BROADCASTING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 29 July 1929, Page 3

BROADCASTING

SERVICE GIVEN BY STATE CIUTICISEP IN Till; MOUSE "AMA'J'EUR SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED” (By Telegraph) (From ‘‘The * Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON. 27th July. The question of radio broadcasting was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Air E. J. Howard (Christchurch South). At the outset ol his remarks, Mr Howard saiil that he did not wish lo he too luird on the Postmaster-General, who was new to the oflice, but lie seemed to be the ,"rubber stamp" of the Department ni the same .way as his predecessor because- letters sent in to dim came bad; with the same old stereotyped reply. Mr Howard said that there were 44.000 licensed listeners in the Dominion, the amount of the fees running into £II,OOO. He. wanted to ask winn service, tiie Department was giving in leturn. The State was rendering no service except a few clerks to register the licenses and a- few policemen to threaten on behalf of the Broadcasting Company. He considered that the State was handicapping local amateurs and thereby preventing the development of wireless improvements in New Zealand. IL wtis his contention that wireless telephonic apparatus should be installed in various parts of the Dominion in order to be on hand in case ol rite ordinary telegraphic services breaking down. ’ Costly wireless sets were being imported because the P. and T. Department was exercising a stranglehold over wireless development in the Dominion. The. Minister of Education was seeking to give the children an agricultural Dins, but in bis position of "ltead schoolmaster,” be should encourage the children to acquire a scientific Dins, which was more important- than the agricultural, or "turnip bias.” The IJepaitment should allow more scope for amateurs to render national service in times of need. The follow who went home from work and delved into (he now science of wireless would be the one who could render national service il an emergency arose. He hoped that no impediment would be placed in the way of children using wireless. The. Rev. Clyde Carr (Timartt) said lift hoped the, Department would review the decision against the payment ol half-yearly license fees. Some families could not pay the 3Cs in one lump sum. Quarterly payments would be. preferable. lie supported what Mr Howard had said about encouraging the use of radio by the young people. The policy of the' Department seemed to be. to discourage the B class stations, which meant tliut backbloeks settlers who could afford nothing better than crystal sets could not enjoy the advantage of listening to the A class stations. He would like to know whether the Government had extended the Radio Broadcasting Company’s monopoly for a further three and a half years, and would welcome information regarding the payment of patent rights, and why the B class stations were discouraged. It seemed as if the Radio Company enjoyed partial treatment by the Department. DERARTAIENT MAKING A LOSS The Postmaster-General (the Hon. -J. B. Donald) said lie was very pleased indeed that the young people had such a champion its Mr Howard. It had been said that the Department was making a good thing out of radio. He did not have the complete figures in front of him, but as far as his memory served him, lie believed the Department was losing money over radio. Air Howard: “What iii? What are they doing: Great Scott!" .Mr Donald: "The, Department (is losing money over the radio business.” Air A. AL Samuel (Thames): “They ought to get a new manager.” Tiie Postmaster-General said that he had no desire whatever to lie a stumbling block in tiie way of progress m radio so far as either .old or young people were concerned. If -Mr Howard would call at his o’tlice and make, suggestions they would receive the best consideration". "He will then, find that 1 am noL the rubber stamp be thinks t am,” said Air Donald. Air Donald said be fully recognised that there was a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the broadcasting programmes. That was only to be expected, as it would be a very hard matter indeed to please everybody ill New Zealand. Personally; be was of opinion that New Zealand was served reasonably well in connection with tin- programmes. He did not suggest that there could not be an improvement. That improvement would without doubt lake place as time went on. Considering that the company bad to supply lour major stations, lie thought that it was doing fairly well. Willi regard to the I! class stations, he wished to say that no stumblingblock was pill in the way of those stations. .All that was asked was that they should he’properly equipped, did not interfere with the stations already in existence, and complied with the regulations. The people running the B class stations had recently asked that they should be allowed to do a certain amount of advertising. That matter was being gone into and when the Secretary of the Department (Mr AlcNtimara) returned from the Old Country it would b e looked into further. Air R. Semple (Wellington East): “What are von going to do with the fees?” Air Donald: “Oil, we’ll go into that question.” NEWS AT SEA Air VV. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) referred to t!ic scarcity of news received over the air by passengers on overseas steamers. During bis recent trip lie had heard very little New Zealand news, but they had beard plenty of American news even about prize poodle-dogs going to England to take part in shows. (Laughter.) Even in England, very little New Zealand news was disseminated. ;i fact that was probably due to the high rate of telegraph charges. The Government, should take the matter iqi and endeavour to secure the lowest possible cable rale.