MINISTER ON THE DEBATE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21417, 8 March 1935, Page 12

MINISTER ON THE DEBATE

"HELPFUL AND NOT TOO CRITICAL" REPLY JO ARGUMENTS OF MEMBERS [From Our Parliamentary' Reporter.] WELLINGTON. March 7. Helpful and not too critical was the description applied to the secondreading debate on the Broadcasting Bill by the Postmaster-General (the Hon. Adam Hamilton), speaking in the House to-night. Mr Hamilton said he could easily appreciate that listeners might have a claim to representation on the board, since they found the money: but he did not think trade or 3 stations had the same claim. He emphasised that the bill did not involve the closing down of B stations. Mr D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon): Your board could close them down. Mr Hamilton said the Minister would still control licenses. He might close down a station if it caused too much irouble. There had been a good «-:;al of criticism because broadcasting was to be under the control of a board: but he was quite sure public opinion would prefer a board to control by v. Minister. Mr E. J. Howard (Lab., Christchurch South): If they could elect a board. Mr Hamilton said it was better to have the service under Parliamentary control, but actually administered by a board. The purpose in having a large board was to secure good wide representation. If the control of controversial matter, for instance, was to be by the Minister, it would probably be necessary to have a censor or a censorship board, for the Minister could not deal himself with such a question. He believed a large board would ensure that the public desires would be sensed. Mr Clyde Carr (Lab.. TimanO: Will the board comprise men of all shades of political opinion? Mr Hamilton: We hope so: but they will not be appointed because of their political colour. Continuing, Mr Hamilton, said that the board would not be hampered by regulations, and would be able to determine what should or should not be put on the air. The British Broadcasting Corporation was in a position to interpret what was controversial matter, and the public could be depended upon to keep it lip to the mark. If it were essential to have control, said the Minister, what could be better th.an to put control in the hands of an independent board which would exercise its own judgment as to what should be broadcast. Moreover, it had to be remembered that the board was not the final authority. The Minister, which meant the Government, had the final say. There were in New Zealand 2G B stations, four A stations, and four subsidiary stations. There were only live stations in the whole of Great Britain. The Dominion had '.'A stations serving a million and a half people, as compared with Great Britain's five stations serving the whole British population. The present position of B stations was hardly altered at all by the bill, the only alteration being that the control now vested in the Post and Telegraph Department would be vested in the Broadcasting Board. It was not the policy of the Government to put any of the revenue trom licenses into B stations.