ANOTHER B STATION OFF THE AIR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 3

ANOTHER B STATION OFF THE AIR

Our Own Correspondent.l

2Z0 Palmerston North Closes Down "COMPELLED,? TO DO IT

(From

PALMERSTON N., This Day. . "If % man with & revolvar were to stick it in the small of your back, demanding money, what would you do? Is not that the case here! When I say that this station is being eompelled to elose down I mean every word I say," declared the Mayor of Palmerston North, Mr A. E, Mansford, on Thutsday evening, speaking at the farewell isession of radio station 2ZO. Formerly ;owned by Mr J. V. Kyle, who operated |it for a number'of years, the station jhas now passed into the hands of tho I Government. 1 "This being the last evening on which 2ZO will be on the air, I want as mayor of the city to take this opportunity of expressing my very deep regret that Mr Kyle is being forced to close his station. Owing to instructions issued to the station I am prevented from speaking as plainly as I would like to, ' ' said Mr Mansford, who then read a letter received by Mr Kylo d few days ago. The letter, dated September 24, was from the Director of Broadcasting, Professor James Shelley, and read as foldows: — "I understand you propose closing down your station next week and that a farewell function is being held, and that you are to 'broadcast a talk. In [ the circumstances, it is not proposed to [ call for the script of your talk provid- : ed you give an assurance that it will contain nothing of a controversial nature, and that no attack will be made on any person or body. I should be glad to receive this assurance prior to the function, which I trust will'be successful in every way." On Tuesday came a telegram, also from Professor Shelley: Awaiting assurance requested my letter 24th. The telegram «being marked reply prepaid, the following reply was sent: Every thing broadcast is controversial; only facts will be broadcast. "I have seen the correspondence and j know what I am talking about," conj tinued Mr. Mansford, and it ' is very i regrettable that a city such as ours is , j not to have a station of its own. I ' .want to thank Mr Kyle for the numerous occasions on which courtesy has | (been extended to me to make urgent j jappeals on behalf of various individ- I luals and jnstitutions. I for one realiso | [the immense benefit that a station is ; jto a city and listeners know only too | •well that through the depression it was ( [necessary on several occasions to maka jurgent appeals, which met a very ready | tresponse from listeners throughout a , :wide area. The local stations will also jbs missed by those interested in sports ;who have in the past relied on the radio for up-to-the-niinute information in case of weather threatening play. 1 "Also, as a member of the Hospital Board, I appreciate the vast amount which 2ZO has done in connection with 'Christmas functions held annually at ithe hospital, in providifig a Christmas Itreat and entertainment for the chiljdren in the children 5s ward. Another tfeature that must not be overloohed ia that in closing our B stations we ara closing an avenue to young men with inventive brains who will be deprived of opportunity for research in this I direction. At this will be the last cp- j portunity I will have of speaking over j the station I want to personally thank j Mr Kyle for the many courtesies ex- ! tended to me and to express my very ! deep regret that the station is eompelled to close with the result that listeners from far and near will not now I have the opportunity of hearing every night the very fine programmes we have received from 2ZQ-"