NOT APPROVED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 November 1941, Page 4

NOT APPROVED

RADIO GREETING TO KING OF ITALY. REGARDED AS REGRETTABLE INDISCRETION. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, November 12. The Parliamentary correspondent of “The Times” says that the Minister of Information, Mr Brendan Bracken, will be questioned in Parliament concerning the birthday greeting by the British Broadcasting Corporation to King Victor Emmanuel of Italy. It is understood, the correspondent says, that the Government has dissociated itself from the broadcast and regards it as a surprising and regrettable indiscretion. The 8.8. C. authorities, who do not seem to have been consulted, appear to share the Government’s view, and disciplinary action may be taken. An earlier message stated: “Birthday greetings to the King of Italy were broadcast by the 8.8. C. on November 11 in its anniversaries feature. The broadcaster, Christopher Stone, after the greeting, added: ‘I do not think any of us wish him anything but good, the poor sdul.’ A 8.8. C. official, in an interview, said: ‘lt must be understood that this is not the type of message we would permit to be sent tn Hitler of Mussolini.’”