OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 262, 4 November 1932, Page 12

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES. FROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By PHONOS.)

There are now over 24,000 licenses in tie Auckland postal district. The closing date for radio servicemen's examination has been extended to November 9. The exam, takes place on December 2. Mr. C. C. Dacre, well-known to all cricketers, will shortly be heard from IYA in a series of chats on the popular English summer sport. There will be plenty of recing news on the air to-morrow. IYA will be Busy with the Ellerslie spring meeting, from 11.30, and will probably interrupt this description to rebroadcast the account of the New Zealand Cup at Christchurcli.

One wonders whether the new shortwave Empire station at Daventry will be brought into operation to transmit the Armistice Day service at the Cenotaph next week. In the past this has been handled from SSW, with very patchy reception results, so far as New Zealand is concerned.

It would be gross exaggeration to term the retransmission from 2ME on Tuesiiay afternoon a success. Still, it achieved its main purpose in conveying quickly the winner of the race, which was what thousands wanted to know. Atmospheric conditions were exceedingly bad.

THE RADIO SETTLEMENT. When it was announced that Mr. Justice Blair, arbitrator, had awarded the late Broadcasting Company £58,(140 16/2 in full settlement for its assets taken over by the Broadcasting Board, there was a gasp of incredulity, for in well-informed circles a maximum of £35,000 was anticipated. The presentation of the award in a Parliamentary paper carries an explanation of the difference between the expected and the actual. On December 29, 1931, two days before the company ceased to function as a purveyor of broadcast entertainment, an agreement was entered into between the Postmaster-General and the Broadcasting Company which materially affected the basis of values of plant and property. In the original agreement under which the company received its license, there was the proviso that, at its termination, "if the parties cannot agree upon the price to be paid . . . then the amount to be paid shall be determined by arbitration." The "deathbed agreement" of December 29 amplifies the original by stipulating, "plant, machinery, chattels, property and assets . . . shall be valued as part of a going concern, but eliminating good will, and any consideration of the past profits of the company."

Quite an important point arises from this clause. Did it give to the .company many thousands of pounds which, under tfce original agreement would not have been awarded it? The schedules attached to the award seem to indicate so. The I'. and T. Department's officers, as valuers on behalf of the Minister, assessed the property to be taken over as worth £27,353. This, it appears, was what they considered it worth, having due regard for the fact that much of the broadcasting plant was out of date, and allowing for wear and ordinary depreciation. The company valued its transferable property at £85,812. The arbitrator awarded £58,040. Now, how much of this last sum could be attributed to the words "as a going concern," not shown as existing in the original agreement? The above figures seem to speak for themselves. The one important fact is that, whatever the price, the listener, in the long run, has to pay.

There are some interesting sidelights in this radio award. 1 Office and studio equipment (excluding the studio building), at IYA were assessed by the Department as worth £390. The company's claim was for £040, and the award was £851. Those "international •recorded programmes," of which manj' listeners became so heartily tired, were claimed by the company t.o be worth £2131 for the taking over. The Department very rightly declared their value as nil; it did not want them, but listeners, indirectly, have to pay another £1808 for them, since the arbitrator has decreed so. Judging by the arbitrator's valuation, there must be a lot of wear left in them yet.

The listeners, through the board, will pay £3125 for pianos and other instruments imported by the company for the four studios, and £2414 for gramophone records. So we must not growl at repetitions in dinner music sessions until we have had our money's worth from this investment. One request by the company was for £7000, plus 10 per cent, for its unencumbered interest in the freehold of 2YA station. The site had been secured originally at a total cost of £850. Mr. Justice Blair considered that the latter sum was all that could fairly be allowed for it. Including buildings on the site, he awarded £5035 in full settlement. There are many other points of interest to listeners which will have to be left till next week.

FROM IYA NEXT WEEK. Sunday.—7.o, St. Matthew's Church .service; 8.30, Municipal Band relay. Monday.—ll.3o, relay from Ellerslie racecourse; ■ 5.0, Jack'and Jill; 7.35, "Principles of Export Trading," Mr. E. • Cortis; 8.0, (to IZH), wrestling relay. Tuesday. —10.0, usual day sessions; 5.0, Uncle Dave; 7.35, "Town Planning," Mr. J. Tyler; BJ3, recordings; 9.3, "The Art of the Troubadours," Mr. G. O'Halloran; 10.0, dance music. Wednesday. —10.0, usual day sessions; 5.0, Uncle Reg.; 7.30, astronomical talk; 8.0, Miss P. Gribbin and Mr. E. Simmers; recordings; 9.2, Dog talk, Mr. S. F. Temple; 9.31, dance music. Thursday.—lo.o, usual day sessions; 5.0, Skipper; 7.30, "Powers of Dominion Parliaments," Mr. L. K. Munro; 8.0, (to IZH), relay of concert by Leys Institute Orchestra, and Misses Laurie Stuart, Noni Wright, and Jean Clarkson. Friday. —10.0, usual day sessions; 5.0, Nod, 7.30, sports talk; 8.0 (to 1ZH); Clarion Quartet; 8.33, sketch,'"Armistice Day," Messrs. G. A. Thomas, Alan McElwain and J. W. Bailey; 9.17, Eric Bell; ■ 9.21, Alan McElwain; 9.44, Haydn Murray Trio. Saturday.—3.o, recordings; 5.0, Cinderella; 7.30, "Chrysanthemums," Mr. A. E. McMahon; 8.5, Miss May Aroa (soprano); 8.18, Orchestra; 8*24, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Prentice; 8.52, pianoaccordion, Mr. C. Bruce; 10.10, dance 1

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