SCOURGE TO RADIO

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1931, Page 7

SCOURGE TO RADIO

ADVERTISING IN AMERICA

ECONOMIC CON DITTO NS

‘‘-Advertising is the scourge of radio in the United States, - ’ declared Mr Brooks Gifford, a Los -Angeles lawyer, on his arrival from Sydney by the Ulimaroa at Wellington on Tuesday. ‘‘A great idea—what a marvellous s'-rvice for listeners!" v\vas his comment on being told of the New Zealand system, whereby all sits were licensed. In -America licenses are not required, he said, the necessary funds for carrying on the broadcasting stations being obtained from advertising.

“Nobody listens to the advertising stunts over there,’’ he said. "Things are so bad that when you tune in to one station, a symphony or a song, or other item is suddenly broken into by a dissertation on the merits of somebody’s hats or such like, and its means constantly tuning in to a new station. Sometimes we have to tune in to a dozen different stations in an evening, and I can assure you that people in -America are absolutely tired of the whole thing. 'Mr Gifford, who is accompanied by •Mrs Gifford, has travelled extensively, and generally takes an overseas trip levery year. This time he is taking a nine weeks’ spell from his business. He has paid a hurried visit to Australia, nad after a week's sight-seeing in New Zealand, will leave on his return to the United States by the Makura next Tuesday. Both Mr Gifford and hi?, wife are graduates of the University of Southern California, Mr Gifford being a Doctor of Jurisprudence, and Mrs ’Gifford a Master of Arts, Prior to her marriage, Mrs Gilford, whose maiden name was Mary Barbara Taylor, was a prominent tennis player and won the junior championship for the whole of the Pacific Coast. Mr Gifford takes a keen interest in aquatics, being the owner of a TIO-ton cruising, yacht, and is also a speed-boat enthusiast. AUSTRALIAN EXPENDITURE. In an interview with “The Dominion” on Eriday, Mr Gifford said it was apparent that a great deal of retrenchment by the Australian Government was necessary. There was a great amount of needless expense fliat could be cut, and something would have to be done to curtail the efiormous expenditure in pensions and doles. It was a significant fact that out of a total population of seven millions in Australia, the incometax was borne by only 700,009 persons. At the present time, things were not too good in Los Angeles, he continued. They were, still feeling the depression as u result of over-speculation in America, and it was interesting to note that although iron and steel and other important securities were still down, the mania for speculation had not ceased. Mr Gifford attributed much of America's present economic position to "the tendency to o\ er-speculate, thereby causing inflation. >" «.M-

The surface of taxation in, the United States was only just scratched, he declared. Persons receiving 3,500 dollars n year there were absolutely exempt from income taxation. Moreover, lor ’every child a man had, hh was entitled to a further exemption of 590 dollars. UNEMPLOY ME NT RE LIEF.

They did not have the dole in America, he said, and furthermore, he did not feel that there was any need for it. The only logical way to provide relief, if it was necessary, was to pay a man for some sort of work which would enable him to keep his self-respect. At the present time America had embarked on an extensive programme of public works to provide work for the unemployed, the whole costing about 23 million dollars.

The depression in America was due to a large extent to the time and credit ■system winch was practised so widely, he declared. Through this system the whole country became grossly inflated by reason of much high pressure salesmanship, and when the crash came, all the dealers had automobiles, radio sets, musical instruments, vacuum cleaners and the like back on their hands. The country uvas now only just about recovering from the "pernicious effects of the longterm credit system. Mr and Mrs Gifford went north last night, and during the week will visit Auckland, Rotorua, Nelson and Christchurch.