RADIO “JAMMING.”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 77, 13 January 1936, Page 5

RADIO “JAMMING.”

REV. SCRIMCEOUR’S COMMENT. FREEDOM OF SPEECH SOUGHT, (United Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, January 12. The “Sunday Sun” publishes comment by the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour on the " Hon. Adam Hamilton’s explanation of the jaipming of the “Friendly Road” radio station. Mr Scrimgeour says: “I did enter into politics, and made no apology for if?; but it was only on the issue of the Government’s radio policy, and that alone. A year before the last election I placed the whole matter before the Government and appealed to it to alter its policy. I suggested that as its attitude was so entirely against the public interest, the question must eventually become a political, issue. “The last Postmaster-General’s confession explains the reason for the stupid explanations made by his departmental officers. It indicates the length to which certain political parties will go to achieve their ends. I resent this last attempt to brand me as a propagandist of dangerous,ideas. All I advocated was the British right of freedom of speech.” FORMER MINISTER CRITICISED. AUCKLAND, January 11. Comment strongly critical of the attitude taken by the Hon Adam Hamilton, former Postmaster-General, in explanation of the “jamming” of the Friendly Road station IZB, was made by the secretary of the station (Mr Harry Bell). , “Well, the cat is out of the bag at last and it is certainly a repulsive aenimal,” said Mr Bell. “‘Uncle Scrim ’ will not return to the Dominion until January 30. In the meantime the only remark we feel disposed to make is to deplore the fact that for a time tlio direction of radio broadcasting was in the hands of gentlemen capable of such extreme foolishness of policy as the ‘ jamming incident. r “We feel there is no necessity lor us to comment upon Mr Hamilton’s unwarranted attack on ‘ Uncle Sci im s doctrine of the Friendly Road.” The investigations of the new Government, Mr Bell added, proved beyond question that the radio set found at Newmarket was deliberately tuned to the IZR wave-length, and installed there for that purpose, and the result of official investigations was a definite justification of the charges which the station believed justifiable before any investigation was ever mooted.