MINISTERS AND PRESS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20501, 18 May 1938, Page 6

MINISTERS AND PRESS

STRONG CRITICISM HON. P. C. WEBB’B allegations FAIR PLAY WITHHELD (By Telegraph. —Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday “The newspapers and Press Association received another broadside of Government thunder last night. This time the barrage was fired by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, when he addressed a meeting at St. Andrews," telegraphs the Star Sun reporter. Mr Webb said tnat he and all other ministers fully supported the statements made by the Hon. W. Nash, when he referred to the attitude of the newspapers in his broadcast address on Monday night. A section of the metropolitan newspapers was definitely hostile to the Government, said Mr Webb. Though they made frequent references to the amount of space devoted to reporting the speeches and activities of Government newspapers could not disguise the fact that they were prepared to go to any lengths to conceal the true facts from the public. Fair Play Desired “All along the Government has asked for nothing more than fair play. It does not want any more from Its opponents than It is to concede to them,” declared Mr Webb. "It is satisfied it has not received fair play, and that it cannot expect fair play in future. “If the newspapers are seeking open warfare they can have It. If they persist In their present attitude of telling only half a story then the Government will take other means of making Its policy known. “Concessions tc the newspapers In reduoed telegraph rates oost the country over £200,000 last year, and unless a fair sense of proportion Is Interpreted In the production of newspapers from day to day, those concessions may be revised.” Mr Webb added it was the unfair tactics and the definite evidence of hostility on the part of newspapers to take advantage of the reduced telegraph charges to spread propaganda for a political party whose policy suited them and refuse the same publicity to their opponents. Emphasising his threat that the Government was In a mood to review i the telegraph concessions, Mr Webb said that Mr Nash in his speech at Hutt had expressed correctly the feeling of the Cabinet. He was also of opinion that the Government would have support. Pufelio Opinion Not Reflected The concensus of opinion x\as that the newspapers in the metropolitan centres, by adhering to the policy of shielding the motives of a group of capitalists, had divorced themselves from public sympathy. Current editorial comment was not a rellection of the political opinion of the mass of the people. The Dominion needed roads, bridges and railways as well as houses for its workers, and it had a Government which was striving to give it those facilities, which were the foundation of progress. Quite reasonably it could expect u measure of support ! from the press, but instead of sup--1 port it had encountered opposition. Mr Webb made the charge that discrimination had been shown against the Government in the news columns of several newspapers and added that recently when introducing a new candidate to the electors in Pahiatua and Dannevirke. lie had been received enthusiastically by overcrowded meetings, but no notice was taken of this by the Press Association. Similarly not a line had appeared outside Rotorua concerning a meeting conducted In that town by the lion. R. Semple last Wednesday. Mr Semple's audience overcrowded the hall and loud speakers were necessary to convey Mr Semple’s words to an overflow outside. On tiie other hand when any minister or responsible member of the Government made an accidental slip his words were snapped up and telegraphed throughout* the country. “The Government only wants the press to play the game, and to give the people all the news," Mr Webb concluded.