PRESS CENSORSHIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1941, Page 4

PRESS CENSORSHIP

CASE OF HUTT WORKSHOPS STRIKE OPPOSITION LEADER’S CRITICISM PRIME MINSTER DEFENDS ACTION (By Telegraph—Press Association.J WELLINGTON, This Day. Administration of the Press censorship was the main subject discussed by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, in his Address-in-Reply speech in the House of Representatives last night. Mr Holland and the Prime Minister, Air Fraser, were the only speakers in the debate, which was resumed when the House met at 7.30 p.m. No sitting was held in the afternoon, and the’ House rose at 10.7 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. today. The action of the Government through its Director of Publicity in prohibiting newspapers from publishing any news concerning the recent strike at the Hutt railway workshops unless the Government approved of it first was criticised by Mr. Holland, who also mentioned that newspapers were not allowed to explain why practically no news of the strike had been published. He said that under the democratic way of life it was essential that the public should be fully informed on all public questions to enable it to come to a sound and proper judgment. The Government’s action was wrong and reprehensible. The Prime Minister defended the application of the censorship to newspapers during the strike and said that he would do the same again in similar circumstances and take the responsibility. The regulations dealing with the censorship were not unique to New Zealand, ' for they were common to practically every British Dominion at present. The Press must be prepared, had been prepared and had accepted drawbacks and handicaps inevitable in the present situation. Mr. Fraser also gave an undertaking that the Emergency Regulations would be revoked as soon as possible after the war.