GAGGING OF B STATIONS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 6

GAGGING OF B STATIONS

-Press . Aesociation.)

References to Policy ... of Government NEW EDICT ' T • ■ „ •

»By Telezraph-

. . . AUCKLAND, .Last Night. No reference to the Government Y broadcasting policy is to he ailowed in future from'B class stations uniess the script of tho proposed spceches or talks 'has been approved after submission to the office of the Director of Broadcasting (Professor Shelley). A letter to tbis' effect was received by the Auckland private broadcasting stations today, and it follows closely upon the protest levelled recently "against - the natidnalisation of this class of radio station and the Government 's refusal to allow the prpceedings " at meetings, of listeneris, in Auckland and Dunedin to be broadcast. The immediate effect of the Minister 's action is that Ihe • arrangements for the broadcasting of further "diseussion , of the B station ° nationalisation issue on Sunday night have had to be cancelled. ...... The directors and officials of two Auckland private stations, 1ZM and 1ZJ, are uncertain exactly what the effect of the censorship will be upon the station programmes, . although, in .one quarter it was suggested that the request to have the scripts submitted to the Director 's office was tantamount to a complete prohibition of the broadcasting of any matter concerning the Government 's broadcasting * policy, since it was not to bo expected that the Minister would allow any thing at all. "The oquest is idle pretence," it was stated. "Actually we may expect complete gagging."

Constable E. A. Gatehouse, Wairoa, has received advice that he is transferred on prom'otion to Waitahuna, Otago, to take charge of the station there, and learves Wairoa in about a fortnight. .