DIVIDED CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 47, 18 November 1937, Page 3

DIVIDED CONTROL

-PresB Assoeiation.)

Broadcasting Policy Attacked UPPER HOUSE DEBATE

(By Telegrapb-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. fn the Legislative Council the second reading debate • on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill was continued by Hon. T. F. Doyle, who supported .the principles of commercial broa'dcasting. Hon. C. J. Carrington referred to tho divided control which would be brought about by the Bill, and said he believed the proposal for this division had been asked for by the Director of Commercial j Broadcasting. After stating that Mr. Scrimgeour was controlling broadcasting in the Dominion, he stated that, when the Communists had secured their desires and the Dominion had becomo j tiovietised, the Controller of Commerj cial Broadcasting would become Comj missar of Broadcasting. i The spread of Communism was being l helped by broadcasting, and it had been raised to such a state that it could j claim the protection of the Government. , Ho went on to state that ihe carpenters in Auckland who were utterly 1 opposed to Communism were compelled I to contribute to their nnion, which publis'hed a "bulletin filled from cover to cover with Communistic aspirations. He was - checked by the Speaker and was asked to return to the Bill. Hon. T. Bloodworth said the bulletin referred to was not objectionable, and every sOction of the community was entilled to express its opinions. j Hon. W. W. Snodgrass said that, as money was being made out of commercial broadcasting, license fees should be redueed by half. Hon.' W. Hayward said the Bill wa3 necessary, and he would support it. ! Hon. D. .Wilson, while expressing opposition to Communism, argued that j °the. Government was right in prevent1 ing attaeks on Communists over the air. } The Leader of the, Council, Hon. M. j Fagan, . depxecated .. M-r. Carrington 's 1 attitude, which, he said, was a viola- ' -tion of the traditional . attitude and would be harmful. He said there was no dual control, -because national and commercial broadcasting were distinct departments. 'Replying to Mr. Waite'a contentiou that the Farmers' Union should be allowed to state its case, he said the union had a number of advocates in the Lower' House, where the discussions were broadcast. Tho Bill was put through the remaining stages and passed, . - ' _ _ j