DANGER OF ABUSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1943, Page 3

DANGER OF ABUSES

UNDER AUSTRALIAN WAR REGULATIONS CASE FOR NEWSPAPERS STATED. IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING FREE PRESS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, May 12. While the rights of individuals were being more and more subordinated to the needs of war, the existence of a free Press became increasingly important, declared Mr R. A. Henderson, president of the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. He warned of the dangers of abuses of the National Security Regulations, under which absolute power had been vested in members of the Government who in turn had delegated much of their authority to a bureaucracy which, mushroom-like, had grown up almost overnight. “The principles of democracy cannot be disregarded, no matter how great the emergency,” said Mr Henderson, who pointed out that: In the last few weeks, Australian children had been forced to attend on the manpower authorities, some of them to be directed into industry; by the university quota system, higher education had been suddenly denied many Australian youths; and raids had been made without a warrant on public and private places. If such regulations were associated with a censorship deliberately administered to maintain public morale by suppression, then a grave risk was being run of destroying the very fabric of the democratic system which men were giving their lives to maintain. “We are debarred from questioning the wisdom of the conception of any campaign,” said Mr Henderson. “If a highly-placed officer is relieved of his command for inefficiency, or, in spite of inefficiency, is retained, we may not disclose it.

“I am not questioning the honesty of the Government. lam satisfied that its policy has been inspired by its conception of national interest. But I assert that it is impossible to achieve an informed public opinion, or to be safe against abuse of power or maladministration by bureaucracy while such restrictions are retained. The newspapers dedicate themselves to the service of certain principles, the most important of which are truth and freedom of expression. These must be absolute and inviolate and on them there can be no compromise or bargaining. We must stand or fall on this claim to publish the news freely and to express our views without restraint, subject only to the limits imposed by national security, civil laws, and the canons of decency and good taste.”