WIRELESS IN HOTELS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5248, 7 March 1928, Page 2

WIRELESS IN HOTELS.

POINT RAISED BY POLICEt

VIEWS OF LICENSING COMMITTEE

At the quarterly meeting of the Ohinemuri Licensing Committee held at Paeroa on Monday afternoon the question of wireless receiving sets in hotels was introduced by Sergeant D. L. Calwell.

It was pointed out by the sergeant that since the December meeting of tlie committee, when reference was made to two hotels at Paeroa having installed wireless sets, these sets, o'n the recommendation of the committee, had been moved to upstairs rooms. Particularly on race days those two hotels appeared to attract a large crowd, of people to the premises chiefly on account of the resuits of races being received. A crowd was not detrimental to any hotel, but the police were led to think that the receipt of such news led to gambling. In order to overcome the difficulty that existed, and also to Kelp both t|he licensees, the police thought it would be a decided help if an enactment cJuld be passed ’defining whether wireless receiving sets were quite legal in licensed premisjes. The chairman (Mr F. W- Platts, S.M.) said that 'bn a previous occasion the committee hqd made it quite plain that it strongly disapproved of wireless sets as a means of promoting custom on licensed premises.

On behallf of the licensee of the Royal Mail Hotel Mr A. T. Jones said that the police report was no 1! quite correct. A wireless receiving set had been installed not only for the receipt of results of races, but all programmes broadcasted in the Dominion could be received. The set was tuned to pick up programmes broadcasted at any time and anywhere, and racing news was not particularly featured. If there was any tendency, as the report seemed to suggest, that the installation of receiving sets encouraged or fostered gambling, then it would be a comparatively easy matter for the authorities to check that tendency at it fountain-head by prohibiting the broadcasting of all racing news by the Dominion’s broadcasting stations. So long as licensees of hotels observed the wishes of the committee in the matter further restrictions should not be imposed on them.

Appearing for the licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Mr E. A. Porritt said that in accordance with the directions of the committee the receiving sephad been removed x to a sitting room upstairs for the convenience of boarders and the family. At the same time it was a difficult matter for the licensee to control if a boarder or a member of the family took guests upstairs for the purpose of “listening-in.” If exception was taken to. the receipt of racing news, then steps should be taken by the Government .to prohibit the broadcasting of such ne.wS. There were other hotels which had installed wireless receiving sets, 'and he failed to understand why exception had been taken to two hotels in Paeroa having sets.

The chairman reiterated that the committee would not approve of wireless being used as. a means of encouraging bar. trade or the fostering or encouragement of gambling. So long as sets were used expressly for the benefit of the licensees’ families and legitimate boarders no exception would be taken.