was contrary to the’ public interest. He pointed out that the Rothermere group controlled five large newspapers, the Beaverbrook group four, the Cadbury group three, the Berry group 24, and the Starmer group 30. He foresaw newspapers passing to combines the combines coming together under one man, able to control public opinion. Mr. Rintoul considered practically every member would agree with Mr. Tinker. All suffered from the mischievous activities of the syndicated Press; only this week the Daily Mail declared that the Conservatives who did not vote for the Equal Franchise Bill had received instructions to absent themselves and say nothing about it.

Mr. Rintoul said Mr. Tinker's motion would not help matters. The remedy did not lay with Parliament but with the education of the people, who must take a more active interest in politics. Mr. Jack Jones said the Press used to be known as the organ of public opinion, but it was now the barrel organ of millionaires’ opinion. The weekly Press had become a poison gas factory as far as the mass of the people was concerned. There was no Government statement at the end of the debate, and the motion was agreed to without a divi-